Movie and Film Profile: The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)

The Absent-Minded Professor was generally released theatrically on March 16, 1961. Produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Co., Inc. Based on the short story "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor in Liberty on May 22, 1943. It was the first Disney movie to receive a sequel with the release of Son of Flubber on January 16, 1963. A remake titled Flubber starring Robin Williams was released on November 26, 1997.

DMFE Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.50 out of 5 stars)

Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead!

Brilliant but extremely forgetful chemistry professor Ned Brainard teaches at the struggling Medfield College. Brainard is so absorbed in his scientific research that he repeatedly forgets important events in his personal life, including his own wedding to Betsy Carlisle, the daughter of the college’s dean. After missing the ceremony yet again, Betsy begins to lose patience with his constant absent-mindedness. At the same time, the college itself faces financial trouble due to pressure from wealthy businessman Alonzo P. Hawk.

Late one night in his laboratory, Brainard accidentally invents a strange green substance with remarkable properties. The material, which he calls Flubber, short for “flying rubber," gains energy when it bounces rather than losing it. Excited by the discovery, Brainard experiments with its potential uses, soon discovering that the substance can make objects leap enormous distances and even defy gravity. By placing Flubber in the propulsion system of his old Model T Ford, Brainard successfully creates a flying car.

Meanwhile, Medfield College’s basketball team is facing defeat against its rival school. Hoping to help, Brainard secretly applies Flubber to the players’ sneakers. During the game’s second half, the players suddenly began leaping high above their opponents, turning the game into a spectacular victory. However, Brainard’s incredible invention soon attracts the attention of the greedy Alonzo P. Hawk, who sees Flubber as an opportunity to make a fortune and attempts to steal the discovery.

After Hawk’s scheme is exposed in a chaotic series of events involving Flubber-coated shoes, Brainard is able to demonstrate the invention’s potential to government officials. With his discovery finally recognized and Medfield College’s future secured, Brainard reconciles with Betsy and the two are finally married. The newlyweds depart together in Brainard’s flying Model T, while the remarkable possibilities of Flubber promise exciting adventures ahead.

The film’s musical score was composed by George Bruns. Songs from the movie include, “Medfield Fight Song,” written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman; “Sweet Betsy from Pike,” lyrics by John A. Stone and performed by Fred MacMurray; “Bridal Chorus,” composed by Richard Wagner and performed by Elliott Reid; and “The Man on the Flying Trapeze,” music by Gaston Lyle and lyrics by George Leybourne. No official soundtrack was released with the release of The Absent-Minded Professor.

At the 34th Academy Awards on April 9, 1962, The Absent-Minded Professor was nominated for Best Art Direction (Black-and-White) - Art Direction: Carroll Clark; Set Direction: Emile Kirk, Hal Gausman; Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) - Edward Colman; and Best Special Effects - Visual Effects by Robert A. Mattey, Eustace Lycett.

Aired on Disney’s Wonderful World television series on September 9, 1979 (Part 1) and September 16, 1979 (Part 2).

The film was re-released in theaters on June 30, 1967, and August 27, 1974. First released on home video (VHS) on June 26, 1981. First released on LaserDisc in 1982. Rereleased on VHS on May 27, 1986. Re-released on VHS on January 24, 1992, as part of Walt Disney’s Studio Film Collection series. Re-released on LaserDisc on February 6, 1992, as part of Walt Disney’s Studio Film Collection series. Re-released on VHS ON May 22, 1996. Re-released on VHS on December 2, 1997, as part of the Walt Disney Film Classics: The Comedy Favorites Series collection. Released for the first time on DVD on January 14, 2003, as part of the Walt Disney Film Classics: The Comedy Favorites Series collection. Re-released on DVD on September 16, 2008, as a double-feature 2-DVD set with Son of Flubber. Released for the first time on Blu-ray on March 1, 2016, as a 55th Anniversary Edition Disney Movie Club Exclusive. Aired on Disney’s Wonderful World television series on September 9, 1979 (Part 1) and September 16, 1979 (Part 2).  The Absent-Minded Professor is available on Disney+. 

CAST & CREW

• Director: Robert Stevenson
• Producer(s): Walt Disney (uncredited), Bill Walsh (Associate Producer)
• Screenplay: Bill Walsh
• Director of Photography: Edward Colman, A.S.C.
• Art Director: Carroll Clark
• Costume Designer(s): Chuck Keehne, Gertrude Casey
• Editor: Cotton Warburton, A.C.E.
• Special Effects: Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, Robert A. Mattey, Joshua Meador
• Set Decorator(s): Emile Kuri, Hal Gausman
• Music: George Bruns
• Music Editor: Evelyn Kennedy
• Orchestration: Franklyn Marks
• Cast: Fred MacMurray (as Professor Ned Brainard), Nancy Olson (as Betsy Carlisle), Keenan Wynn (as Alonzo P. Hawk), Tommy Kirk (Biff Hawk), Leon Ames (President Rufus Daggett), Elliott Reid (Professor Shelby Ashton), Edward Andrews (Defense Secretary), David Lewis (General Singer), Jack Mullaney (Air Force Captain), Belle Montrose (Mrs. Chatsworth), Wally Brown (Coach Elkins), Wally Boag (TV Newsman), Don Ross (Lenny), Forrest Lewis (Police Officer Kelley), James Westerfield (Police Officer Hanson), Alan Carney (First Referee), Charlie Briggs (Sig), Gage Clarke (Reverend Bosworth), Alan Hewitt (General Hotchkiss), Raymond Bailey (Admiral Olmstead), Wendell Holmes (General Poynter), Leon Tyler (Basketball Player #18), Ed Wynn (Fire Chief)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• MPAA Rating: N/A (The MPAA rating system was not introduced until November 1, 1968)
• Runtime: 97 minutes
• Sound: Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
• Format: Black and White
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Genre(s): Classics, Comedy, Live-Action, Science Fiction (from movies.disney.com)

BOX OFFICE (from IMDb.com)

• Budget: $2,000,000 (estimated)
• Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): N/A
• Gross (U.S. & Canada): N/A
• Gross (Worldwide): $25,300,000

RATINGS

• My Rating: 3.50 (out of 5)
• Rotten Tomatoes: 83% Tomatometer) | 63% (Popcornmeter)
• Metacritic: 75 (Metascore) | 7.0 (Popcornmeter)
• IMDb: 6.7 (out of 10)
• The Movie DB: 65% (User Score)
• Letterboxd: 3.2 (out of 5)
• Combined Rating: 69.63

MY THOUGHTS
With its inventive premise and playful humor, The Absent-Minded Professor remains one of Disney’s more charming live-action comedies of the early 1960s. Fred MacMurray brings a warm and likable presence to the role of Professor Ned Brainard, and the imaginative concept of Flubber provides the film with plenty of memorable visual gags, from bouncing basketball players to a flying Model T. The movie captures the lighthearted, family-friendly spirit that defined many of Disney’s live-action films during this era. At the same time, the film shows its age in places, particularly in its slower pacing and fairly simple storyline. Still, the creativity behind the central idea and the film’s overall charm make it an enjoyable watch.

Have you seen The Absent-Minded Professor? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Great care has been taken to be as accurate as possible when it comes to details in each of the entries I post. As with anything, mistakes can happen, dates can be wrong, information not readily available, etc. If you see a mistake, information that is incorrect or inaccurate, or missing information, please contact me at disneymovieandfilmencyclopedia@gmail.com so I can make corrections.