The Absent Minded Professor

1961
U
1h 37m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

9.6K

YOUR RATING

Fred MacMurray in The Absent Minded Professor (1961)

Play trailer1:01

3 Videos

99+ Photos

Slapstick Comedy Family Sci-Fi Sport

A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself.A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself.A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

9.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 1 win & 8 nominations total

User reviews55

Featured review

7/10

Substance X, we dub thee - Flubber!

The Absent-Minded Professor is directed by Robert Stevenson and adapted to screenplay by Bill Walsh from a story by Samuel W. Taylor. It stars Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olsen, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk, Leon Ames and Elliott Reid. Music is by George Bruns and cinematography by Edward Colman.

Out of Disney, we get the kind of wacky family friendly comedy that serves a purpose on a miserable real life day. MacMurray's professor has invented flying - gravity defying - rubber, which he christens Flubber. It can make you bounce up to incredible heights, make the prof's car fly and naturally it draws the attention of evil business man Alonzo Hawk (Wynn). A bunch of nutty scenarios ensue (the basketball match is a pure joy) and the prof has to win back the girl he keeps forgetting to marry (a radiant Olson). It's a creative piece of writing and it saw Disney take note for continued success in live action pictures. 7/10

Videos3

Trailer 1:01

Official Trailer

Clip 1:09

The Absent-Minded Professor

Clip 1:09

The Absent-Minded Professor

Clip 1:09

The Absent-Minded Professor

Photos158

+ 150

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Storyline

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Trivia
At the height of the film's popularity, "Time" Magazine printed the "Disney" special effects department's recipe for Flubber, as used in the movie. It read as follows: "To one pound of salt water taffy add one heaping tablespoon polyurethane foam, one cake crumbled yeast. Mix till smooth, allow to rise. Then pour into saucepan over one cup cracked rice with one cup water. Add topping of molasses. Boil till lid lifts and says 'