Charly (1968)

An intellectually disabled man undergoes an experiment that gives him the intelligence of a genius.

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Daniel Keyes (novel), Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)

Stars:

Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom, Lilia Skala

Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cliff Robertson	...	Charly Gordon
Claire Bloom	...	Alice Kinnian
Lilia Skala	...	Dr. Anna Strauss
Leon Janney	...	Dr. Richard Nemur
Ruth White	...	Mrs. Apple
Dick Van Patten	...	Bert (as Richard Van Patten)
Edward McNally	...	Gimpy (as Skipper McNally)
Barney Martin	...	Hank
William Dwyer	...	Joey
Dan Morgan	...	Paddy

Storyline

Charly is an adult male with a cognitive disability struggling to survive in the modern world. His frequent attempts at learning, reading, and writing prove difficult. His teacher, Miss Kinian, takes Charly to the clinic where he is observed by doctors who have Charly "race" a mouse, Algernon. Algernon is usually the winner thanks to an experiment that greatly raised his intelligence. This experiment is given to Charly, who at first does not seem affected. However, he becomes more logically advanced, eventually becoming a pure genius. Emotional and intra-personal consequences are involved when Charly learns the truth of the experiment, and struggles with whether or not the procedure was a good idea.

---

Plot Keywords:

experiment | mouse | mental retardation | genius | intelligence | 

---

Taglines:

The Poignant Incredible Story of A Man Whose Two Worlds Collide!

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Two Worlds of Charly Gordon

Filming Locations:

Boston City Hospital - 818 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Pictures,Robertson and Associates,Selmur Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cliff Robertson's Oscar winning performance in this film is his only Academy Award nomination.

---

Goofs

When Charly is riding the tour bus past Boston University the Marsh Chapel on the campus passes the bus window twice.

---

Quotes

[Alice slaps Charly on the face after been hardly kissed by him]
Alice Kinnian: You - you think anyone would ever want you, you stupid moron!
[Charly leaves Alice crying]

---

Connections

Referenced in Angel: Smile Time (2004)

User Reviews

" Well how would you feel if you knew you were dumber than a mouse? "

Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but there are many people who wish they could learn as much as anyone else. It's sad and downright tragic when you realize you're incapable of advancing common knowledge or higher education. Some are gifted, some are slow and some are just plain retarded and will never comprehend what is being taught. But what if there was a way? What if science could remedy what nature restricted in the human brain? That is the premise for the movie " Charly. " It tells the story of an adult retarded man named Charley Gordon (Cliff Robertson, 1968 Academy Award winner) who is mentally incapable of surmounting even simple challenges like spelling the word 'School.' Inside him is a deep desire to learn, but is mentally unable. That all changes when two brilliant scientists conceive of a medical procedure which can transform, first a mouse, then a human being into not only a educated individual, but a mental genius. Based on the novel "Flowers for Algernon" Cliff Robertson gives a brilliant and visually haunting performance of the retarded man who is suddenly transformed into a genius. Not only does he 'see' better than most, he's able to visualize what escapes even the most sophisticated in society. What he also sadly realizes is that 'increased intelligence equals loss of friends.' Beginning with the ability to learn and learn quickly, his advanced knowledge also unfortunately reveals his own future, a future he confronts the two doctors with. This is a must picture for anyone who'd like to see the man beat the mouse and yet have sympathy for both. A superb cast featuring Claire Bloom, Lilia Skala, Leon Janney and Dick Van Patten as Bert makes for a believable Classic movie. ****