Charly main backdrop
Charly main poster

6.4/10 • 107

1968-09-231h 43m

DramaRomanceScience Fiction

A love story that begins with an incredible experiment!

An experiment on a simpleton turns him into a genius. When he discovers what has been done to him he struggles with whether or not what was done to him was right.

Directors
Ralph Nelson
Editors
Fredric Steinkamp

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Cliff Robertson

    Cliff Robertson

    Charlie Gordon

  2. Claire Bloom

    Claire Bloom

    Alice Kinian

  3. Lilia Skala

    Lilia Skala

    Dr. Anna Straus

  4. Leon Janney

    Leon Janney

    Dr. Richard Nemur

  5. Ruth White

    Ruth White

    Mrs. Apple

  6. Dick Van Patten

    Dick Van Patten

    Bert

  7. Edward McNally

    Edward McNally

    Gimpy

  8. Barney Martin

    Barney Martin

    Hank

  9. William Dwyer

    William Dwyer

    Joey

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jan 4, 2024

7/10

Cliff Robertson is at the top of his game as the eponymous character who has learning difficulties. He has been attending night classes under "Dr. Kilman" (Claire Bloom) for almost two years, determined to improve his reading and writing, and it is she who thinks it might be possible to get him onto a scientifically-backed course that could ultimately result in profoundly correctional surgery. He has to struggle and work hard - often trying to outfox a genetically altered mouse - to convince "Dr. Straus" (Lilia Skala) and "Dr. Nemur" (Leon Janney) that he is suitable - and that's whilst, meantime, holding down a job at a bakery where his colleagues are not averse to rather cruel and thoughtless practical jokes. Eventually, he prevails but is what emerges from the surgery really sustainable? This is one of those stories where the underlying morals seeking conformity and acceptance are merged with the promise of largely unfettered scientific advances that pay scant regard to any broader or future ramifications of their progress. It's a bit of a slow start, but an effective chemistry gradually develops between "Charly" and his doctor as the ethics start to kick in and we all begin to wonder if (or not) this engaging character is on the right path. It's quite thought provoking at times and the dialogue and direction provide a film that offers us choices - it's not just black and white judgement or analysis. Not always an easy film to watch, but worth it, I'd say.

Media

  • Charly poster
  • Charly poster
  • Charly poster
  • Charly poster
  • Charly poster
  • Charly poster

Recommendations

  • End of the Spear main backdrop

    End of the Spear

    6.2

  • Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe main backdrop

    Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

    7.0

  • Sweet Charity main backdrop

    Sweet Charity

    6.9

  • Sisters of the Gion main backdrop

    Sisters of the Gion

    7.2

  • Blonde Venus main backdrop

    Blonde Venus

    6.8

  • The Man Between main backdrop

    The Man Between

    7.1

  • Uncle Saddam main backdrop

    Uncle Saddam

    5.9

  • Dulcima main backdrop

    Dulcima

    7.3

  • Global Eugenics: Using Medicine to Kill main backdrop

    Global Eugenics: Using Medicine to Kill

    4.8

  • Brimstone main backdrop

    Brimstone

    7.1

  • The Bling Ring main backdrop

    The Bling Ring

    5.4

  • The Handmaiden main backdrop

    The Handmaiden

    8.2

  • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari main backdrop

    The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

    7.9

  • Joker main backdrop

    Joker

    8.1

  • Meet Joe Black main backdrop

    Meet Joe Black

    7.3

  • The Gendarme and the Creatures from Outer Space main backdrop

    The Gendarme and the Creatures from Outer Space

    6.1

  • Fargo main backdrop

    Fargo

    7.9

  • The Aristocats main backdrop

    The Aristocats

    7.3

  • Charlotte's Web main backdrop

    Charlotte's Web

    6.8

  • Beauty & the Briefcase main backdrop

    Beauty & the Briefcase

    5.9

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$950,000.00
Revenue
$814,666.00
Keywords
experimentmousegeniusintelligence test