Flowers for Algernon (2000) Movie Script

I want to be a dancer.

I want to be a ballerina,

and dance on my toes.

[humming]

I wanna drive an 18

wheeler with a load

of eggs in the back.

And I want to drive fast, on

the road with lots of bumps.

And when I get to

where I'm going,

I'm gonna open up the

back, and none of them eggs

would be broken.

And then my dad would be

proud, and Miss Kinian

will be pleased.

Then-- then I could

take out girls,

and they wouldn't even

care about my damn legs,

or my damn head, because

I would be a big shot!

[laughter]

I want to learn.

I think Charlie's the

school's best candidate.

Hey, Charlie!

Hurry up with that flour!

I'm coming, Ollie!

MAN: Tony, how many bags?

Hey, Charlie, do me a favor.

Well, just a sec.

I gotta give this

flour to Oliver.

Well, I only need you

for a second, Charlie.

MAN: Hey, Frankie,

give me a hand.

I need you to pick

up that bread pan.

It dropped on the floor.

Just let me put

these bags down.

Hey, Mr. Donner

always told you not

to carry more than you're able.

If you think you can

handle that load,

surely you can pick

up a bread pan.

Hey, Charlie!

I need the flour!

Just a sec.

Come on, Charlie.

OK, Gimpy.

Yeah, go for it.

Go for it.

Here we go.

That's it.

Come on.

That's it.

Yeah.

Come on, Charlie.

Come on.

Oh!

Yes!

[cheering]

Yeah!

[laughter]

What did I tell ya, Charlie?

You're beautiful, Charlie.

Boy, I sure pulled

a Charlie Gordon.

Oh, you sure did.

[laughter]

You guys.

[laughter]

Mornin'.

Hey, Charlie.

How's it going?

- Going good.

- Work OK?

- Aw, yeah.

Thank you.

Another beautiful

day, huh, Charlie?

- Yeah.

- Come here, you.

I have to go.

Come on.

No, seriously.

No, no, you have to stay.

[laughter]

Come on, Billy.

MAN: Come on.

WOMAN: Just hold me.

MAN: I've got something

better than breakfast.

[bell ringing]

OK, class, we'll

see you tomorrow.

We're going to the

planetarium, so don't

forget to pack a lunch.

Bernice, you forgot last time.

I'm going now.

Bye!

Bye.

Here's everything for you.

I'm sorry.

Bye, Miss Kinian.

Bye.

Bye!

See ya.

Charlie, can I see

you for a moment?

Bye.

I'll see you tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

I know I forgot to

pack a lunch last time,

but this time I'll bring some

day old bread from the bakery,

and everybody can

have a sandwich!

That's sweet of you,

Charlie, but that's not what

I want to talk to you about.

Well, don't worry.

It's good.

Sit down.

Charlie, do you remember

the other day when that man,

Doctor Strauss, came to visit?

He was asking

people questions?

That's right.

And the reason he

was asking questions

was because he's looking for

someone to do an experiment.

What kind of experiment?

Well, it involves

an operation,

and a lot of things even

I don't understand--

but it's very safe, and it's

worked very well before,

except it only worked

on laboratory animals.

Animals?

This time Dr.

Strauss has permission

to try it on a human being.

And if it succeeds, it can make

that human being very smart.

Dr. Strauss wants to

do the experiment to me?

Maybe.

We don't know yet.

He has to do some more tests.

But he was very impressed

with you the other day.

I gave the right answers?

Yes, you did.

Try not to get your hopes up.

There are other people

that he's interviewing,

and we still have to get

permission from your mother.

Charlie, what is it?

She won't even see me.

She won't have to see you.

She just has to sign a paper.

And maybe after the operation,

she'll want to see you.

You'll be famous.

Your picture will be

in all the papers.

I don't want to be famous.

I just want to be a genius.

Why?

So I can have lots of

friends who will like me.

So I can make my

mother be proud.

Now, I want you to take a

look at this card, Charlie.

What do you see on this card?

People see all kinds of

things in these ink blots.

I don't see nothing.

Sure you do.

Take a good, hard look.

Maybe I should get

some glasses, Burt.

No Charlie.

I mean, tell me what

it makes you think of.

It makes me think of someone

spilled some black paint.

Yeah.

But-- what's in the black paint?

People say it reminds

them of things.

They see pictures.

Oh.

Yeah.

I see.

What do you see?

Pictures of black paint.

You know what

this is, Charlie?

What?

A maze.

- Amazed.

- No.

A maze.

You know, like-- zzt.

Zzt.

And-- anyway, look.

Now, I'm going to give

you this magic wand.

Hold on, hold on.

Let me show you first.

And I want you to use it--

start here at the beginning, OK?

And use the wand to make

a path through the maze,

just like this.

Now, you see that little

box at the end, over there?

That says finish?

That's where you want

to get to, all right?

Now, if you go off track, you'll

probably get a little zap.

It's not going to

hurt you, or anything.

I'll just lead you in

the right direction, OK?

Hold on.

Ready?

And-- go.

[bzzt]

Ow!

[bzzt]

Ow!

I'm not very good

at tests, Burt.

That's OK, Charlie.

This isn't a test.

What is it, then?

It's a game.

How come it's not fun, Burt?

Ow!

I'm sorry, Burt.

It's too hot.

- Hey, that's all right.

Don't worry about it.

You did fine.

I thought I could do it, too.

I was feeling lucky, see?

I had my lucky penny,

and my rabbit's foot.

I don't think anybody

can win this game, Burt.

You know what, Charlie?

You're right.

It is hard.

But I'll let you in

on a little secret.

I know a fellow who can win.

You want to see him?

- Uh-huh.

- All right.

Close your eyes.

It's-- it's dark, Burt.

Yeah.

OK, open.

Charlie, this is Algernon.

- Hello

- Come on, buddy.

Up, up, up, up, up, up.

There you go.

Watch this.

Wow!

That's one smart mouse.

Burt's given you a lot of

test these last few days,

hasn't he, Charlie?

This is a lot of books.

Lots of books.

And really big words.

And small ones.

How do you think you did

on his tests, Charlie?

Not so good.

You're wrong, Charlie.

You did very well.

I did?

Better than anyone

else here tested.

Does that mean

I get to be smart?

It might.

We won't know until

after the operation.

Are you gonna-- you're

gonna do something to my head.

You're going to--

you're going to put

a computer in, or something.

No, Charlie.

It's already inside your head.

You see, we just have to

make it work a little better.

My brain?

Parts of your brain, Charlie.

Millions of little

parts of your brain.

These parts are

called chromosomes.

Enzymes.

Genes.

You'll fix my genes,

and I'll be a genius.

