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IMDbPro

Brainstorm

  • 1965
  • Approved
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
903
YOUR RATING
Jeffrey Hunter in Brainstorm (1965)
Psychological DramaPsychological ThrillerDramaThriller

Scientist Jim Grayam saves his boss' wife from suicide, but then he falls in love with her.Scientist Jim Grayam saves his boss' wife from suicide, but then he falls in love with her.Scientist Jim Grayam saves his boss' wife from suicide, but then he falls in love with her.

  • Director
    • William Conrad
  • Writers
    • Mann Rubin
    • Lawrence B. Marcus
  • Stars
    • Jeffrey Hunter
    • Dana Andrews
    • Anne Francis
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    903
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William Conrad
    • Writers
      • Mann Rubin
      • Lawrence B. Marcus
    • Stars
      • Jeffrey Hunter
      • Dana Andrews
      • Anne Francis
    • 26User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos16

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    Top cast65

    Edit
    Jeffrey Hunter
    Jeffrey Hunter
    • Jim Grayam
    • (as Jeff Hunter)
    Dana Andrews
    Dana Andrews
    • Cort Benson
    Anne Francis
    Anne Francis
    • Lorrie Benson
    Viveca Lindfors
    Viveca Lindfors
    • Dr. Elizabeth Larstadt
    Stacy Harris
    Stacy Harris
    • Josh Reynolds
    Kathie Browne
    Kathie Browne
    • Angie DeWitt
    • (as Kathie Brown)
    Phillip Pine
    Phillip Pine
    • Dr. Ames
    Michael Pate
    Michael Pate
    • Dr. Mills
    Robert McQueeney
    Robert McQueeney
    • Sgt. Dawes
    Strother Martin
    Strother Martin
    • Mr. Clyde
    Joan Swift
    Joan Swift
    • Clara
    George Pelling
    • Butler
    Victoria Paige Meyerink
    Victoria Paige Meyerink
    • Julie Benson
    • (as Victoria Meyerink)
    Stephen Roberts
    Stephen Roberts
    • Judge
    Pat Cardi
    Pat Cardi
    • Bobby
    Leon Alton
    Leon Alton
    • Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Anfinsen
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    David Armstrong
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Conrad
    • Writers
      • Mann Rubin
      • Lawrence B. Marcus
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      William Conrad: can be seeing lying on the bunk to the right of the man playing the song he won't finish. When Jeffrey Hunter yells at the guitar player, Conrad, smoking a cigar in bed, turns and looks in Hunter's direction.
    • Goofs
      When Dr. Larstadt is looking at the x-rays of what is supposedly Grayam's skull, the films are clearly not all of the same person. Note the different dental work in the last two images, for example.
    • Quotes

      Lorrie Benson: Jim, are you sure about this? The whole thing is getting so involved.

      Jim Grayam: No, but that's what makes this so fascinating. It's like walking on a tight rope -- you make one misstep and you've had it. But if you succeed, it's as though you defy the very law of gravity ... and I am going to succeed. I'm going to beat it, because I'm going to plead guilty and imply insanity.

      Lorrie Benson: You mean, plead not guilty?

      Jim Grayam: No, no, look. It's all right here, all of it. All of the booby traps, all of the wrong turns. It's just like a military campaign. Every step has got to be planned. That's why I'm taking my time. You see, the murder, the trial, the psychiatrist -- each phase has got to be a victory for me.

      Lorrie Benson: Well then, why plead guilty?

      Jim Grayam: No, don't you see? Pleading not guilty by reason of insanity is the worst thing I could possibly do. Because nine times out of ten, the judge and the jury reason that if a man is sane enough to plead not guilty to the general charge, then he is sane enough to send to the gas chamber. Now the trick is... the trick is to plead guilty, but by my actions, my attitude, make them think that I have no real awareness to the crime or its consequences. Now do you understand?

      Lorrie Benson: No, not entirely.

      Jim Grayam: You will.

    • Connections
      Featured in Trailer Trauma 2: Drive-in Monsterama (2016)

    User reviews26

    Featured review
    7/10

    Trying to game the system of criminal insanity

    I do some court monitoring volunteering and a few years back I sat in on a murder case where a 19 year killed a 60 something man with whom he was having a sexual relationship with. During the course of the trial this kid gave certain answers to the court appointed scientist that he thought would help his case. As the perpetrator was high school drop out with a GED he wasn't fooling any shrink.

    But that's what Jeffrey Hunter tries to do in Brainstorm. Hunter is a top scientist working for billionaire industrialist Dana Andrews. Hunter one nights saves Anne Francis who is the wife of Andrews from a suicide attempt. Risks his own life to do it.

    Andrews is a cruel and vicious man and Hunter falls for Francis. Like the way Barbara Stanwyck lures Fred MacMurray into her murder scheme, Francis gets entrapped in her scheme and goes one better in that Hunter thinks it's all his idea.

    Like my GED case Hunter being a most educated man figures he can game the insanity defense system. He does to some extent, but the end results are not what he bargained for.

    I was pleasantly surprised by this film, mainly because Dana Andrews was doing a lot of mediocre films at this point so I wasn't expecting much from Brainstorm. But I found it refreshingly original, written and directed by actor William Conrad who had a nice sense of style. Jeffrey Hunter was really great in the part of the luckless lead. Kudos also go to Viveca Lindfors as a consulting psychiatrist.

    The scenes with Hunter in the insane asylum are really freaky and bizarre. I expected to see Olivia DeHavilland and Dr. Kick come in the ward. The scenes were right of The Snake Pit. Strother Martin is one of the patients and he's memorable too.

    And the ending is one for the books. Definitely if you're a fan of any of the players I mentioned you should see this film.
    • bkoganbing
    • Jan 15, 2019
    • Permalink

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    FAQ13

    • How long is Brainstorm?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 5, 1965 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Das teuflische Spiel
    • Filming locations
      • 8433 Fallbrook Avenue, Canoga Park, California, USA("Benson Industries" building - then TRW's west headquarters, since demolished)
    • Production company
      • William Conrad Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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