An intellectually disabled man undergoes an experiment that gives him the intelligence of a genius.
Charly is an adult male with a cognitive disability, struggling to survive in the modern world. His frequent attempts at learning, reading and writing prove difficult, and he is the subject of cruel pranks at the bakery where he does minor janitorial work. His teacher, Mrs. Kinnian, enrolls Charly in a clinical study where he is observed by a surgeon and a psychologist who have Charly "race" a mouse named Algernon, solving mazes. Algernon is usually the winner, thanks to an experiment involving brain proteins that greatly raised his intelligence. The experiment proceeds with surgery on Charly, who at first does not seem affected. However, he quickly becomes more logically advanced, soon becoming a pure genius. Emotional and intra-personal consequences are involved as Charly and his teacher become increasingly attached to one another. But when Charly gradually suspects the consequences of the experiment, he struggles with whether or not the procedure was a good idea.—Anonymous
The mentally disabled Charly is a sweet adult that works as janitor in a bakery and tries to learn how to read and write in a night school. His teacher, Mrs. Alice Kinnian, brings Charly to participate in an experiment in a clinic led by the surgeon Dr. Nemur and the psychologist Dr. Straus. Charly has to race through mazes with a mouse named Algernon that was submitted to a brain surgery and he always lose. But Mrs. Kinnian convinces Dr. Nemur to operate Charly that increases his intelligence to a genius. But soon he learns the effects of the experiment and questions the result.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Charly is a good-natured adult with a cognitive disability. Scientists try an experimental treatment on him, which raises his IQ to genius levels but which does not give him emotional maturity. In the end, everyone involved has to question whether the procedure was a good idea.—John Vogel <[email protected]>
Charly Gordon (Cliff Robertson) is a retarded male adult. He enjoys playing on the playground with kids. He goes to night school, and his teacher, Mrs. Alice Kinnian (Claire Bloom), asks him to come to a research clinic as part of a study. She takes him through logic tests while scientists watch and film him from behind a 2-way mirror.
Charly lives in a small, sparsely furnished upstairs room in the home of his landlady Mrs. Apple (Ruth White), who is both cautious and protective of him; he scrawls each day's plans on a small chalkboard. He works at a bakery, sweeping floors, where he is the target of teasing and practical jokes by his co-workers, led by Gimpy (Edward McNally). Charly doesn't realize they are jokes at his expense.
The next day, Alice take Charly back to the laboratory, where he races a mouse named Algernon in solving a maze. Algernon wins, and Charly is baffled - he had his lucky rabbit's foot, too. She drives him home, and asks to see his apartment, which is very plain. His landlady is concerned he's fooling around with her. Alice tells him that Algernon had a special operation that made him smarter, and asks Charly if he would like to have the same operation.
Alice discusses Charly's qualifications with the psychologist Dr. Straus (Lilia Skala) and the surgeon Dr. Nemur (Leon Janney). At first, the doctors are skeptical because of his age, but Alice uses his eagerness and good nature to convince them to try the operation on him. Charly chats with the lab technician Bert (Dick Van Patten).
Charly rides a tour bus to get around and try to learn things. His friends Hank (Barney Martin), Joey (William Dwyer) and Gimpy take him to Paddy's (Dan Morgan) bar, where they play tricks on him. Depressed, he goes to the playground, and Alice finds him and tells him the operation has been approved. He's happy again, and swings on the swing.
The next day, Charly undergoes the operation. When he awakes, he seems to be no smarter, and Algernon still beats him in the maze test. Charly is frustrated, and storms off. He works off his anger riding bumper cars, then returns to his apartment, only to find Algernon has been placed in his room. He yells at Algernon, but Mrs. Apple tells him that having a pet is a gift from God.
Charly begins to show improvement, and finally beats Algernon in a maze race. Alice continues to teach him, and Charly begins to fall in love with her. He studies more advanced subjects, and his co-workers try to fool him by having him try to work the bakery machines, but he finds it easier than they had when they started. Gimpy is suspicious, and fearful that Charly might be a threat to his job. Charly is beginning to notice Alice's femininity, and she is beginning to become uncomfortable with him. Alice tells Dr. Straus that she wants to resign from the program.
Charly's maturation continues, and he is fired from the bakery, since his "friends" no longer feel comfortable mocking him. Alice explains that growth can be painful. Dr. Nemur wants to continue pushing Charly's education, but Dr. Straus thinks he needs to mature emotionally first. Charly follows Alice home, being jealous of her fiance, and tries to force himself on her. She screams at him, calling him a stupid moron.
Charly begins to live recklessly, riding motorcycles, going to parties, and smoking. Eventually he returns home, and Alice is waiting for him, having sensed that he has worked past his immaturity and violent tendencies. They begin a romance, and Charly asks Alice to marry him. They have a wonderful vacation and return to the seminar to present the "Algernon-Gordon" effect. Doctors Nemur and Straus show Charly's original test footage, as he watches from backstage. When he comes onstage, he answers questions about what is, and what is to be. Charly then turns to the audience and asks what will become of him. No one answers, and Charly tells him that he will return to his previous intelligence - he has discovered the tragic effect on Algernon, and realized more quickly than the scientists that the operation's effect is only temporary. He runs from the seminar, and is haunted by images of how he used to be.
Charly winds up at a bar, where a retarded busboy is made fun of by the patrons; after a minor accident provokes laughter, he quiets the room by silently helping the boy. The doctors and Alice argue over what to do about Charly, and he offers to use his vast intelligence to help, trying to use computers and scientific theory to propose a possible solution. But he begins to experience mental blocks, a possible sign of regression. His research is unsuccessful, and Alice asks Charly to marry her. Fearing his quick decline which she would witness, he asks her to leave.
Days later, Alice sadly watches Charly playing on the playground again, having completely reverted to his former state, with no apparent memory of what has transpired.
The End.
