BRAIN DONORS. A forgotten comedy that guarantees bursts of laughter

At the dawn of the 1980s, three men – Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker (later joined by Pat Proft) – decided to revolutionize comedy and created “Airplane!”, a brilliant parody poking fun at popular movies of the time. They quickly cemented their talent with the TV series “Police Squad!” (which evolved into a film trilogy a few years later) and the somewhat forgotten (but unjustly so) “Top Secret!”. After introducing audiences to the adventures of Frank Drebin (“The Naked Gun”), they took on producer roles and wanted to try something different. The idea came to make their next film, “Brain Donors”, reminiscent of the Marx Brothers’ works.

The Marx Brothers triumphed in the 1930s and 1940s. Their films generally followed the same formula: the protagonists helped a young couple overcome obstacles, all while mocking the villains who tried to disrupt their plans. The trio of brothers – Groucho, portraying a quick-talking trickster; Harpo, playing a musically gifted mute; and Chico, the most rational of the group – always led the way. Films like “A Day at the Races”, “Duck Soup”, “The Big Store”, and “A Night at the Opera” earned their place in comedy history. Today, although some parts, especially the musical numbers, have aged noticeably, these movies can still make people laugh.

And it was “A Night at the Opera” that the ZAZ trio revisited in 1992. They handed the directing to Dennis Dugan (a frequent collaborator of Adam Sandler), the script was penned by Pat Proft (“Police Academy”), and the film was titled “Lame Ducks”, later renamed “Brain Donors”.

It’s hard to clearly describe this brilliant festival of jokes. As is often the case with ZAZ productions, the plot is secondary, with everything revolving around gags. Lilian (Nancy Marchand from “The Sopranos“), widow of the wealthy businessman Oskar Oglethorpe, wants to fulfill his last wish by creating a ballet troupe. Oskar’s longtime lawyer, Edmund Lazlo (John Savident), is tasked with convincing the star, “The Great” Roberto Volare (George De La Pena), to join. The ballet director stands to earn a handsome sum, attracting the attention of small-time hustler Roland T. Flakfizer (John Turturro), a lawyer who once helped Lilian out of a car accident.

The film features slapstick, absurd humor, rapid-fire, witty dialogue, and countless comedic situations. It’s important to note that this isn’t a sophisticated type of humor, like that of the Polish “Elderly Gentlemen’s Cabaret”, but (thankfully!) neither does it feature the crude, vulgar jokes that tend to dominate more modern parodies.

The three main characters are like reincarnations of the Marx Brothers. The outstanding John Turturro (a regular collaborator with the Coen Brothers) plays the schemer looking for an easy payday. American comedian Bob Nelson steps into the role that was reserved for Harpo in the 1930s (although he’s not mute), while the late British actor Mel Smith takes on the modern version of Chico.

Interestingly, the film flips the usual convention. We root for the main characters, even though they’re con men trying to take advantage of Lilian’s naivety. Of course, everything is presented in a lighthearted manner, and it’s impossible not to like the trio of protagonists. In contrast, it’s hard to sympathize with the pompous Volare and his sidekick Edmund.

This forgotten comedy is worth a chance because it guarantees regular bursts of laughter, and the ballet performance that concludes the film is the pinnacle of humor. The opening sequence is done in claymation, and the whole film is underscored by the pleasant music of Ira Newborn (“The Blues Brothers”), featuring a catchy main theme.

Written by Piotr Zymelka