We'll try, Charlie.

We're going to try.

We'll begin by injecting

our initial dosage

to allow us to

stimulate specific areas

of the basal ganglia.

Charlie?

Yes, doctor?

You may feel some strange

sensations at the beginning,

but I promise you there

won't be any pain.

OK, Charlie.

Here we go.

[children shouting]

You jerk!

CHILD: Come on, you idiot!

No!

(ECHOING) Charlie?

Charlie?

Hi.

Is it over?

It's over.

Am I smart?

I bet you are.

Bet they're getting

smarter every minute.

Heh.

I'm really hungry.

Well, it's gonna take a

little time before we know

anything, Charlie,

but the operation

could not have gone better.

Did you give my

brain a new pair?

Pair of what?

Jeans.

Heh, heh.

Well, yes, Charlie.

In a way, you do

have a new pair.

And you know something, Charlie?

If this operation

works, nobody will

ever have to be like you were.

None of these babies will

ever have to grow up and go

through what you went through.

Ain't that something?

[babies crying]

All right.

You ready, buddy?

Ready.

On your mark, get set--

go!

[bzzt]

Oh!

[bzzt]

Ow!

[bzzt]

Ah!

He beat me again, Burt!

I bet I'm never

going to get smart.

Aw, come on, Charlie.

You just gotta have

some patience, OK?

I mean, you're probably

learning even right now.

I'll tell you one

thing I just learned.

I never knew I was

dumber than a mouse!

Charlie, I'm gonna let you

in on another secret, OK?

This is no ordinary mouse.

Algernon had an operation

just like yours.

He's the smartest mouse I know.

- He did?

- Yeah.

Cross my heart.

And when your operation

starts to work,

you'll be beating

him in no time.

That's a promise.

I hope he don't get mad.

I doubt it.

What was that?

He wants you to win.

He does?

Hello?

Anybody here?

Hello?

Must have pulled

another Charlie Gordon.

MAN: Hey, Charlie!

Surprise!

Hey!

[cheering]

Hey!

Wow!

Whoa!

Blow that one!

Thank you, Mr. Donner.

Now, [inaudible],

you're such a good kid.

Hey, what did you

do up there, Charlie?

Take out some flour?

How you feeling?

Huh, buddy?

Good.

I feel good.

- Yeah?

Good enough to run the mixer?

What happened to Oliver?

Charlie, uh--

Oliver got fired.

Mr. Donner's looking

for a replacement, but--

but he's gotta run it

himself in the meantime.

How about that, huh?

- What did he do to get fired?

- Well, he missed work.

Just like you did.

Better watch yourself, buddy.

Could be next.

Hey, Mr. Donner?

I won't miss work again.

I promise.

I only missed this time

cause the doctors made me.

But-- even if I get

sick, I'll come in.

It's OK, Charlie.

What's bothering you?

Gimpy says you might fire

me, like you did Oliver.

Well, don't listen

to that butt head.

Why would I fire you?

You're a better worker than

all these guys put together.

You've got a job for life,

and that's a promise.

Thank you, Mr. Donner.

Hey, Charlie?

Whatcha reading?

Oh, it's really hard.

It's my homework.

OK, it's really

simple, actually.

You've got three choices.

You got subtraction--

remember, we talked about that?

Multiplication, and division.

Now, use the mouse-- go ahead,

put your hand on the mouse--

and you make a choice between

addition, subtraction,

and multiplication.

Now, remember, subtraction

means to take--

Away.

Charlie, good work.

Great.

Call if you need some help.

I'll just be right

over here, OK?

[inaudible] rubbed his

eyes and looked around.

Check this out.

[inaudible]

[tires squealing]

Aw!

[tires squealing]

I should always

find that the cal--

Calamity.

That's a hard one.

Calamities of

life were shared--

shared among the upper

and lower part of mankind,

but that the middle--

Station.

Station had the

fewest disasters.

You know what that means?

Yeah.

What?

It means that

people like me got

it harder than people like you.

That's what Mr. Dafoe says.

Do you think that's true?

I think we all

got it pretty hard.

Except Mr. Caruso.

Cause he's got it

harder than any of us.

Why's that?

Well, because he doesn't

have someone to help him out.

Like I do.

Let me show you something.

See?

He won't be lonely for long.

There's somebody there.

Mhm.

Start again.

Ready?

And... Go!

Woo! Yes!

Yes!

You did it!

I knew you could do it!

I did it!

- Charlie!

Charlie, it's working!

You are getting smarter!

I'm smarter than

a real smart mouse!

You see that?

Wait right here.

Strauss has gotta see this.

I'll be right back.

Charlie, give me something.

Give me something!

No, like this.

Like this.

Yeah!

Woo!

Charlie's the man!

Aw-- I'm sorry, Algernon.

You're not mad at me, are ya?

I tell you what--

I'll be your friend.

I'll take care of you now.

Cause I'm smarter than you.

I promise.

Hey.

Oh!

Hey.

Ha ha!

[laughter]

Hey, Charlie, whatcha readin'?

"Treasure Island."

I didn't know you could

read stuff like that.

Well, it's pretty hard, but

I'm getting the hang of it.

Well, you know, Frank

and I were talking,

and you're a hell

of a lot smarter

than we thought you were.

Yeah?

Maybe a little.

You know what day

it is, don't ya?

Tuesday.

It's Mr. Donner's birthday.

Really?

Yeah.

And you know what he'd

like more than anything?

He'd like to find someone who

can run that mixer for him.

You know, uh, Mr.

Donner is getting

awfully tired of running

that thing himself.

And we figured, you know,

since you're getting so smart,

maybe you could take over?

I don't know, Gimpy.

It's a pretty hard machine.

I mean, Oliver went to

school for a whole year

to learn how to do it.

Yeah, and Oliver never read

no "Treasure Island," neither,

huh?

Come on, Charlie.

Why don't you give it a try?

I don't know.

I could get in a lot of trouble.

I could mess up real bad,

and we'd have to shut

down for the whole night.

Come on, Charlie.

You've been watching Oliver

for five, six years now.

I'm sure you know how to

do it as good as he did.

Yeah.

I probably do.

Hey, do you really

think I can do it?

Hey, don't sell

yourself short, Charlie.

You're sure?

Absolutely.

[machinery whirring]

He's got it.

MAN: Hey!

He got it.

Hey, hit the--

Oh my god.

Charlie?

What do you think you're doing?

Hey, Mr. Donner!

Look-- I'm making you a birthday

loaf, just like Gimpy and Frank

said I could.

See?

It came out just fine!

Happy birthday, Mr. Donner!

