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Charly (1968)

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Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 17
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 5

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 3,580

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Movie Info

In 1961, Cliff Robertson starred in The Two Worlds of Charley Gordon, a TV adaptation of Daniel Keyes' story Flowers for Algernon. Determined not to lose out on the film version of this play as he'd done with Days of Wine and Roses, Robertson bought up the movie rights to Keyes' story so that he and he alone would star. This determination paid off in the form of the Best Actor Academy Award for Robertson in 1968. The star plays Charly, a 30-year-old mentally retarded bakery worker. Neurosurgeon

PG, 1 hr. 55 min.

Drama, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Ralph Nelson

Written By: Stirling Silliphant

In Theaters: Sep 23, 1968 Wide

On DVD: Mar 8, 2005

Cast

Cliff Robertson
Charly Gordon
Claire Bloom
Alice Kinian
Leon Janney
Dr. Richard Nemur
Lilia Skala
Dr. Anna Straus
Dick Van Patten
Bert
William Dwyer
Joey
Dan Morgan
Paddy
Barney Martin
Hank
Ruth White
Mrs. Apple
Frank Dolan
Eddie
Skipper McNally
Gimpy
Ralph Nelson
Convention speaker

Critic Reviews for Charly

All Critics (20) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (5) | DVD (8)

I'm told by someone whose opinion I respect that the novel was very moving and very sad. The movie is not. It's science-fiction without gadgets, a horror film without thrills.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

As the story of a personality in crisis, it works.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

The film's main problem is that director Ralph Nelson virtually ignores the philosophical elements of the story and emphasizes its most maudlin aspects, while throwing in a little sci-fi, romance, and spurious social commentary.

June 6, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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Michael Scheinfeld

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Cliff Robertson was rewarded with an Oscar for repeating his TV role, that of a mentally retarded man, and for paying with his own money for the screen adaptation of the popular novel, directed in a pedestrian mode by Ralph Nelson.

April 20, 2007 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

This moving film is the crowning achievement of Cliff Robertson's career.

February 18, 2006 Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com

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Chuck O'Leary

FulvueDrive-in.com

...the fact that the majority of Charly feels utterly superfluous.

March 12, 2005 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

| Comment (1)

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

another example of a memorable book which ends up diluted by the lesser talents of screenwriters

March 11, 2005 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

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David Bezanson

Filmcritic.com

This unassuming film stays fairly close to the novel as it tells a simple story of a simple man who wanted to be more.

March 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Well-acted drama about a retarded man who is turned into a genius in a scientific experiment and then regresses to his original state again.

January 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page

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James O'Ehley

Sci-Fi Movie Page Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page

Click to read the article.

December 31, 2004 Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com

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Staci Layne Wilson

StaciWilson.com

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Audience Reviews for Charly

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I enjoyed the book Flowers for Algernon when I read it in grade school, but seeing it on the screen was a disappointing experience. They changed things for the worse, and the actors were bad, and they had some weird psychedelic stuff in there. I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie.

September 5, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

REALLY corny, but sweet. And a neat look at what it would be like to go from retarded to a genus, and then have to give it all up and become even more retarded.

April 23, 2007