User Reviews

Here is another Carl Reiner-directed "farce" that also stars Steve Martin (the two collaborated before in the '80s in "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid"). This is the best of that duo with a lot of laugh-out loud scenes. There are tons of gags, both obvious and subtle. In fact, I think is one of Martin's funniest performances. Kathleen Turner, his co-star here, played a similar role in another black comedy "Serial Mom." There, too, she played a woman who appeared to be nice on the outside but was evil inside. Turner also liked to show a lot of skin in those '80s flicks, which included "Body Heat."

I had remembered this as a strictly light comedy but was surprised when I viewed it again this year and heard all the sex jokes. Reiner turned out to be a dirty old man but he write and direct some very funny movies. It's unusual for a comedy to be rated "R," but that was the appropriate rating. If you know and don't care if its a bit raunchy, this is a very funny movie.

Few comedy actors can be as brilliant as Steve Martin when he's on top of his game. During the "wild and crazy" part of his film career, when he often collaborated with director Carl Reiner, he practically raised silliness to an art form. "The Man with Two Brains" is undeniably dopey, but it's hilariously so, coming up with enough verbal and visual gags to sustain it through an energetic hour and a half. The very funny script (by Steve, Carl, and George Gipe, the latter a writer whose works include the novelizations of "Gremlins" and "Back to the Future") can't help but lose some momentum as it goes along, but it remains quite watchable through to the end.

Steve is a hoot as the brilliant (according to him) brain surgeon Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, who has pioneered "screw top, zip lock" brain surgery. Into his life comes sultry, scheming witch Dolores Benedict (a radiant Kathleen Turner), who treats him like garbage. A ray of hope then enters his life when he falls in love with a brain in a jar, voiced by Sissy Spacek. He then goes about figuring out how to create a new "home" for the brain, whose name is Anne.

Steve, Carl, and company show that it takes very clever, and intelligent, comic minds to come up with such engaging foolishness. While the film does exhaust most of its best gags in the earlier parts, it's so wonderfully played by all that it still wins you over. The delivery of the lines is often breathless. As has probably been said numerous times before, two of the best bits involve the decor of Dr. Necessiters' (David Warner) condo, which looks like a much more traditional mad scientists' lab on the inside, and the identity of the fiendish Elevator Killer, once of the most priceless payoffs that you'll see in a film of this kind.

A rich variety of familiar faces pop up to lend Steve able support: Paul Benedict, Richard Brestoff, James Cromwell, George Furth, Earl Boen, Francis X. McCarthy, Randi Brooks (as the drop dead gorgeous hooker with the off-putting voice), Bernard Behrens, etc. Carls' wife Estelle, who went on to have that great cameo in their son Robs' film "When Harry Met Sally", appears as a tourist / victim; Jeffrey Combs, pre "Re-Animator", has a bit at about the seven to eight minute mark.

Zany fun, with a funky electronic score by Joel Goldsmith, that is perfect for anybody who just wants to relax their brain for 90 minutes of levity.

Eight out of 10.

Policeman: "That woman's not drunk, she's dead!" Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr: "Oh, i better get her to a cemetary right away!"

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr: The only time we doctors should accept death is when it's caused by our own incompetence.

Shameless madcap farce from Director Carl Reiner (The Jerk, All of Me, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, That Old Feeling) is part romance melodrama, part sex comedy, part thriller, part medical drama, and all silliness. Yet it uses this silliness to touch on a fairly risque philosophical issue - what exactly makes us human? Kathleen Turner is in temptress mode as Martin's new wife who lives to torment men, and forces Martin to seek comfort elsewhere... with a brain in a jar!

Anne Uumellmahaye: I don't think there's a girl floating in a jar anywhere who's as happy as I am.

You have to admire the over-the-top and on-the-edge comedy pairing of Reiner and Martin which produces genuine hilarity, letting-loose fun and general enjoyment for a nice friday night hour and a half (good length too!).