Hey, Gimpy, thanks for

talking me into this.

I don't know.

That a boy.

That a boy!

Yeah!

[applause]

Good.

[applause]

Hey, come on!

I'm buying this round, too.

I just got a raise.

I ain't-- I ain't had

a raise practically

since I started working.

This is Gimpy.

He needs-- he needs--

he needs another one.

Mr. Donner balled him out, and

he was just trying to help.

I don't know why you thought

it was his birthday, Gimpy.

Still, he should

have been grateful.

I mean, he got a

new mixer-operator,

and he didn't even

have to train him.

Here's looking at you, Gimp.

Hey, you wanna dance, Charlie?

Naw, not me.

Come on, I'll show ya.

- No thanks, Frank.

- Hey.

Hey.

You're looking at the twist

king of Long Island City.

1964.

Woo-hoo!

Come on, it's easy, you know?

You just gotta move your hips.

That's it.

Hey, come on.

Come on, come on.

I need a partner.

Come on.

Hey, look, I'd ask the Gimp,

except he's too embarrassed.

He'd fall on his ass.

Come on.

Naw, not me, Frank.

Come on, Charlie!

Get it going out there.

Get it going!

That's it.

Hey.

Act like you're mixing

bread, you know?

Hey, there you go.

You got it.

Hey.

You keep going like that,

I'm gonna lose my job.

Hey, Gimpy, look at me.

I can do anything tonight!

Woo-hoo!

Whoa!

[laughter]

Whoops!

Here you go, Charlie.

Whoa!

[laughter]

Hey, Charlie, I think you

had a little too much to drink.

You'd better watch yourself.

I don't make

fun of you, Gimpy.

[knocking]

Hi, Charlie.

Can I come in?

Yeah.

I've been worried about you.

Burt said that you

haven't been to the lab,

and you haven't been to

school the last couple of days...

You have to keep your

appointments, Charlie.

The experiment has

to be monitored.

I'm just--

I'm just thinking about things.

Like what?

All the times that I was

falling down because somebody's

foot was sticking out.

Like how I thought all my

friends were smart and good.

And that they liked me.

I thought they were my friends.

You shouldn't feel bad

if you think everyone

isn't nice, like you think.

I shouldn't?

No.

This happens to

all of us, Charlie.

You can be the most brilliant

person in the world,

and people will still fool you.

Like you?

Coming here, seeing

my apartment.

Your apartment is lovely.

It's not lovely.

It's ugly, and I'm ashamed for

you to see the way that I live.

I mean, look at this.

Look at this mess!

I mean..

Now I know why my mother felt

the way that she did.

I see how stupid I am,

and how little I've got.

[clattering]

You've done more

with what you have

than I could have ever imagined.

You're just saying

that to be nice.

You know what my

father used to say?

He used to say, Alice,

you're a chicken.

You're too shy, you're

not pretty enough.

If I believed that, then--

I wouldn't be a teacher.

I would never have met you.

But you are pretty.

I'm glad you're my teacher.

Thank you.

That's sweet.

Don't swallow other people's

sour grapes, Charlie.

OK?

[children playing]

I'll see you tomorrow.

OK.

You'd better show up.

Bye, Miss Kinian.

Bye.

You are making astonishing

progress, Charlie.

Better and faster

than we ever imagined.

But there are still things

that we don't know about.

Things that Algernon can never

tell us, that we think you can.

Like what?

Like, what else is changing,

beyond your intelligence?

Do you have feelings

that you never felt?

Do you have memories?

You said that you don't remember

much of your childhood, right?

Well, are any of those

memories coming back?

Sort of.

In what way?

Sometimes I have--

like, flashes.

But what do you mean

by flashes, Charlie?

Things that happened, that I

haven't thought of in a while.

Such as--

I mean, is there any one

particular memory, Charlie?

Harriet.

Who's Harriet?

She's a girl I

knew when I was--

10 or 11.

I thought of her the other day

when I was with Miss Kinian.

And you liked Harriet?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

She never teased me the

way that other kids did.

I used to do tricks for

her, and make her laugh.

What sort of tricks

would you do, Charlie?

Stupid stuff.

But-- I never felt like

she was laughing at me.

I always thought she liked me.

And what happened?

Charlie?

I had a locket.

I had a heart on a chain.

I decided to give it to her.

I asked my cousin to write

a letter to her from me,

telling her how

much I liked her.

I left it on the

doorstep, with the heart.

The next day, after school,

her brother stopped me.

[children shouting]

Stupid jerk!

The letter was

full of bad words.

Dirty words that my cousin

wrote, to play a joke on me.

I'm sorry, Charlie.

I'm sorry.

Then my mother took me out of

school, and I never went back.

Not long after that, they

sent me away for good.

You stole my

locket, didn't you?

And you gave it to

that little girl.

CHARLIE: I didn't!

You're a thief, and a liar!

[laughter]

Hey, Charlie.

Just the man I wanted to see.

Charlie?

I just want you to come

to my office for a moment.

You OK?

- Yeah.

You sure?

Yeah.

OK.

Come on.

You remember these cards,

don't you, Charlie?

Yeah.

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

I don't understand

them then, and I

don't understand them now.

Well, it's pretty

simple, really.

What do you see on

this card, Charlie?

People see all kinds of

things in these ink blots.

Tell me what it

makes you think of.

What it makes me think of?

Mhm.

You mean there's

not hidden pictures?

- Hidden?

- In the black paint...

That's what you

said the first time,

that there was hidden pictures.

- No, no, I never said that.

- Yes, you did.

- Charlie, I--

That's what you said.

You made me feel stupid,

because I couldn't see them.

You said there was pictures

that everybody could see.

I know I never said that.

You're lying! You're

lying to me!

- Calm down.

- Why should I calm down?

Now-- you're just

like everybody else,

laughing, and making fun of me.

Before I didn't know better, but

now I do, and I don't like it.

Look, Charlie, I know

I never told you there

were hidden pictures in there.

You want proof?

All right.

I'll show you proof.

I made recordings of all

my sessions with you.

You want me to play

back that session?

Here we go. You want

to hear this?

I probably used the exact

words then that I used today.

It's a requirement

for these tests.

Listen.

BURT (RECORDED): What

do you see on this card?

People see all kinds of

things in these ink blots.

CHARLIE (RECORDED):

I don't see nothing.

BURT (RECORDED): Sure you do.

Take a good, hard look.

CHARLIE (RECORDED): Maybe I

should get some glasses, Burt?

BURT (RECORDED): No, Charlie.

I mean, tell me what

it makes you think of.

CHARLIE (RECORDED):

Makes me think of someone

spilled some black paint.

