Charly

A love story that begins with an incredible experiment!

1968 • 103 min • Drama · Romance · Science Fiction

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Synopsis

An experiment on a simpleton turns him into a genius. When he discovers what has been done to him he struggles with whether or not what was done to him was right.

Our family guide

Best from age 12

Movie Knight Score

124 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
65 Audience · 123 · 49%

An intellectually disabled man undergoes an experimental procedure that makes him a genius. As his intelligence grows, he grapples with the ethical implications of his transformation and the impact on his relationships.

Violence & peril: 2/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Discussions of disability and societal treatment
Some emotional distress
Brief romantic intimacy

What it models well

Empathy and understanding
The nature of intelligence
Ethical responsibility in science

Talk about it after

What does it mean to be "smart"?
The ethics of changing someone's mind or body
How society treats people with disabilities

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Charly. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Top billed cast

Director: Ralph Nelson • Crew: Stirling Silliphant

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Cliff Robertson is at the top of his game as the eponymous character who has learning difficulties. He has been attending night classes under "Dr. Kilman" (Claire Bloom) for almost two years, determined to improve his reading and writing, and it is she who thinks it might be possible to get him onto a scientifically-backed course that could ultimately result in profoundly correctional surgery.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community