Two thumbs way-up!

The narcissist Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin) is one of the greatest neurosurgeons of the world that has developed a cranial screw- top brain entry technique for his successful surgeries. He grieves and has not recovered from the loss of his beloved wife Rebecca. Dr. Hfuhruhurr gives an interview about his career to a reporter while driving home in his car. Meanwhile the vixen gold-digger Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner) has an argument with her husband and untimely leaves the real estate. Dr. Hfuhruhurr accidentally hits Dolores and operates her saving her life. While recovering in the hospital, Dolores seduces Dr. Hfuhruhurr and they get married. However, the hot Dolores always refuses to have sex with her husband, claiming that she is not feeling well while shags with several men.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr decides to travel in honeymoon with Dolores to Vienna and attend a medical conference. However, after an incident, Dr. Hfuhruhurr decides to divorce Dolores. Out of the blue, Dolores receives a phone call from his lawyer telling that Dr. Hfuhruhurr has inherited 50 million dollars and she changes her behavior toward him. Meanwhile Dr. Hfuhruhurr meets his colleague Dr. Alfred Necessiter (David Warner) that collects brains alive for his experiments, most of them victims of the notorious The Elevator Killer. Soon Dr. Hfuhruhurr has a telepathic connection with one of the brains that belonged to Anne Uumellmahaye (Sissy Spacek voice) and they fall in love with each other. When Dr. Hfuhruhurr learns the reason why Dolores changed he behavior, she revenges putting Anne's brain in the oven. Now Dr. Hfuhruhurr needs to find a body to save the life of his beloved Anne.

"The Man with Two Brains" is silly but also one of the funniest comedies ever made. Steve Martin is in one of the best moments of his successful career as well as Kathleen Turner, immediately after "Body Heat" and in the top of her beauty. I have seen this movie several times on VHS and now on DVD and I always have good-time with the absurd situations along the story. The cameo of Jeffrey Combs shaving Dolores is among the most hilarious scenes of this top-notch (and underrated) comedy. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem com Dois Cérebros" ("The Man with Two Brains")

THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983) ***1/2 Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner, Paul Benedict, Merv Griffin, Sissy Spacek (voice only). Martin is hilarious as brilliant neuro surgeon of the screw-top transplant, Dr. Hfuhruhurr (pronounced as it sounds!) who has brains on his mind and a "devil woman" wife (the sultry Turner loving every minute of it) as he falls in love with a brain in a jar (voice supplied by the melancholic Spacek). Part Mad Scientist spoof, part Marx Bros./3 Stooges dialogue all parts brilliantly goofy and some wickedly funny moments. Best line: "Into the mud Scum Queen!" Get that cat out of here!! Merv Griffin has a cameo in one truly stunning plot twist.

I don't know why but it seems that what is 'funny'is about the most difficult thing to agree on. For me, I can count really funny films on two hands(dirty rotten scoundrels; planes, trains and automobiles;marx bros., woody allen,big business; romy and michelle's high school reunion; liar,liar ; monty python's holy grail, and now, The Man With Two Brains .)I can't believe i missed seeing this film up to now, and i'm so glad it was on some film person's recommended list because i have just finished an hour and a half of continuous laughs. what a treat of a screenplay.steve martin is the naive simpleton brain surgeon who gets taken in by devilish scheming wicked witch kathleen turner(such a beauty).a lot of visual gags but it's the wordplay that makes it so continuously funny.(see the discussions part of this site for many of the funniest lines) Boring? No Way. a 10 for me.