BURT (RECORDED): Yeah, but

what's in the black paint?

People say it reminds

them of things.

They see pictures.

CHARLIE (RECORDED): Oh.

Yeah.

I see.

BURT (RECORDED):

What do you see?

CHARLIE (RECORDED):

Pictures of black paint!

[recording stops]

That was me.

That was you.

You know what it's hearing

your old self talk back to you?

It's like hearing someone

that you thought was dead.

But worse-- someone that

you never knew existed.

Not like that.

Not as dumb as that.

You never were dumb,

were you, Algernon?

You were just normal.

See, the trouble with me

is I was never normal,

and it's all I

ever wanted to be.

Now I'll just be the--

dumb guy that they made smart.

Even if it's normal smart,

I'll still be different.

I don't know which is worse--

to not know what you

are and be happy,

or to become what you

always wanted to be,

and feel like you're alone.

It's too hard to read.

No, you're doing fine.

You're learning faster

than we ever thought.

No.

It's so beautiful out.

It's impossible to keep

your nose buried in a book.

Oh.

That.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

You know, we were always

told that silence is--

is restful. But I think it's

just the opposite.

When I was little,

I used to lie in bed

and listen to the sounds

of my neighborhood.

It would help me sleep.

The isle is full of noises,

sounds, and sweet airs that

give delight, and hurt not.

How do you know that?

I just read it.

Yes, but how did

you remember it?

We just read it,

10 minutes ago.

Caliban talking

about the island.

Charlie, I've read

this, like, 20 times.

I mean, I couldn't

remember it just like that.

Do you know more?

Sometimes a thousand

twangling instruments

will hum about mine ears,

and sometimes voices

that if I then had

waked after long sleep

will make me sleep again.

And then, in dreaming,

the clouds, we thought,

would open, and show riches

ready to drop upon me.

That when I waked, I

cried to dream again.

That's amazing.

You just read that once?

Yeah.

Just-- a few minutes ago.

[laughter]

What?

You mean everybody

can't do that?

No, Charlie.

Everybody can't.

Wow.

Wow!

No, you're wrong again, Frank.

You got it all upside down.

Mm-mm.

Game five.

No, it was game six. '74.

Game five, '75.

Come on, Frank.

I was there.

Then you should remember.

Game five, '75.

Actually, Frank's

right, Gimpy.

It was 75.

But it was game six,

not five, Frank.

See, what happened was

the game was tied, 6-6.

The bottom of the ninth,

the bases were loaded,

when Fred Lynn

flied out to George

Foster, who threw home to

Johnny Bench for a Denny Doyle

tag out.

Cincinnati went on

to win the series.

Boston's been in

agony ever since.

Say, you're from Boston,

aren't you, Frank?

Boy, they sure made

a mess of that book.

Yeah.

I still liked it, though?

Why?

It was so simplistic.

I mean, they-- they

reduced the novel to--

excuse the cinematic reference--

black and white.

I mean, how could she

fall for that guy?

I did.

Really?

A little.

Didn't you think she was sexy?

No, I-- everything's

more complex than just

finding somebody attractive.

I mean, people are

more complicated, and--

I think-- I think--

What?

Well-- take you, for

instance, I used to just

see you as a teacher, but

now you're-- you're more

like a friend.

I hope so.

Only, friends don't call

their friends Miss Kinian.

Oh, I see.

OK.

Go ahead.

What?

Say it.

Alice.

[laughter]

I never had a friend

like you, Alice.

I mean, the old Charlie thought

he had lots of friends, but--

none like you, Alice.

I'm glad we're over

that hurdle, Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Gordon?

Most of us don't know

who our friends are.

We don't have an operation to

make people emotional geniuses,

and we never will.

But I'm glad to be your friend.

Me, too.

Well, I've gotta home.

I've got some work to do.

It's been a pleasure, Charlie.

Alice.

Did you ever have a

girlfriend, Algernon?

Huh?

You haven't got the slightest

idea what I'm talking about,

do you?

You meet a girl, you got

one thing on your mind.

Well, I think about that, too.

Love.

Love is so much more than that.

I've loved people

all my life, and--

you've never loved anyone.

What do you know?

But you must know what

it's like to be loved.

You feel any different

because of that?

Hm?

For once in my

life, I want to know

how it feels to be loved back.

Hm?

I don't believe it.

Guy's a freak.

I mean, come on.

You ever seen

anything like that?

You think he's been

fooling us all along?

I don't know what to think.

All I know is he's

laughing at us.

Naw.

Not Charlie.

- Yeah.

He asked me the other day

if I read that "Lolita"

book he was reading.

Well, what am I supposed to say?

I mean, I swear to god,

the guy is making fun of me

right to my face.

- That's all?

Naw.

He's watching us all the time.

Like we're some kind of

specimens he's studying.

Like we're the freaks,

and he's the normal one.

Yeah, well, he ain't normal.

I'll give you that.

You read that "Lolita,"

you're one sick cookie.

You got that right.

I sure miss the old Charlie.

Charlie?

I don't want to interrupt,

but I have some good news.

You two are taking a trip.

Me, too?

You and Algernon.

I just got word from the

International Psychiatric

Convention in Chicago.

They're accepting

my paper, Charlie.

Now, I know it's a little

early, but Charlie,

your progress is so remarkable

that I just can't hold back.

I-- I need to show you off.

What are you going to

do, run me through a maze?

- No, Charlie.

- I'm serious.

How are you going

to show me off?

People are going

to ask you questions.

- Like Trivial Pursuit?

- No.

Of course not.

- I got it.

Why don't I read 'em Sappho

here, in the original Greek?

Or Chinese?

You want me to learn

to speak Chinese?

What are you

getting upset about?

Well, these are

important scientists.

I want to make a

good impression.

Charlie, I don't

know what you're--

How about me words to

spell, like Frankenstein?

Now, you're not

being fair, Charlie.

No, you're not being fair.

You're treating me

like a mouse in a maze.

Why don't you calm down?

Because I have a choice here.

No you don't, Charlie.

You do not have a choice.

Now, I made you what

you are, so if you

want to go ahead and

compare me to Frankenstein,

that's your opinion.

But I believe that

your life now is

immeasurably better than

before, so you owe me this.

You have an ethical

responsibility.

No I don't.

The old Charlie agreed

to this, not me!

Come on, Charlie.

You're splitting hairs here.

You want to talk ethics?

This is not some Kantian

categorical imperative.

Whoa, whoa, what is that?

What is that supposed to mean?

What would David

Hume say about this?

- Who?

- David Hume?

He sent Immanuel Kant on his--

Charlie, I'm talking

about Chicago, here.

What are you talking about?

