Charly (1968)

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Daniel Keyes (short story "Flowers for Algernon")
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 September 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A less than ordinary man is turned into a genius. He awakens to an exquisite love experience, but at an impossible price for CHARLY

Plot:

A retarded man undergoes an experiment that gives him the intelligence of a genius.

Plot Keywords:

Experiment | Genius | Mouse | Intelligence | Scientist

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Cliff Robertson	...	Charly Gordon
Claire Bloom	...	Alice Kinian
Lilia Skala	...	Dr. Anna Straus
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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leon Collins	...	Tap dancer (uncredited)
Harry Cooper	...	Speaker at Charly's interview (uncredited)
Frank Dolan	...	Eddie (uncredited)
Randee Lynne Jensen	...	Extra (uncredited)
Ralph Nelson	...	Convention speaker (uncredited)
Donald Warnock	...	Attendee at Charly's Interview (uncredited)

Directed by
Ralph Nelson

Writing credits
Daniel Keyes		(short story "Flowers for Algernon")
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ralph Nelson	....	producer
Selig J. Seligman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ravi Shankar

Cinematography by
Arthur J. Ornitz

Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp

Production Design by
John DeCuir
Charles Rosen

Art Direction by
Charles Rosen

Costume Design by
Hazel Roy

Makeup Department
Vin Kehoe	....	makeup artist (as Vincent Kehoe)
Phil Naso	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Henry Spitz	....	production manager
Tom Walker Jr.	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Blum	....	second assistant director
Louis A. Stroller	....	assistant director
Lynn Guthrie	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Clem Portman	....	re-recording supervisor
Jim Shields	....	sound recordist (as James Shields)

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Brown	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Rod Stephens	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Richard Kuhn	....	title designer
Richard Kuhn	....	title designer: opening montage
Doris Quinlan	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• ABC Pictures
• Robertson and Associates
• Selmur Productions

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1995) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Top Tape (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Two Worlds of Charly Gordon (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | UK:PG | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

ABC Pictures

Trivia:

Cliff Robertson saw more than one TV production he'd starred in turned into hit movies with other actors (such as Days of Wine and Roses (1962)), so when he starred in the 1961 "The United States Steel Hour" (1953) production of "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon," based on the novel "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, he bought the rights and later was responsible for turning that story into this film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Whenever Dr. Nemur is smoking, you can tell the cigarette's not lit, because you can't see any smoke.

Quotes:

Convention speaker #5: Modern science.
Charly Gordon: Rampant technology, conscience by computer.
Convention speaker #1: Modern art.
Charly Gordon: Dispassionate draftsmen.
Convention speaker #4: Foreign policy.
Charly Gordon: Brave new weapons.
[laughter]
Convention speaker #1: Today's youth.
Charly Gordon: Joyless, guideless.
Convention speaker #6: Today's religion.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "NewsRadio: Arcade (#3.4)" (1996)

excellent sci-fi film

Charly is a very touching sci-fi film about a retarded man Charly Gordon (Cliff Robertson) who can barely perform the menial job of sweeping up in a bakery and is the continual butt of jokes and ridicule by the bakers. He is chosen to participate in an experiment and is given treatments to boost his IQ. Alice Kinninan (Claire Bloom) plays one of the scientists who helps Charly to learn. Charly is based on the story Flowers For Algernon and the screenplay was by Stirling Silliphant (In The Heat of the Night.) Cliff Robertson won a best actor Oscar for Charly. The film is intelligent, poignant, and extremely moving. You'll need a box a Kleenex with your popcorn for this one.