The Road to Wellville (1994)

A story about the ins and outs of one unusual health facility in the early twentieth century, run by the eccentric Dr. Kellogg.

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers:

T. Coraghessan Boyle (novel), Alan Parker (screenplay)

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Bridget Fonda, Matthew Broderick

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Dr. John Harvey Kellogg
Bridget Fonda	...	Eleanor Lightbody
Matthew Broderick	...	William Lightbody
John Cusack	...	Charles Ossining
Dana Carvey	...	George Kellogg
Michael Lerner	...	Goodloe Bender
Colm Meaney	...	Dr. Lionel Badger
John Neville	...	Endymion Hart-Jones
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Ida Muntz
Traci Lind	...	Nurse Irene Graves
Camryn Manheim	...	Virginia Cranehill
Roy Brocksmith	...	Poultney Dab
Norbert Weisser	...	Dr. Spitzvogel
Monica Parker	...	Mrs. Tindermarsh
Jacob Reynolds	...	Young George Kellogg

Storyline

A madcap portrayal of William Lightbody's stay at the health farm run by cereal king Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. William's wife, Eleanor, has persuaded him to go to Kellogg to have his system cleaned of impurities. Kellogg is very unconventional, and almost barbaric in his treatments.

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Plot Keywords:

eccentricity | man wearing glasses | health | therapy | 20th century | 

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Taglines:

A comedy of the heart and other organs.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sex-related humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 October 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aux bons soins du Dr Kellogg

Filming Locations:

North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,507,514

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beacon Communications, Beacon Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Much of the movie was filmed at the Mohonk Mountain House near New Paltz, New York, a Quaker-family-owned hotel, built in stages from 1879 to 1910. It's situated on the Shawangunk Ridge, which is south of the Catskill Mountains.

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Goofs

When Mr. Unpronounceable is dead, you can see him breathing.

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Quotes

William Lightbody: You were masturbating!
Dr. Lionel Badger: I was not! I was massaging my colon!
William Lightbody: Massaging your colon! I know where the colon is and it doesn't stick up in the air!

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Connections

Referenced in Action: Blowhard (1999)

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Soundtracks

A Chewing Song
Based on "There Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight"
By Joe Hayden & Theodore A. Metz
Arrangement by Rob Turner

User Reviews

With friends like these, who needs enemas

"With friends like these, who needs enemas." is the funniest line in the movie.

If you laugh when you hear the words "shit", "poo", "enema" or "masturbation" you will enjoy this movie. Reliance on pompous people saying these words wore thin for me.

I would have made a nice 30 minute short. It dragged on and on repeating the same elements.

The actors shout as if they were on stage trying to emote to the back rows in some melodrama. I just wanted them to shut up.

The musical score reminded be of an endlessly extended frantic Wendy's commercial.

It is visually interesting with all the Victoriana, and the crazy health machines created by Dr. Kellogg.

Lots of nudity of ugly people. The extras are a bizarre looking crew, picked for their grotesqueness.