What, are you saying

you haven't read Hume?

- Charlie--

- Have you or haven't you?

Probably read him in college.

Probably?

He's one of the most brilliant

minds of 18th century thought,

and you say probably?

I thought you were

an educated man?

I am an educated man.

Why don't you--

How can you call

yourself an educated man

and say you haven't read Hume?

Have you read Hegel?

I don't care about Hume

or Hegel, or anybody!

I'm talking about changing

the face of medicine,

winning Nobel

prizes, and you bring

it some esoteric 18th

century philosopher!

I'm smarter than

you, aren't I?

Say it!

Yes.

Yes, Charlie.

You are smarter than me.

You've learned more in

four months than I've

learned in my entire life.

You've made a freak of me

at the other end of the scale,

haven't you?

Well, I got news for

you, Dr. Strauss.

I'm not your science

fair project,

I'm not your ticket to

Stockholm, and I'm sure as hell

not your paper in Chicago.

Charlie?

Mr. Donner wants to see you.

Hey, uh, come on inside.

MAN: Make sure you get it--

What's this?

It's a, uh, petition.

Signed by all the

workers, complaining

about your attitude.

They, uh-- they've asked

me to let you go, Charlie.

Why?

Well, you've changed.

You're angry.

You makes them feel

dumb sometimes.

They made me feel dumb.

Well, you were dumb.

At least, they thought you were.

But now, you know,

you talk down to them.

You have this attitude.

I don't know what happened, but

the Charlie you used to be--

the Charlie everyone

here liked--

he ain't around anymore.

Mr. Donner, I--

I can be more friendly.

Too late.

Half the guys that work here

have been in complaining.

They're afraid of you.

Now, Charlie, I gotta look

out for everybody here.

You promised me

you'd never fire me.

I promised another

Charlie, not you.

Where will-- where will I go?

Well, anywhere you want.

You won't have

trouble getting a job.

But-- you don't

need to work here.

Yes, I do.

This is my home.

No, Charlie.

Not anymore.

Charlie, what

are you doing here?

Mr. Donner fired me.

Oh, Charlie, I'm sorry.

They asked him to.

All the people that I

thought were my friends!

- Why?

- They hate me now!

I made them hate me!

Just like I did

Dr. Strauss today.

I made him feel like an idiot!

I'm so angry, and

I don't know why!

I'm sorry.

Your heart's gotta

catch up to your head.

If you can learn to see people

with your head and your heart,

you'll be surprised

at what you find.

But how do I do that?

What do you know

about Dr. Strauss?

Why?

Did you know his father

pressed him so hard

to succeed, he had

a nervous breakdown

when he was an undergraduate?

And if he presents

his paper in Chicago,

and it's well received,

there's some part

of him that'll feel like, at

last, he made his father proud.

So you're saying I

should go to Chicago?

That's not what

I'm saying, Charlie.

Just try to look

before you judge.

Whichever way you go.

Well, what about you?

How do I learn to see you

with my heart and my head?

What do you want to know?

Um-- I'm a Pisces.

I wanted to be a dancer,

but I wasn't good enough.

Then I wanted to be a writer,

but I wasn't good enough.

And then I--

I found this.

And now I think I'm good enough.

Do you have a boyfriend?

A boyfriend?

I've come close, but

I've never really

gotten to the point where

I let myself fall in love.

You know, my father

was right, Charlie.

I am a chicken.

I was afraid to be a

dancer or a writer.

Just like I'm afraid to

commit to certain people.

I always do-- no, Charlie.

No.

Charlie!

No.

That-- this can't happen.

No.

- Why?

It-- it just isn't right.

I mean, I, um-- there

are plenty of women

out there waiting

for someone like you,

but I'm just not one of them.

I'm-- I'm sorry.

I have to go.

If I give Lester two cookies,

and Bernice takes one away--

She can't.

I'll eat it.

Are they chocolate chip?

Hi, Charlie.

Hey, Charlie.

Hi, Charlie.

Hi, Lester.

Hi, Bernice.

Hi, everyone.

Hey, Charlie, I don't know

if you can come back in here.

You know, you missed a

lot of classes, mister.

You got a lot of work to

do before you catch up.

I'll do my best, Mike.

I promise.

It's OK.

I'd like to speak to

Miss Kinian, please.

Lester, why don't you

read about the story

that we started yesterday, OK?

OK.

I'll be-- I'll be right back.

Dog--

What's going on?

Boy--

I want you to come

to Chicago with me.

Oh, Charlie--

Please.

I won't-- I won't pull anything

like I pulled last time.

I promise.

Charlie, last week was--

No, I don't want to

talk about that anymore.

I-- I need you now.

I need a friend.

I'm afraid.

Of what?

I don't know.

Something's not right.

I'm starting to lose things.

Memories.

I mean, they're there, and

then suddenly they're not.

You're forgetting things?

Not important things, but--

it's like a motor in my head

that's starting to run down,

and I don't know why or how.

- It's probably nerves, Charlie.

- Maybe.

Maybe that's what it is.

But-- I need you.

I've already spoken

to Dr. Strauss.

He'll pay for your ticket.

But you have to make up

your mind really fast.

How fast?

When do you leave?

In about an hour.

When Charlie Gordon

first came to us,

he was outside of society.

He was alone in a great city,

without friends or relatives

who could care for him.

Without mental

equipment that would

let him lead a normal life.

He had no past, no

contact with the present,

and no hope for the future.

In fact, one might say

that Charlie Gordon

was one of nature's mistakes.

A mistake that, with Charlie's

own help, we have corrected.

Before you meet this

remarkable human being,

I want to show you

where he came from.

What he was like before.

So, this videotape was made

just over six months ago.

Alex, would you roll

the tape, please?

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED):

Charlie, tell us about yourself.

My name is Charlie Gordon.

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED):

Where do you live?

Home.

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED):

Do you have a job?

Yeah.

I work at the bakery.

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED):

What do you do there?

I-- I help.

I ain't allowed to bake,

cause I'll mess things up.

One time I-- I put a whole

bunch of chocolate chips

in the rye bread, because

I like chocolate chips.

Gimpy says I pulled a

real Charlie Gordon.

[laughter]

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED): Charlie?

What's a Charlie Gordon?

That's something I

do that's real dumb.

Other people can

pull Charlie Gordons,

too, but nobody like me.

DR. STRAUSS (RECORDED):

If you could

do anything in the

world, Charlie,

what would you want

to do the most?

Learn.

I want to learn.

I want to be a "gene-ass!"

[laughter]

Ladies and gentlemen,

Mr. Charlie Gordon.

[applause]

Charlie, you

can be seated now.

