Junior (1994)

As part of a fertility research project, a male scientist agrees to carry a pregnancy in his own body.

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writers:

Kevin Wade, Chris Conrad

Stars:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Emma Thompson

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Dr. Alex Hesse
Danny DeVito	...	Dr. Larry Arbogast
Emma Thompson	...	Dr. Diana Reddin
Frank Langella	...	Noah Banes
Pamela Reed	...	Angela
Aida Turturro	...	Louise
James Eckhouse	...	Ned Sneller
Megan Cavanagh	...	Willow
Welker White	...	Jenny
Kathleen Chalfant	...	Casitas Madres Receptionist
Merle Kennedy	...	Samantha
Judy Collins	...	Naomi
Mindy Seeger	...	Alice
Christopher Meloni	...	Mr. Lanzarotta
Antoinette Peragine	...	Mrs. Lanzarotta

Storyline

Alex Hesse and Larry Arbogast are working on a new drug which will reduce the chances of a woman's body rejecting an embryo and thus causing a miscarriage. When their research funding is withdrawn, and human experimentation is denied to them, they decide to test the drug by breifly impregnating Hesse. Hesse however becomes attached to "his" unborn baby.

---

Plot Keywords:

fertility | baby | scientist | pregnancy | media | 

---

Taglines:

Nothing is inconceivable

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Son of Devil

Filming Locations:

2552 Hyde Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£823,922 (UK) (9 December 1994)

Gross:

£4,430,399 (UK) (20 January 1995)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Northern Lights Entertainment, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Arnold Schwarzenegger spent time in doctors' waiting rooms to learn how pregnant people behave.

---

Goofs

At different times both Alex and Diana pick up a vial containing an egg from a liquid nitrogen container with their bare hands. Such containers are always handled with heavy gloves and metal tongs, because the extreme cold (-346ºF) would freeze the skin off of bare fingers.

---

Quotes

Noah Baines: Let me shake hands with the man who would be Mom.

---

Connections

Referenced in Conan: Fuzzy Wuzzy, or Fuzzy Wuzzn't He? (2011)

---

Soundtracks

"LITTLE WARM DEATH"
Written and Performed by Cassandra Wilson

User Reviews

better than Maltin says.....

"Junior", is a thoroughly entertaining, yet insightful movie that manages in the end to be touching. The story line (man gets pregnant) is sufficiently well-known from the publicity that it need not be outlined here. I have always admired Arnie's refreshing unpretentiousness about his lack of acting ability, but he has indeed come far from the grunting days of Conan and in this movie attains some very good moments. He really does make you believe he's carrying to term.

Good work all around - Emma Thompson (this great actress can't think too badly of Arnie to agree to make a movie with him; then again, is it the dough???) is a delightfully klutzy research scientist, and Danny DeVito plays a sympathetic role but with the inevitable undertones of sleazoid tackiness that he does so well. A good subplot is the relationship between DeVito and his divorced wife, also pregnant.

The commenter who said the premise was 'medically conceivable' [sic] didn't know much about amniotic sacs, placentas, and umbilical cords. That's ok; suspend disbelief and enjoy the humor.

The 'messages' here about gender roles and expectations are delivered with such a sense of humor that they are never preachy (I think of the classic "Tootsie" as a comparable example). An intelligently funny script, good comic pacing, and a hefty dose of outright slapstick make this a winner.