The Man with Two Brains *** (1983, Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner) – Classic Movie Review 6895

Director Carl Reiner’s likeable 1983 comedy stars Steve Martin in a rough but ready zany horror spoof about unhappily married neurosurgeon Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr (Martin)’s love affair with a woman’s talking brain (voice of Sissy Spacek) that he keeps in a bottle. She was one of the victims of a serial killer who is on the loose – The Elevator Killer.

There is a lot of wild and woolly comedy, and there is no doubt that the more mature, later Steve Martin would have made it cleverer and sharper. But the film’s daftness is endearing and there are plenty of real big guffaws, as well as much zest in the performances and a lot of fun to be had. It is written by Carl Reiner, Steve Martin and George Gipe.

As performer, Martin is near the peak of his form, Kathleen Turner packs some punch, letting her hair down and having fun as Martin’s malicious, nymphomaniac wife Dolores Benedict, while David Warner gets his chortles as Dr Alfred Necessiter, a Viennese Dr Frankenstein with terrible taste.

Also in the cast are Paul Benedict, Richard Brestoff, James Cromwell, George Furth, Randi Brooks, Peter Hobbs, Earl Boen, Bernie Hern and Frank McCarthy.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6895

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