Please, let me

say a few words.

Charlie-- they're

all going to have

questions for you afterwards.

No.

Let me speak.

I'll be brief.

I promise.

Of course.

Excuse me if I'm at a loss.

I hadn't seen that

video before, and I

feel like I just met

an old friend whom

I'd forgotten so much about.

I'm very thankful to Dr.

Strauss and Mr. Stinson

for all they've done for me.

And to me.

But there are a few things

that have been said today

to which I take exception.

Dr. Strauss, in all

innocence, described

the old Charlie Gordon

as a mistake of nature,

and a burden--

descriptions with which many

of you would probably agree.

Well, let me explain, Charlie.

I am not aware

of any contribution

that Charlie Gordon made to

society before his operation,

but to describe him as

a mistake is unfair.

He would have given you

his last crust of bread,

if you asked for it.

Which brings me to my

next topic of discussion--

the Charlie Gordon of tomorrow.

My intelligence has grown

at a remarkable rate.

My IQ is now reaching

the 200 range.

And where will it stop?

Will I keep growing

smarter and smarter?

Will I be able to

solve the problems

of physics and medicine?

Or will I level off, and be

surpassed by future Charlie

Gordons, as Dr.

Strauss' techniques

become more and more refined?

Well, the answer, my friends,

is neither A nor B. The answer

I read in an article

last night, by Dr.

David Choterov of the

University of St. Petersburg.

It appears that Dr. Choterov

has been experimenting

in this area, too, and

each of his subjects,

after a brief increase

in intelligence, reverted

to their original

level of idiocy.

Or less.

Now, granted, his subjects

were mice, and not humans,

and his techniques

were not as refined,

or as skillful as Dr. Strauss'.

But the basis of his

theory is identical.

Because of this

evidence, in conjunction

with certain personal

observations that I've made

over the last few days,

I've come to the conclusion

that tomorrow's

Charlie Gordon will

be the same Charlie Gordon as

the one featured in the video

you just saw.

Only he won't be as smart.

But what I find most

disturbing about this article

is that Dr. Strauss

knew, as each of you did,

about Dr. Choterov's

experiments, and their outcome.

And he never said a word.

Well, why-- why don't you

let me explain, Charlie?

Not to me, not to

the old Charlie Gordon.

Charlie, I think it's

time for you to sit down.

Now, granted, the

Charlie Gordon would have

said go ahead, do it anyway.

And perhaps I would have

said the same thing.

But what I'm talking about

here is ethical responsibility.

OK, Charlie,

that's enough, buddy.

Something the old Charlie

Gordon knew a hell of a lot

more about than many

professionals today!

He wanted to be a

"gene-ass," like each of you!

Now I know that you're

not "gene-asses,"

you're just asses!

And this experiment is over.

[shouting]

Charlie, no!

[shouting]

Everybody, take cover!

Don't move!

Watch out!

Don't step on Algernon!

Whoa, whoa!

Please!

[shouting]

Watch out!

Whoa!

Here, baby!

Hey, Algernon.

Well, you know, little

buddy, you're the most

important mouse in their life.

And they couldn't

tell you from Adam.

Ready to go home?

[knocking]

Hi.

I need to talk to you.

Is that Algernon?

Yeah.

I thought you let him loose?

Is that why you brought me here?

So I could watch you do

some sleight of hand?

Of course--

So I could see you

humiliate the very people

who made you who you are?

- Look, would you just--

How could you

do that, Charlie?

It's not my fault. He lied.

I know he lied,

but you could have

called him on it in private.

You didn't have to make a

public laughingstock out of him.

Well, he was willing

to laugh at me!

They all were!

You heard them!

And now you're treating them

just like they treated you.

Well, it's not

science, it's stupidity!

I'm sick of doctors that go

around acting like they're God.

You've come a long way,

haven't you, Charlie Gordon?

You're about as ethically

responsible now as they are.

Well, I wouldn't

worry, Miss Kinian.

You'll soon have the

old Charlie Gordon back,

and he'll let people treat

him any way they like.

Yeah, I got it.

OK.

Good luck, kid.

Hey!

How ya doing?

You wanna dance?

- Thanks.

I don't dance.

MAN: I'll take care of it.

When

Who is she?

The girl you're drinking about?

It's not that simple.

It never is.

It's actually a guy.

Oh!

OK.

Hey.

Whatever way's your tail.

Come to think of it,

he does have a tail.

You're kiddin'?

And a lot of fur.

This is not a human being

we're talking about, is it?

Would you like to meet him?

Sure.

This is Algernon.

Oh, he's so cute.

Hi, Algernon.

I'm Faye.

And you thought I was.

Very funny guy.

Algernon is a-- is

a certified genius.

He's much smarter

than you, or even me,

in comparative mouse terms.

But he's starting to get dumb.

Pretty soon he'll be as

dumb as any mouse around.

That's too bad.

Well, not totally.

Because-- then he'll get

to see Charlie again.

Charlie's this-- this

friend of his, who's

a lot dumber than Algernon.

In comparative mouse terms.

What happened to Charlie?

Charlie went away.

Pretty soon he's coming back.

But-- when he gets

back, Algernon may

be too dumb to recognize him.

He'll just think that he's me.

I'm a little confused.

You wanna dance?

- I thought you said you didn't?

- Huh?

Dance.

Oh.

He don't, but I do.

Who's he?

The guy I live with.

He don't know I'm

still around, but I am.

I'm Charlie.

Charlie Gordon.

Come on!

Just a little weird.

Hey.

Hey!

Come on!

It's easy!

It's just like mixing bread!

OK.

You're gonna do the twist?

Watch this.

[laughter]

Whoa!

You all right?

[laughter]

What are you doing?

Come on.

Yeah!

SINGER: Come on, little

miss, and do the twist.

Charlie?

Can I come in?

[coughing]

Hi.

You OK?

Algernon and I

went out dancing.

We got mugged by Chubby Checker.

Can I make you some coffee?

Maybe, uh-- maybe I

should make you some.

Alice, I--

I owe you an apology

for the way I--

I behaved, and the way I

spoke to you in Chicago.

I guess I pulled a

real Charlie Gordon.

I understand.

He's back.

Who?

The old Charlie.

He came back last

night at the bar.

You mean you

pretended you were him?

No.

No, I really was him.

He's still inside me.

When he came out, I--

I went in.

I know it sounds

strange, but what's

really strange is

that there were

times last night while he was

out that I actually felt happy.

They wanted me to tell you

that they need you, Charlie.

They want you to come back.

They-- they'll agree to

any demands you make.

That sounds like a

reply to a ransom note.

And come to think of

it, I guess it is.

