Does anyone else see the similarity?

Question

Just watched "Ernest goes to School" with my kids, and thought there was a great similarity to an even older movie. I think it was called "Charly" or something like that, where a man with very low IQ was chosen for testing and treatment to make him smarter.

Does anyone remember the movie?

Answer 1

The movie you were referring to is based on a novel called "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. The premise of the novel is that a young man (Charlie Gordon) with a low IQ has some sort of surgery performed on him to make him smarter. Excerpts were a part of my literature book in high school. You should read it - it's a very touching novel.
And yes, "Ernest Goes To School" is similar - except Ernest wasn't as socially inept as Charlie and Charlie's intelligence wasn't instant.

Answer 2

Indeed, "Charlie" was a very moving tale of a mentally retarded man being transformed into a near genius and how the alteration of his natural state made him and those around him deeply unhappy.

It was parodied by The Simpsons when Homer becomes super intelegent when he has a crayon removed from his brain.

Answer 3

I certainly do!

"Charly" starred Cliff Robertson and his brilliant performance earned him Best Actor honors that year.

You must have been very young then...good recollection...the movie was released in 1967.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Answer 4

yea i saw that in school back in the day good flick but i dont thin any ernest movie is suppose to be like that i just think ernest is funny

Answer 5

I remember that movie. It made me cry because in the end he lost his intelligence and went back to being mentally retarded. I think it was called Charlie.

Answer 6

I did not see the similarity or see the movie.