Charly *** (1968, Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom, Lilia Skala) – Classic Movie Review 9343

Director Ralph Nelson’s 1968 drama Charly stars Cliff Robertson, who swept to triumph as best actor at the 1969 Academy Awards as Charly Gordon, an adult man with a cognitive disability. He is selected by two doctors to have an operation to triple his IQ and becomes a genius, but then regresses, in this sterling film version of his 1961 TV role in The Two Worlds of Charly Gordon.

Claire Bloom supports loyally as Alice Kinnian, a social worker who helps Charly to read and write.

Robertson bought the movie rights to Daniel Keyes’s short story and novel, and finally Selmur Productions, Robertson and Associates and ABC Pictures backed the project, with release by Cinerama Releasing Corporation. ABC Pictures’ faith was rewarded with a decent hit thanks to the Oscar win, making a profit of $1,390,000 as one of the few successful movies made by ABC Pictures.

Sterling Silliphant’s skilful screenplay is based on Daniel Keyes’s science fiction short story (1958) and subsequent novel (1966) Flowers for Algernon. Silliphant won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

Algernon is a laboratory mouse that had previously had the operation to triple his IQ .

Robertson hired William Goldman to write the screenplay, paying him $30,000, but he was unhappy with Goldman’s script and hired Silliphant to write a draft.

Frank Sinatra accepted the Oscar on Robertson’s behalf.

Also in the cast are Leon Janney as Dr Richard Nemur, Lilia Skala as Dr Anna Straus, Dick Van Patten, Edward McNally, William Dwyer, Dan Morgan, Barney Martin, Ruth White and Frank Dolan.

Charly is directed by Ralph Nelson, runs 103 minutes, is made by Selmur Productions, Robertson and Associates and ABC Pictures, is released by Cinerama Releasing, is written by Sterling Silliphant, based on Daniel Keyes’s short story and novel Flowers for Algernon, is shot by Arthur J Ornitz, is produced by Ralph Nelson, is scored by Ravi Shankar and is designed by Charles Rosen.

In the late Seventies, Robertson wrote and unsuccessfully tried to produce Charly II.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9343

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