Why are you

suddenly giving up?

Isn't it obvious?

Because some

guy in Russia says

it's automatically reversible?

You don't know.

Maybe you can change it.

Maybe there's something

you can do, Charlie.

- I doubt it.

- Then prove it.

Prove to me it's useless,

because I don't think it is.

You're just sitting there

with a bomb in your lap,

waiting for it to go off.

The old Charlie

wouldn't do that.

I miss him.

Not just the innocence or the

sweetness, like you think I

do, but I sure as

hell miss the courage.

You were right, Charlie.

You were right in what you said.

I just wish that you had said

it a little more delicately.

I knew about the

Russian experiment.

I knew about the results--

and I suppose I was just

naive enough to hope that it

wouldn't happen this time.

I'm sorry.

And you probably guessed that

there's another dimension

to this that we can't ignore,

because I am not smart enough

to save you, Charlie.

But you are.

I created a monster,

and now my monster

has the capability to finish

the experiment that I began.

What if I don't want to?

Then it's over.

Please, Charlie.

Please-- don't let it be over.

Dr. Strauss?

Charlie?

You guys gotta come see this.

Please.

He was doing this maze with

no problem only a week ago.

Now he doesn't know where he is.

So the regression's begun.

Well, I think it's been

going on for some time now.

It's just happening a lot faster

than we ever thought possible.

What about

changes in behavior?

Well, he has been acting

a little weird lately.

Unpredictable.

Hi.

I brought you some food.

Thanks.

Charlie, I wanted

to talk to you.

I'm sorry?

Never mind.

I'll see you tomorrow.

[charlie whispering]

Hey.

Algernon-- hey.

It's OK.

Slow down.

It's not gonna catch ya.

It's gonna be all right.

It's going to be all right.

There.

It's not the whole answer,

but it's 2/3 of it.

It's brilliant, Charlie.

It's not brilliant enough.

It doesn't change anything.

It just explains

why it's happening.

There's still something else.

There's the last third that

I'm not able to explain,

that might turn it all around.

Something in the math, maybe?

No, it's not in the math.

It's not in the

chemistry, either.

It's something-- it's a

light outside my grasp,

and my arms aren't long

enough to reach it.

Charlie, is there something

that would make a difference?

Enough of a difference

to get to that Nobel Prize?

I'm not interested in

the Nobel Prize anymore.

Sure you are.

We all are.

Because you're going

to share it with me.

[laughter]

- Charlie?

- Hey!

Sorry.

It's Algernon.

He's stopped eating.

I think he's given up.

We're going to have to feed

him ourselves from now on.

Let me see.

Hey.

What's wrong?

Hey.

What's wrong?

You think he wants to die?

I think-- and Strauss

disagrees, but--

I think there's a part

of him that realizes

what he can't do anymore, and--

I guess he refuses

to live like that?

Sorry.

It's just a stupid theory.

Come on.

Eat.

What'll you do with

him when he dies?

We'll have to dissect him.

I know it sounds awful, but

we don't really have a choice.

I mean, we gotta find out what

went wrong with him, right?

Yeah.

Charlie, we just have to

remember, he's only a mouse.

Yeah.

He's only a mouse.

Come on.

Eat.

Come on, Algernon.

Come on.

Charlie's neat,

Charlie's sweet.

Charlie is a dandy.

Every time he goes to town,

he gets his girl some candy.

Ah!

What's--

WOMAN'S VOICE: He gets

his girl some candy.

[siren]

Charlie You said

you wanted to see me?

I've defined the problem.

The solution has been in

front of me all along.

Well, what is it?

Come on, tell me.

You have to explain it to me,

because that math is beyond me.

It's really very simple.

My regression is inevitable.

And even if there were any

hope of my finding a solution,

I no longer understand

the equations

necessary to find them.

Oh, Charlie, come on.

Don't give up.

You just hit a bump.

No.

Nope.

It-- it's not a bump.

It's a chasm.

But you said

there was something

you hadn't thought of.

You know, a light somewhere?

Isn't that what you said?

You said there was something

that would make a difference,

remember?

- Not to my head.

To my heart.

That's where the

real problem lies.

But I know how to solve that.

You don't get it, do you?

What you value is intelligence.

But the mind without the

heart isn't worth a damn.

Charlie Gordon loved

people with all his being.

That's all he had.

But now my heart is

overwhelmed with my head.

It's a question of

values, Dr. Strauss.

In Charlie Gordon's

world, we're the morons.

You'll tell Burt and

Alice, won't you?

[knocking]

Yeah?

Please-- let me in.

Don't-- don't be afraid.

I just-- I just want to see you.

I just want to talk to you!

Please don't shut me out again!

Please!

I'll pay you to talk to me!

Just as much money as they paid

you to sign the permission!

I'm not going away

until you talk to me!

If you don't open the

door, I'll break it down!

[pounding on door]

Ma!

[glass shattering]

Don't be afraid.

I just-- I just

want to talk to you.

I just want you to understand

that I'm not the way I was.

I'm not retarded anymore.

I'm not a moron.

I'm normal, Mom.

Just like you always

wanted me to be.

So talk to me.

You can be proud of me.

So-- so tell me that.

Tell me.

Tell me about how it

was when I was little.

Tell me why you hated me.

I need to know

before it's too late,

and you're the only

person that can help me.

So please help me, Mom.

I just wanted

you to be normal.

I just wanted a normal kid.

God cheated me on

everything else.

You'd think he'd give

me a break on that one.

Don't ya?

Here, well-- feel better.

Why'd you send me away?

Why'd I send you away?

You don't know?

You never did

understand nothing.

you were always

getting in trouble.

You were always

making a big mess.

I was scared.

It was hard enough

when you were little.

You got too big.

I sent you away cause you

were better off without me.

Still are.

You gotta believe that.

Handsome man.

You grew up to be

a handsome man.

And tall.

And smart.

Famous.

I've been reading about

you in the newspapers.

Of course you make me proud.

Of course, I should have

known you'd be handsome.

Such a beautiful baby.

Too beautiful.

You know, if God gives

you too much of one thing,

he evens it out somewhere else.

I always said that.

Heh.

You remember that there?

You loved that locket.

Played with it all the time.

What happened to that, I wonder?

We were happy then.

Sing to me.

Hm?

You'd sing to me.

You remember?

The song about Charlie?

Sing it to me.

Oh-- (SINGING) Charlie's

neat, and Charlie's sweet.

And Charlie, he's a dandy.

Every time he goes to town,

he gets his girl some candy.

Over the river and

through the trees,

over the river to Charlie.

Over the river and

through the trees,

to bake a cake for Charlie.