What ever happened to Steve Martin's talent? In the name of becoming a Hollywood "Player", Mr. Martin sold his soul to the suits in the business and thereby squandered his true talent: wacky, irreverent comedy. The fact that "The Man with Two Brains" didn't do well at the box office probably made the studio heads decide that Martin's talents were not selling. Mr. Martin therefore may have panicked in some way and decided to "sell-out" and do the dreadful treacle that he did later and keeps on doing like "Parenthood", "Roxanne" (a particularly pretentious entry of his), "Leap of Faith" (the most blatant of of bids for the ridiculously overrated "Oscar") and the forthcoming (as of this writing) "Cheaper by the Dozen". In "The Man With Two Brains", Steve Martin is so on target in virtually all his scenes that the movie becomes truly inspired. Like the great Marx Brothers' movies of the early to mid 30's, he creates a universe all his own. The movie has it's own unique rhythms and is consistent throughout. He and the rest of the great cast never get sentimental. They keep the whole thing amazingly light and truly (God forgive me for using this word, but it applies )Zany. The entire cast has to be noted for keeping up with Steve Martin including Kathleen Turner giving a great comic-villanous performance, Sissy Spacek as the voice of his beloved "brain" complete with a bizarre name and, most notably popping up COMPLETELY unexepectedly, MERV GRIFFIN! His entrance into the movie simply pushes the whole thing into comic overdrive. There's a number of great comic set pieces and almost all of them work brilliantly. My favorite has to be Martin's meeting up with a knockout blond prostitute. Let's just say that she's got a great body but her voice is....well, just wait and see. A truly great comedy from a man who could've been one of the great enduring comic geniuses of our time but who instead sold out and lost his calling. A tragedy...

An extremely funny movie, it deserves to be up there with Airplane! and The Naked Gun in the best 'stupid-funny' films of all time.

Steve Martin excels as the surgeon who falls in love with a dis-membered brain, and Kathleen Turner is perfect for the heartless gold-digger wife role she is given.

I am amazed at how many people have never heard of this film, let alone seen it. Go watch it now - I guarantee you'll be quoting it for months.

Even among Steve Martin fans, there are those who love his "zany" work (MWTB, the Jerk), and consider his more "commercial" hits (All of Me etc) a sellout, and those who see it the exact opposite.

I love this movie. I am amazed when I view it for the 73rd time and still fall down laughing.

I hope saying this doesn't sound smug, but I suspect those who don't find it funny are missing a lot of the jokes. The fast pace and dry delivery of a lot of hysterical lines are the best part of the movie.

I'm a Steve Martin fan, and this is easily my favorite Steve Martin movie (and possibly my favorite movie of all time - being able to always make me laugh no matter how down I am is worth a lot!)

The Man With Two Brains is definitely one of Martin's best films to date. This film makes you laugh from the git-go, and does not let up until the credits are rolling. Ok...ok...the film is pretty stupid, but it was meant to be that way. Ok...ok...the film had a weak plot...who cares! Martin put on a great comedy act, his best since The Jerk. I've seen this film five times and still laugh every time.

The movie deals with Steve Martin a famous surgeon married to sexy and greedy Kathleen Turner but he meets a scientist (David Warner) who makes human experiments and falls in love with a brain in a jar (with the voice of Sissy Spacek) and he immediately begins searching a house for living . It's a silly remake to 1950 terror science fiction films and specially to ¨Donovan's brain¨ (Curt Siodmak) , even appear some frames on the movie .

This is a film for Steve Martin enthusiasts but has the brand of his own humor : the comedy is crazy and savage . In the film there is tongue-in-cheek , irony , wild humor , giggles , profanities and is quite entertaining and funny . This is the third of four films that actor Steve Martin has made with director Carl Reiner , the other movies are The jerk (1979) , All of me (1984) and Dead men don't wear plaid (1982) . And second and final of only two ever produced screenplays that were co-written by George Gipe who co-wrote this film along with director Carl Reiner and actor Steve Martin . Here Steve Martin interprets in his peculiar style , as always . Kathleen Turner , recently her acting in ¨Body Heat¨ repeats the role as the evil and nasty loveless married wife . The picture is rated ¨R¨ for partial nudity , a little bit of violence and profanities . The motion picture was professionally directed by Carl Reiner . Rating : Acceptable and passable .

