Brain Donors

Brain Donors
File:Promobrainposter.jpg VHS cover
Directed by	Dennis Dugan
Produced by	Gil Netter James D. Brubaker
Written by	James Kevin McGuinness (story) George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind (screenplay "A Night at the Opera") Pat Proft (screenplay)
Starring	John Turturro Mel Smith Bob Nelson George De La Pena John Savident Spike Alexander Juliana Donald Nancy Marchand
Music by	Ira Newborn
Cinematography	David M. Walsh
Edited by	Malcolm Campbell
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	April 17, 1992 (1992-04-17) (U.S.)
Running time	79 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	Unknown
Box office	$918,239 (USA)

Brain Donors (1992) is an American comedy movie released by Paramount Pictures, loosely based on the Marx Brothers comedies A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races (coincidentally the Brothers' two films they did after leaving Paramount). The film co-stars John Turturro, Mel Smith, and Bob Nelson in the approximations of the Groucho, Chico, and Harpo roles, with Nancy Marchand in the Margaret Dumont dowager role.

The project was filmed as Lame Ducks; however, when the film's producers (David and Jerry Zucker) left for another studio, Paramount scrapped the publicity campaign, changed the title, and withdrew the film after its initial screenings. Brain Donors attracted attention on the home video market, which has resulted in a cult following according to its screenwriter, Pat Proft.

Plot

After the death of tycoon and philanthropist Oscar Winterhaven Oglethorpe, a ballet company is founded in his name by his widow, Lillian (Nancy Marchand). The formation of the ballet company leads to ambulance-chasing attorney Roland T. Flakfizer (John Turturro) vying against Oglethorpe's former attorney Edmund Lazlo (John Savident) to be director of the company. Lazlo is chosen to be director of the company after signing the greatest ballet dancer in the world, "The Great Volare" (George de la Pena) to dance for the company. Flakfizer, however — with assistance from his two associates Rocco (Mel Smith) and Jacques (Bob Nelson) — earns a spot as co-director by wooing the wealthy widow and by signing the company's leading ballerina (Juliana Donald, billed as Juli Donald) and her dancer boyfriend Alan Grant (Spike Alexander). The ensuing struggle between Flakfizer and Lazlo leads to comic hijinks, including a badger game involving a chorus girl (Teri Copley), and an opening-night performance ludicrously sabotaged by Flakfizer and his cohorts.

Cast and characters

• John Turturro as Roland T. Flakfizer
• Bob Nelson as Jacques
• Mel Smith as Rocco Melonchek
• George de la Pena as Roberto Volare
• John Savident as Edmund Lazlo
• Nancy Marchand as Lillian Oglethorpe
• Juliana Donald as Lisa LeBaron
• Spike Alexander as Alan Grant
• Teri Copley as Tina

Reaction

Richard Harrington in his review for the Washington Post wrote, "It's all very busy, and in Zucker style there seem to be 10 jokes per minute, but most fly fast and fall flat." Mick LaSalle's review for the San Francisco Chronicle felt that the film was "an audacious attempt actually to make them like they used to - with no apologies, no nostalgia. It's no masterpiece, but neither was every Marx Brothers movie." In her review for the New York Times, Janet Maslin wrote, "Brain Donors will stop at very little to get its laughs, and Mr. Turturro has just the right silliness for the occasion."

External links

• Brain Donors at IMDb
• Brain Donors at AllMovie
• Brain Donors at Rotten Tomatoes
• Brain Donors at Box Office Mojo