Charlie's neat, and

Charlie's sweet,

and Charlie, he's a dandy.

Every time he goes to town--

He gets his girl some candy.

Oh, he gets his

girl some candy.

Get his girl some candy.

You remember that, huh?

(SINGING) Charlie's neat,

and Charlie's sweet,

and Charlie, he's a dandy.

Every time he goes to town,

he gets his girl some candy.

CHARLIE: I finally saw her.

I know now why my mother

could never love me.

She could never love anybody.

It's not my fault.

But still, I feel so--

afraid.

I feel-- so--

alone.

Me, too.

I do, too.

No.

It's what I want.

No.

It's too late.

No, Charlie, it isn't.

You're only doing this

because you feel sorry for me.

No.

I feel sorry for me.

I need you.

I've always needed you.

I've just been too afraid.

I love you.

Not just the dumb

you, or the smart you.

I love the man that lives

in both those people.

Alice-- I'm never--

It's OK.

I'll show you.

Come here.

Sit down.

Now, don't use your head.

Just use your heart, OK?

Soften your lips.

[phone ringing]

Algernon.

Hey.

[crying]

Hi.

What is it?

Why so mysterious?

- Come on.

- Where are we going?

I'll show you.

I didn't want

them cutting him up.

I've got something

to say to you, Alice.

Something important.

OK.

I used to have a locket

I got from my mother.

I kept it with me

all these years,

even though it made

me sad to look at it.

And-- and I didn't know why.

Now I know it's

because it was empty.

There was nothing inside.

Not even a picture.

I gave it to Algernon

because, in a funny way,

he filled it with love.

I didn't need it anymore,

because I had you.

These last few days have

been the happiest in my life.

My real heart is filled with

love now, because I know

how it feels to be loved back.

I love you, Alice.

More than anyone

I've ever known.

And I always will.

That's why I want you to leave.

Charlie-- that

doesn't make sense.

Yes, it does.

I want you to remember

me like I am now.

It's all going so fast.

I'll forget how to read soon.

And-- and write.

And before long, I'll

forget about you.

You'll just be Miss Kinian,

and I'll just be some guy

you have to take to school.

Some-- some grown

up little boy, who

loves you like a-- like a

sister, or a-- a mother.

But not like a woman.

Not like a real friend.

I can't agree to this.

Then I'll-- I'll change

the locks on my apartment.

I'll lock myself in,

and I won't come out.

Please.

Don't you see?

If we go on like this, we'll

lose every happy memory we got.

It's not so bad, really.

It's only sad because

we've been so happy.

I would go through

the entire operational

all over again, just

for these last few days.

MAN: Want another belt?

MAN: Yeah.

Hey, pull that back over here.

MAN: I'm ready for the ride.

[knocking]

- Hi, Mr. Donner.

Hi, Charlie.

What can I do for you?

Well, I was wondering if maybe

I could have my old job back?

I was sick, Mr. Donner, but--

I ain't sick no more.

Pretty soon I'll be just like

the old Charlie Gordon again.

And-- and I know you hired

someone to run the bread mixer,

and that's OK, because

I can't do it no more.

It's too hard.

Well, I-- I dunno, Charlie.

You know, I don't think

the guys are gonna be--

Please, Mr. Donner?

It won't be for long,

because pretty soon

I'll be too dumb to work here.

And then I'll go

to a home I found,

where they take care of folks

like me that nobody wants.

Look, it's not that I

don't want you, Charlie.

It's just--

Let me try.

Please?

Let me just ask

the other fellas.

We'll leave it up to them.

OK.

- Heya, guys!

- Hey!

Charlie!

Hey!

Hey, Rene!

Hey, Frank!

Hey, Gimpy!

- Hey.

Well, Charlie?

How's it hanging, buddy?

All right.

Hey, I got one for ya!

- Yeah?

Hey.

How many Charlie Gordons does

it take to screw in a lightbulb?

How many?

Two.

One to try to screw it

in, and one to hand him

a lightbulb when he drops it.

[laughter]

Hey, come here.

Great to see ya, Charlie.

Good to see you, Frank.

Charlie.

ALICE: OK, uh,

Bernice, why don't you

come up here and see if

you can write Lester's

name on the blackboard?

I can't spell Lester.

Well just give it a try, OK?

We'll sound it out.

La, la--

Lester.

L. Lester.

A. Lester.

S. Lester.

T. Lest-- Lest--

S-ter.

Hey, Charlie, where ya been?

Hi, Mike.

Boy, are you in trouble.

You ain't been here for so long,

you probably forgot your name.

Uh-uh.

I'm Charlie Gordon.

And-- and you're Mike,

and that's Miss Kinian.

See?

Yeah.

But Charlie, you can't just

leave here and not come back

till you feel like it, Charlie.

You've got to be here every day!

And I will, from now on.

Won't I, Miss Kinian?

I'm not going to

miss no more school.

Good for you, Charlie.

I'm going to be smart, Mike.

I'm going to be a

regular "gene-ass."

Heh.

More like jackass.

I can spell jackass.

Miss Kinian, he's

sitting in my chair.

No, it's my chair.

It's my chair, Charlie!

Charlie, get out of my chair!

Charlie, get out of my chair.

That's my chair now.

- No.

- Yes.

- No, it's my chair.

No, I--

MIKE: - Technically it

was Charlie's chair first.

No, those are my crayons.

Hey, Miss Kinian?

Miss Kinian, wait up.

[crying]

Hi, Charlie.

What can I do for you?

You can let me give you a hug.

Don't cry.

I know you're crying,

but don't cry.

I don't know why I'm dumb again,

or what I did wrong, but--

it's OK.

I learned a lot of stuff

I never knew before.

I learned about my ma, and--

some other stuff, too.

But now I know I'm a

person, like everybody else.

And I'm going to keep

trying to get smart

again, as best I know how.

That's a promise.

So don't you feel sorry for me.

I bet I'm the first dumb

person in the whole world who

found out something

important for science.

It's like I did it for all the

dumb people all over the world.

Here.

Blow.

You'll feel better.

You see?

And I-- and I still

got lots of friends.

And I'll have even more,

when I go to the home that's

going to take care of me.

It ain't so bad.

I love you, Charlie.

Thank you.

For everything.

You're welcome.

Miss Kinian, when I go away,

would you do me a favor?

I wouldn't ask, except I

think you wouldn't mind.

Anything.

Whenever you think

of it, would you put

flowers on Algernon's grave?

He really likes them.

Do it for me.

I'd be honored.

Bye, Miss Kinian.

See ya tomorrow!

[music playing]

Flowers for Algernon (2000) - full transcript

Extract Subtitles From Media