''Prototype'' is a 1983
television film, starring
Christopher Plummer.
Plot synopsis
Just before Christmas, a security guard discovers a top secret project has disappeared from a laboratory. It is an advanced humanoid robot with learning and analytical abilities, developed by a team led by irascible
Nobel laureate Dr. Carl Forrester. He has taken the robot – named Michael – out for field testing at a
department store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...
then to his own home for dinner to see if the robot can fool his wife, Dorothy. Lab security escort Forrester and Michael back to the lab, to Dorothy’s puzzlement.
Forrester’s associate, Gene Pressman, a scientist with ultra-
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
leanings, is ecstatic about the success of the unscheduled field test but Dr. Jarrett, the administrator of the lab, is furious at Forrester. After a confrontation with Forrester, Jarrett notifies the
Pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°.
A pentagon may be simpl ...
that the prototype is ready for evaluation. After Forrester goes home for the night, military personnel enter the lab and take Michael.
Forrester and Pressman are angry that Jarrett allowed the Pentagon to take Michael. Once he returns, the entire team closely examines Michael to find out what the government did with him. They find that tests included shooting firearms. The
pacifistic Forrester and Pressman believe that the military may use expendable robots like Michael as soldiers or even political assassins. General Keating from the Pentagon assures him that isn’t their intent, but Forrester is unconvinced.
At night, Forrester sneaks Michael out in his car after Pressman distracts the guard at the front desk. Forrester and Michael switch to a car Pressman rented and go on the run. When Forrester calls Dorothy from a gas station, she insists he hang up as Keating and other agents are there and trying to trace the call.
Forrester takes Michael to hide at the college campus where he used to teach as a young professor. He rents an off-campus apartment and a garage. Michael interacts with other people on campus as well as learns about self-determination, including reading the fate of the creature in Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein novel. Needing more money, Forrester calls Pressman.
The next afternoon, they return to the apartment but the surroundings are suspicious. Forrester orders Michael to hide in the garage. Inside the apartment, he finds Pressman. Aware that Pressman could not have withdrawn the money after business hours, Forrester accuses him of leading the government to him in exchange for a fully-funded research grant that he had long sought. Pressman denies it, claiming concern for Forrester as his only motivation. Forrester proposes a meeting at a coffee shop if Pressman will lead the agents away as a gesture of trust.
Forrester finds Michael in the garage and is resigned to having to surrender him to the government. Michael decides he wants to be in control of his fate and proposes
self-immolation using flammable liquids stored in the garage. Forrester is aghast at the idea but finally agrees that it’s the only way to keep Michael out of the government’s hands. They say good bye and Forrester goes to the coffee shop where he numbly joins Pressman, Jarrett and Keating as fire engines respond to the blaze at the garage.
Cast
*
Christopher Plummer as Dr. Carl Forrester
*
David Morse
David Bowditch Morse (born October 11, 1953) is an American actor, singer, television director, and writer. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison in the medical drama series ''St. Elsewhere'' (1982–88). His film ca ...
as Michael
*
Frances Sternhagen as Dorothy Forrester
*
James Sutorius as Dr. Gene Pressman
*
Stephen Elliott as Dr. Arthur Jarrett
*
Doran Clark
Doran Clark (born August 8, 1954) is an American actress.
Early life and education
Clark was born to actress/model Audrey Caire and William Clark. She has two sisters and two brothers, including actress Louise Caire Clark, Louise Clark Goddard ...
as Chris
*
Alley Mills as Dr. Rebecca Bishop
*
Arthur Hill as Gen. Keating
*
Ed Call as Security guard
*
Jonathan Estrin
Jonathan may refer to:
*Jonathan (name), a masculine given name
Media
* ''Jonathan'' (1970 film), a German film directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer
* ''Jonathan'' (2016 film), a German film directed by Piotr J. Lewandowski
* ''Jonathan'' (2018 ...
as Dr. Cooper
*
Richard Kuss as Harris
*
Pat McNamara as Landlord
*
Vahan Moosekian as Dr. Kirk
*
Molly Hansen as Elizabeth Hammond Ph.D. (uncredited)
Production
Filmed as a made for TV movie airing on the CBS network.
Reception
The
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
praised the movie, citing the acting, script and directing as strong points, finding the move "uncommonly riveting " Creature Feature gave the movie 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying the movie was intelligent, well-acted and praised that both sides of the issue.
[Stanley, J. (2000) Creature Feature 3rd Edition]
References
External links
*{{IMDb title, id=0084546
American science fiction television films
1983 television films
1983 films
1980s science fiction films
Films scored by Billy Goldenberg
1980s American films