You either love or hate Man with Two Brains. Personally I love it and consider it one of Steve Martin's best. Speaking of Martin, he also gives one of his best performances in Man with Two Brains as Doctor Hfuruhurr as he gets to read his favourite poem, conduct a citizen's divorce and endure the world's toughest drink-driving test. Sissy Spacek is believable as the brain Martin falls in love with and Kathaleen Turner hilariously sends up her femme fatale persona, something she established in Body Heat. Man with Two Brains is well filmed, well directed and has a funny script and engaging story. Overall, sublime all round. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is most indeed Steve Martin's second most wackiest comedy after "The Jerk". Everything about this movie has zip, craze and certain kind of frantic in the pace, which makes for an absouloutley lovable comedy. The story centers round Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin), spelt Haf-far, he is most probaly the worlds greatest brain surgeon, he is rich and famous. But Michael has emotional problems and his wife died some time ago, though lucky Michael ends up meeting the evil, sexy and seductive Delores (Kathleen Turner), who is a gold digging "Scum queen". They supposedly fall in love and get married, though Michael sensing some problems thinks it is going down hill and thinks a honey moon to Europe would help and so he and Delores go. The Man With Two Brains has two stories, one involves what I said above and another takes place around Europe where Michael ends up falling in love with his research, a human brain! It is Romeo and Juliet as their love is forbiden and Michael goes to extreme lengths to ensure they remain in each others arms, okay that was a bad excuse. What makes The Man With Two Brains so great is the colourful, eighties, eneergetic look that adds the crazy wack to the movie. There are many comedic sets in the movie e.g the condo, scenes in Hfuhrhurr 's hospital. Any movie in which Steve Martin stars is bound to be watchable, but what Martin did back here was he would overact a lot more, he would not do his everyman thing, he is indeed crazy, his eyes in this movie shows a locked up genius with a crazy edge. The character of Hfuhruhurr is a very unlikeable person, but with Martin playing him he is the good guy, he makes you want to come out of this with his loved one. Kathleen Turner is also a comic delight as she does a little micky take of "Body Heat". Screen play wise this is also one of Martin's best as it is witty and full of excellent scenarios. As with any classic comedy there has to be a funny scene that stands above the rest, the scene at the beginning in the car is excellent, Hfuhrhurr: "Can you tell me what you wrote, I believe I may have sounded snobbish?" Interviwer: "My research is the some of the greastest the world has ever seen and in that way will proably so ever plant my reputation as a great proffesor for all eterntity" Hfuhrhurr:"No it didn't sound snobbish... Take out the probably though. Makes me sound wishy washy." Now that is excellent Martin, he does it with every film, not everyody would get that. Another hilarious thing about this movie is it's music, it is so corny and cheesy but without sounding annoying it is just plain funny. Bottom line is, this is one of Martin's landmark films, a film which has visula look, brilliant pacing, trademark manic peformance by Martin and memorbale scenes that stick in the mind. Absoloutley wack, crazy, wild, funny and hilarious.

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin) is a man who appreciates the finer things in life: Verses by the finest one-armed poet in history, a last name that can't be pronounced, a screwtop brain surgery procedure that has made him probably the greatest practitioner of all eternity and beyond (though he wouldn't like me saying "probably"), and a second wife with the body of Kathleen Turner and a mind of pure, golddigging evil.

"The Man With Two Brains" is a genius comedy, pure and simple, a farce that's a takeoff both of '80s revamped film noir flicks like "The Postman Rings Twice" and "Body Heat" and of mad scientist movies. It lacks the heart of "Young Frankenstein," but otherwise has a Mel Brooks approach to comedy that values rapid-fire gags over script sense and character development. And it has Martin, working his "Saturday Night Live"-honed wild-and-crazy-guy mojo for maybe the last time, and to great effect.

