The Man With Two Brains stars Steve Martin playing Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, a remarkable, yet completely ridiculous brain surgeon known best for his “screw-top” operating method. Widowed and lonely, Dr. Hfuhruhurr is searching for a new companion. He strikes love, literally, when he hits the beautiful Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner) with his car. As she recovers in the hospital, the two begin to form a romance and rush into marriage. Dolores relentlessly teases Michael by continually flirting with him, but refuses to consummate the marriage.
On the couple’s honeymoon in Vienna, Michael meets Dr. Necessiter, who shows Michael to his castle-themed, mad scientist laboratory. With the help of an anonymous “Elevator Killer”, Dr. Necessiter uses his lab to store human brains in jars filled with liquid that allows the brains to continue living. Michael begins to telepathically speak with one of the brains, Ms. Anne Uumellmahaye. Michael forms a romance with the brain, still in the jar, and the two begin spending time together.
In an effort to gain money and inheritance from Michael, Dolores tries to spark his interest again. When doing so, Dolores catches Michael and Anne (brain in a jar) together on a ‘date’ in a rowboat. With a new love for Anne, Michael ends up throwing Dolores out of his house. Shortly after, Michael finds Dolores again when he sees the Elevator Killer has murdered her. He takes Dolores to Dr. Necessiter’s lab where Anne’s brain is inserted into Dolores’s body.
During the procedure Michael is electrocuted and falls into a coma. The movie ends with Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr waking up weeks later to meet Anne (in Delores’s body). Although she has gained a humorous amount of weight during that time, Michael loves her for who she is and carries her home as his wife.
Personally, I thought The Man With Two Brains was a refreshing reminder of the comedic genius that is Steve Martin. While the plot was largely overshadowed by the constant flow of humor, it felt like that was sort of the point. Probably best known for his role in “The Jerk” (1979), The Man With Two Brains (1983) showcases Steve Martin and Carl Reiner (writer/director) in their prime.
As weird, zany, and strange as this movie is, I think one would be hard-pressed to find a film that packs more jokes into 90 minutes. Martin’s dry wit and cleverness is shown repeatedly throughout the entire movie with countless, occasionally subtle, punch lines and quotes. If a joke missed its mark another was sure to follow. Now available on Blu-ray, I believe many new fans will enjoy The Man With Two Brains, and we will likely see the film widely regarded as an essential comedy classic.
