Main Cast: Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Joe Flynn, William Schallert, Alan Hewitt
Release Year: 1969
Country: US
Run Time: 87 minutes
MPAA Rating: G
Plot
This film is another Disney comedy romp that takes place at the ubiquitous Medfield College. The plot kicks in when an interview, in which Professor Quigley (William Schallert) is denied a much-needed computer by apoplectic college president Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn), is broadcast to a student assembly. In order to help Quigley, the students convince rich college benefactor A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero) to donate a computer to the school instead of his usual 20,000-dollar contribution. Dexter (Kurt Russell), the student leader, attempts to repair the computer, but the machine is struck by lightning and transforms Dexter into a human being with the hard drive of the computer. Since the computer's memory is now in Dexter's brain, he now has information on his human memory chip about Arno's illegal gambling operations. When Dean Higgins puts Dexter on a televised competition for a prize of 100,000 dollars to benefit the college, every time the word "applejack" comes up during the game show, it triggers Dexter to regurgitate a rundown of Arno's illegal activities. In order to stop Dexter from exposing him, Arno kidnaps Dexter and hides him at his country estate. Dressing up as housepainters, Dexter's classmates come to Arno's mansion to rescue him. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Review
With its very title, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes announces that it's a high concept comedy and as such, those who go with the concept will find it a much more enjoyable ride than those who don't. Most of Disney's live action comedies of this period were similarly high concept; however, Computer is rather unique in that it's a bit softer than most of the others, one that goes more for chuckles than belly laughs and which is more concerned with plot (however far-fetched it may be) than with slapstick sequences that are fairly tangential. As a result, Computer probably holds up somewhat better than the rest of its kind, even if the subject matter inevitably dates it, although in a rather charming way. Computer paints its characters in fairly black-and-white terms, but it puts them through their paces in a fairly engaging manner. Robert Butler's direction is perfunctory but adequate; he's fortunate to have a young and enormously appealing Kurt Russell carrying the film on his cute shoulders. Russell grins and grimaces his way through the film, taking things just seriously enough to give them a little weight but not enough to throw the film out of whack. There's also fine character support from the likes of Joe Flynn and William Schallert, and some overblown Cesar Romero moments that will please his fans. Not a great film, Computer still is a very pleasant viewing experience. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
John Mansbridge - Art Director, Joseph L. McEveety - Associate Producer, Chuck Keehne - Costume Designer, Emily Sundby - Costume Designer, Chris Hibler - First Assistant Director, Robert Butler - Director, Cotton Warburton - Editor, Robert F. Brunner - Composer (Music Score), Evelyn Kennedy - Musical Direction/Supervision, Robert J. Schiffer - Makeup, Frank Phillips - Cinematographer, Bill Anderson - Producer, Hal G. Gausman - Set Designer, Emile Kuri - Set Designer, Eustace Lycett - Special Effects, Robert O. Cook - Sound/Sound Designer, Dean Thomas - Sound/Sound Designer, Joseph L. McEveety - Screenwriter
The film is about a student, Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell), as well as his alma mater, Medfield College, a struggling private college. Dean Higgins resists Professor Quigley's request for a computer like State has; the students go to the A.J. Arno company, a sponsor of the college, which in lieu of an annual operating grant, instead gives its old computer to Medfield, to Higgins' anger. The gift by the company to Medfield seems harmless, until we find out that the A.J. Arno company's namesake and founder (Cesar Romero) is really the boss of a gambling ring with illegal operations all over the state. The computer that the company has given to the school is loaded with illegal information, which is put into Dexter Riley's head after he receives a huge shock while installing a new part into the computer.
Dexter is now a human computer, able to complete the toughest exams in a minute, capable of speaking in other languages, and answering the hardest questions from highly trained and educated professors. He is so good that he and three other students from Medfield are put in a televised quiz tournament against other colleges for a grand prize of $100,000.
Unfortunately in one part of the televised quiz tournament, while A. J. Arno company's boss is watching the show on his TV live, a question asked by the host accidentally enables a command that programmed Dexter to speak out loud all of Arno's illegal plans. Although the public doesn't understand the coded messages, it shocks A.J. Arno.
One night, Arno and his henchmen kidnap Dexter, but the following day, his school mates manage to find out where he is, using the guise of being a house-painting crew to spy on the place. Dexter is put into a box that will be dumped in the sea. His friends rescue him, but in the attempt, the box falls to the ground, giving Dexter a head-ringing collision. They abandon the painting equipment to drive Dexter back to the contest, leaving Arno's men with a gas tank full of paint. Arno and his men catch up in Dexter's own faster vehicle. The pursuit ends when Arno's car crashes into a pile of hay, giving the truck an opportunity to escape.
Once back to the contest, Dexter answers the questions of the contest, but with extreme difficulties because of the blow he took to his head. The last question is asked when Dexter's "computer" mind is completely gone and he is back to his normal self - a ne'er-do-well student answers for him, winning the contest and the $100,000.
A. J. Arno and his henchmen arrive, causing Dexter to flee the studio. The crooks try to go after him, however, the henchman's car crashes head on into a police car entering the parking lot, where A.J. Arno and his henchmen are arrested.
Things go back to normal at Medfield College. Dexter is normal again, and no longer has the brains of a computer, as the film ends.
Though this film was the first in a trilogy set in Medfield College, the same school name was used the 1961 The Absent-Minded Professor and its sequel Son of Flubber.
This is one of the extremely rare on screen appearances of voice actor Frank Welker.