Kathleen Turner steals the movie as vicious Delores Benedict, a woman who marries for money and then tortures her husbands to the point of apoplexy, and hopefully, a premature reading of their wills. When fate brings them together, as Dr. H (not writing it out again!) runs her down in his car, only Dr. H himself has the expertise that can save her. There was another doctor, but he was murdered in Europe by a strange elevator killer, meaning as Dr. H points out, "not only is he dead, he's 6,000 miles away!"

Turner plays much the same character she did in "Body Heat," raising the on-screen temperature to the boiling point as she sucks Dr. H's finger as substitute for sex. The plain joy she gets from her libido-teasing cruelty is one of the funniest aspects of this very funny film. It's not that she needs to have sex with strange gardeners and bellboys, you see, it's just she so relishes the pain it will cause Dr. H when he finds out. But she wasn't prepared for Dr. H turning the tables on her when he comes across the telepathic brain of a gentle young woman he met in a black-market laboratory who shares his passion for singalongs of "Under The Bamboo Tree."

Why isn't "Man With Two Brains" more appreciated? Probably because at the time people thought Martin would keep doing silly comedies forever. He was still doing television specials in the early '80s, like "All Commercials" and "The Winds Of Whoopie," and people took his madcap antics for granted. Who could have guessed that he would settle so soon after (following the classic "All Of Me") into a comfortable middle-aged rut of feel-good comedies relieved only once by the glorious excess of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?" It's high time pop culture rediscovered this glorious treasure, and maybe reminded Martin what made him so special to begin with.

Okay, I could do without the music. There's also some sequences that are lamer than others, like one near the end that references the pinball/video game craze of the period. But even the dumber lines ("Leaping lizards!") have a kind of madcap charm. Director Carl Reiner knows how to have fun, and there are some sequences that are flat-out brilliant, especially the dialogue. I love the look inside Dr. Necessiter's condo (amazing what a few throw pillows can do) while Dr. H and his host have their big debate about the ethics of stealing brains.

Dr. H: The only time we doctors should accept death is when it's caused by our own incompetence.

Dr. Necessiter: Nonsense. If the murder of twelve innocent people can help save one human life, it will have been worth it.

Even the gratuitous nude scenes come with good jokes, like the prostitute with the grating voice and love of Gene Chandler music. The best line in the movie is one I can't repeat, except it involves the downside of putting the brain of the woman Dr. H loves in the body of a gorilla.

You will laugh a lot watching "The Man With Two Brains." If you don't, you are watching it with the wrong brain.

You cant intellectualize something like this, you either find it funny or you dont. If you don't find it funny, what happened in your life for things to go so wrong?

When Dr. Hfurhurhrr (sic) goes over to the little girl after he hits Kathleen Turner with his car and gives that detailed list of instructions and she repeats it back verbatim, it makes the misery of everyday living a little less... Less. Or how about when David Warner opens the door in his supposed condo to reveal a doctor's wide castle laboratory? Or any time we see the good doctor screw off a skull to reveal what's inside (which isn't what you think)? Or "Im making a citizen's divorce!" Or the simple sight gag of Lone Ranger and Tonto watching the brain surgeries. Or every time someone says his name, or that prostitute's voice" and on and on etc.

It's not a perfect movie (the denouement isn't as funny as it should be), but Martin is pretty close to being so here: not a false comic note, his Dr Hfrurhhurhr (sic again) is a master's class in bringing his knowing ridiculous sensibility to a brilliant doctor's ego and sex drive and basic desire for real love and connection. And Kathleen Turner... No words for how well she plays the worst person ever. I'm only surprised with myself I didnt get on it as a kid and watch it as often as Three Amigos (this is frankly smarter in being silly and stupid than that movie as far as that goes).

This is an absolutely brilliant film. I have watched this so many times over the years and was just thrilled that I was lucky enough to find it on dvd.

Overall, I am not into movies that have "stupid" plots, but this is so weird that it makes it an absolute masterpiece and a cult favorite.

If anyone asked me to recommend a comedy, this would definately be the first choice. I have watched thousands of movies, and this is in the top 5 favorites.

