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''Flowers for Algernon'' is a 2000 American-Canadian television film written by
John Pielmeier John Pielmeier (born February 23, 1949) is an American playwright and screenwriter. Life and career Pielmeier was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the son of Louise (Blackburn) and Len Pielmeier. He was raised Catholic. He earned a Bachelor of Art ...
, directed by
Jeff Bleckner Jeff Bleckner (born August 12, 1943) is an American theatre and television director. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bleckner made his directorial debut off-Broadway with ''The Unseen Hand/Forensic and the Navigators'', an evening of one-a ...
and starring
Matthew Modine Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker, who rose to prominence through his role as U.S. Marine Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis in ''Full Metal Jacket''. His other film roles include the title character ...
. It is the second screen adaptation of
Daniel Keyes Daniel Keyes (August 9, 1927 – June 15, 2014) was an American writer who wrote the novel ''Flowers for Algernon''. Keyes was given the Author Emeritus honor by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2000. Biography Early life ...
' 1966 novel of the same name following the 1968 film ''
Charly ''Charly'' (marketed and stylized as ''CHAЯLY'') is a 1968 American drama film directed and produced by Ralph Nelson and written by Stirling Silliphant. It is based on ''Flowers for Algernon'', a science-fiction short story (1958) and subseque ...
''.


Plot

Charlie Gordon is a mentally retarded young man who is a part-time baker. Alice, the teacher at the special school that he attends, suggests him to undergo an operation to increase his intelligence. In one pre-treatment tests, Charlie sees how a guinea pig named Algernon manages to get out of an elaborated maze—something that he has not been able to do. After surgery, Charlie's intellectual abilities improve dramatically. He realizes that until then many people have made fun of him because of his "differentness". Doctor Strauss, who treats Charlie, asks him to accompany him to a surgery conference. Strauss's speech shocks Charlie, who gives a very harsh speech towards the scientist and prophesies, based on the results obtained with a similar experiment by a Russian researcher, that he could soon return to the previous level; Charlie then causes panic by releasing some mice into the classroom. Back home, Dr. Strauss confesses that he knows the results of the Russian experiments; as if that was not enough, Algernon starts feeling ill. Charlie decides to use the little time that is left for him to try to find a solution to the problem. He realizes that he was wrong to focus everything on the rational part of him and goes to visit his mother, with whom he had severed all relationships many years ago. Algernon dies in the hands of Charlie, who secretly buries him to prevent him from being dissected. He goes back to the bakery. Saying goodbye to Alice, who is in love with him, heartbroken at how the situation has evolved, he asks her to bring flowers to Algernon's grave.


Cast


Production

The film was shot in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
.


References


External links

* * {{Daniel Keyes Films based on American novels CBS network films Television shows based on American novels English-language Canadian films Canadian drama television films Films directed by Jeff Bleckner Remakes of American films 2000 television films 2000 films Films shot in Toronto American drama television films 2000s American films 2000s Canadian films