Charly

Daniel Keyes' novella Flowers for Algernon, having been adapted for the small screen in 1961, made its way to the big screen in this expansive 1968 feature film, with Cliff Robertson reprising his TV role, and winning an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Charly Gordon, a mentally challenged adult briefly turned into an intellectual giant after submitting to an experimental treatment. His newfound intelligence opens up the entire world to Charly, who falls in love with one of his teachers (Claire Bloom), but the world could just as easily close on him again, as there's no guarantee that the experiment's results will be permanent. Robertson, an appealing but generally undistinguished journeyman actor, is remarkably effective in this superbly written drama, and he is ably supported by Bloom, Lilia Skala, Leon Janney, and Dick Van Patten, under Ralph Nelson's unobtrusive direction. Keyes' story, originally published in the ‘50s, has been pillaged by Hollywood, in whole or in part, many times over the years, but this 'official' version remains the finest cinematic adaptation (comparable to the 1990 Robert De Niro-Robin Williams vehicle Awakenings, which--while ostensibly based on actual events--seems to draw a great deal from Flowers for Algernon). Presented on an otherwise extra-less flipper-disc with both the widescreen and full screen versions, the bargain-priced Charly is highly recommended. (E. Hulse) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—Jan. 29, 2019—Kino Lorber, 103 min., PG, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and first on Blu-ray, 1968’s Charly features a great transfer with a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson. Bottom line: this ‘60s classic shines on Blu-ray.]