Main Cast: John Turturro, Bob Nelson, Mel Smith, Nancy Marchand, John Savident
Release Year: 1992
Country: US
Run Time: 79 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Brain Donors is a game attempt to redo the Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera in a contemporary setting. John Turturro plays the "Groucho" character, a shifty lawyer (he's even given a Grouchoesque three-barrelled moniker). Bob Nelson is the "Harpo" counterpart, a puckish handyman. And Mel Smith completes the trio as a Chico-like cabbie. All three conspire to save a failing ballet company on behalf of dowager Nancy Marchand, who does a film-length impersonation of Margaret Dumont. At times, Pat Proft's script comes off more like a 3 Stooges short than a Marx Brothers romp, but that's not so bad. What hurts the film is its fluctuating pace, which shifts into neutral just when it should go into hyperdrive. Will Vinton's Claymation opening titles supply some of the film's biggest laughs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The word to best describe Brain Donors is silly. That's the overriding sense one gets from watching this thinly disguised remake of the Marx Brothers classic A Night At the Opera, although silly in itself is not necessarily a bad thing where this film is concerned. It suffers in comparison to its inspiration, but that is more or less a given. John Turturro assumes the Groucho role as Roland T. Flakfizer, the name itself another Marxian homage to Duck Soup's Rufus T. Firefly, and seems to be having a good time with the role. Bob Nelson plays the physical comedy Harpo role with some degree of success, but proves he's much funnier as a standup comic than as an actor. British comedian Mel Smith rounds out the trio as the scalawag Chico character, and Nancy Marchand stands in for Margaret Dumont as the main foil for Turturro and company. Dennis Dugan directs with a strong sense of humor, but it's clear that he realizes the challenge he faces. To his credit, he manages to partially succeed. What's refreshing about Brain Donors is the attempt to recapture some of the old zany Marx madness in a comedy clearly meant for an audience to pay attention to the verbal wordplay, but that proves to be its downfall as well since there is no real way to improve on the original and today's audiences are no longer geared toward that type of humor. There are a lot of good sight gags thrown about in an attempt to compensate, particularly from Nelson, but you get the idea that Turturro is a bit out of his element, and, rather than flow from situational gag to gag, some of the jokes feels forced. It's a very good piece of mindless entertainment if that's what's desired, but as the Marx Brothers proved time and time again, the silliest fluff can really be extremely sophisticated at its roots. ~ Dan Friedman, All Movie Guide
George de la Pena - Roberto Volare; Julie Donald - Lisa Le Baron; Spike Alexander - Alan Grant; Teri Copley - Tina; Louisa Abernathy - Nurse; Billy Beck - Janitor; Dick Corman - Theatre Janitor; Anita Dangler - Usherette; Kathleen Doyle - Nurse; Thomas Mikal Ford - Cop; Corki Grazer - Nurse; Eddie Griffin - Messenger; Gary Grossman - Father; Irene Olga Lopez - Pedestrian; Richardson Morse - Jailor; Eric Poppick - Chauffeur; Jason Ross-Azikiwe - Precinct Cop; Barbara Schillaci - Stuffy Patron; Charlotte Zucker - Woman with Program; Dennis Dugan - Stage Hand; Charles Dugan - N.Y. Stage Manager; Jim Smith - Stage Hand; John Lyons; Donna Isaacson; Matthew Sussman - Cop; Franklin Cover - Doctor; Max Alexander - L.A. Stage Manager
Credit
Frank Richwood - Art Director, William Ladd Skinner - Art Director, Robert Turturice - Costume Designer, Dennis Dugan - Director, Malcolm Campbell - Editor, Ira Newborn - Composer (Music Score), Frank Carrisosa - Makeup, Michael Nash - Camera Operator, William J. Cassidy - Production Designer, David M. Walsh - Cinematographer, Gil Netter - Producer, Jerry Zucker - Producer, David Zucker - Producer, James D. Brubaker - Producer, William J. Cassidy - Set Designer, Robert Maddy - Set Designer, James Murakami - Set Designer, Gary A. Lee - Set Designer, William B. Kaplan - Sound/Sound Designer, Mary R. Boss - Stunts, Joe Finnegan - Stunts, Troy M. Gilbert - Stunts, Jim Wilkey - Stunts, Stan Barrett - Stunts, Gary McLarty - Stunts, Paul Stader - Stunts, Chuck Waters - Stunts, Fred M. Waugh - Stunts, Jimmy Lewis - Stunts, Matt McColm - Stunts, Simone Boisseree - Stunts, Pat Proft - Screenwriter
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.
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 personal injury 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). The ensuing struggle between Flakfizer and Lazlo leads to comic hijinks, including a comically sabotaged ballet performance.
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."[1] 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."[2] 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."[3]