The scene with the flowers on the porch is the funniest one liner I have ever heard.

Do yourself a huge favor, run out and rent it.

If you like funny, any kind of funny, watch this movie. I don't think you need to like Steve Martin's humor to enjoy this. Silly, goofy, crazy, sight gags...whatever...I laughed my butt off. To me, Steve Martin is always hilarious but Kathleen Turner, too, is very funny, not to mention sexy. I do think most people will find this movie to be very, very funny.

Some,maybe many,people have either forgotten and/or are too young to recall that Steve martin once made his living playing the quintessential "Inspired Idiot",first on stage for his hugely successful stand-up comedy routines(that in their day rivaled the kind of success that,say,a Dane Cook gets today)and then onto the big screen,most famously in his breakthrough,the deliriously funny The Jerk(1979). Now,thirty-plus years into a long and storied film career,he's become iconic and has split his time between "highbrow" endeavors(i.e.nuanced dramas,dark and/or deep comedies,playwriting,screenplays,art exhibitions,recording avant-Gard bluegrass,etc.)and the moneymaking,"safe" fare he gets the most attention for(The Father of the Bride movies,the Cheaper by the Dozen films,The Pink Panther films,Bringing Down the House among others)and movies like this one seem so long ago.

It'd be a shame,except that it makes the delight in getting this film cheap and adding it to one's film library even sweeter.

This came on a single disk,"2-for-1" deal from Warner brothers,alongside the pleasant and warmly entertaining 1990 Martin offering My Blue Heaven. While that movie was certainly a worthy keep,it's nowhere near as gangbusters frenetic or true Martin a film as this offering,another pairing he made with director Carl Reiner.

Martin is Dr.Michael Hfuhrruhur,a "brilliant" neurosurgeon whose inexplicable naiveté over love has him in the arms of a diabolical gold-digger(Kathleen Turner,playing her vampishness for laughs not long after 1981's Body Heat),and then his subsequent disillusion over that leads him to a kindred would-be romance with a lovely woman whose one small problem is that she is a floating brain in a jar. Go figure!

Too many great lines and physical comedy to get into here(stuff that almost rival any Zuker-Abrams-Zucker offering at their 1980s peak),this film,like The Jerk showcase Steve's total commitment to that "Inspired Idiot",physically as well as verbally. Very good(if perhaps limited)support coming from David Warner,Paul Benedict,Richard Brestoff,Randi Brooks and Merv Griffin(!)enhance the elements of this madcap comedy. This movie is a great showcase of old Steve Martin,and if you miss seeing that,than rent or buy it as soon as you can find a copy.

Probably Steve Martin's funniest film. Its packed with really funny laugh out loud moments. Its so over the top you can't help but love it, and Kathleen Turner puts in a terrific performance too. When I first saw this film the tears were rolling down my cheeks with laughter, Steve Martin is a very gifted physical comedian and this movie was perfect for his talents. If you are feeling down in the dumps then check out this film, it will cheer you up no end. I'm surprised by its low rating on IMDB I reckon its a classic of its genre and one of the all time best comedy films. ***7½/10***

Steve Martin works overtime at being likable in this Carl Reiner-directed comedy about the world's greatest brain surgeon who falls in love with a (talking) brain in a jar. Kathleen Turner is his sexy, shrewish wife; David Warner is a mad scientist whose laboratory is in a hotel (!). Shoddy-looking slapstick with much of its emphasis on smutty gags. Reiner and Martin most likely believed this comic material was cutting-edge...so how does that explain the soggy sentimentality in the film's second-half? The dirty jokes are torpedoed and the pace comes to a screeching halt as Martin falls in love, which means less and less of Turner (the picture's one real bright spot). Steve Martin is a very confident and capable screen comedian; he has some funny scenes here, indeed, but in the mid-'80s, pop-crack quickies like "Two Brains" were becoming an albatross around his neck. *1/2 from ****