The Man with Two Brains

"Steve Martin is a world famous surgeon. He invented screw top, zip lock brain surgery. Trust him."

1983 1h 33m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 504

ComedyScience FictionRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A brain surgeon marries a femme fatale, causing his life to turn upside down. Things go more awry when he falls in love with a talking brain.

“Steve Martin is a world famous surgeon. He invented screw top, zip lock brain surgery. Trust him.”

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Cast

Steve Martin
Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr
Kathleen Turner
Dolores Benedict
David Warner
Dr. Alfred Necessiter
Paul Benedict
Butler
Richard Brestoff
Dr. Pasteur
James Cromwell
Realtor
George Furth
Timon
Peter Hobbs
Dr. Brandon

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Carl Reiner
Writers: George Gipe, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 99% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

43 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Carl Reiner, shot by Michael Chapman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Original score by Joel Goldsmith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Bud Molin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Steve Martin and Kathleen Turner and David Warner carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Steve Martin is a world famous surgeon. He invented screw top, zip lock brain surgery. Trust him.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0085894 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Carl Reiner directs. Michael Chapman behind the camera. Joel Goldsmith scores. Bud Molin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 99% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
243 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Carl Reiner, shot by Michael Chapman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Joel Goldsmith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Bud Molin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Steve Martin and Kathleen Turner and David Warner carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Steve Martin is a world famous surgeon. He invented screw top, zip lock brain surgery. Trust him.".
8IMDB entry: tt0085894 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Michael Chapman
Original score: Joel Goldsmith
Editing: Bud Molin
Production design: Mark W. Mansbridge
Makeup / hair: Lance Anderson
Stunt coordinator: Joe Dunne
Runtime: 93 min · 1h 33m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,100,000
Box office: $10,000,000
Return: 99% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Man with Two Brains (1983)

Also by

Carl Reiner

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2020-12-17
★ 7/10
Amusing spoof of mad doctor horror flicks with Steve Martin and Kathleen Turner A brain surgeon and widower in Los Angeles (Steve Martin) unknowingly marries a malevolent gold-digger (Kathleen Turner), but stumbles upon a living female brain in Vienna in which he has an affinity (voiced by Sissy Spacek). David Warner is on hand as a mad doctor in Austria. “The Man with Two Brains” (1983) is similar in style & humor to “The Jerk” (1979), obviously because it’s by the same director/actor team. It’s a nutty send-up of mad doctor flicks and is quietly amusing, but rarely laugh-out-loud funny. The film scores pretty well on the feminine front showcasing voluptuous Turner in all her glory, tastefully. Randi Brooks is also on hand as Fran, but her voice is really annoying, lol (the voice of Fran, that is). There’s a little top nudity, but the film somehow eludes the rut of raunch. I also appreciated the message at the end concerning the uncanny connection of soulmates that is so profound the physical no longer matters (much). The movie runs 1 hour, 30 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles and Castle Green Apartments, Pasadena, California. GRADE: B/B-

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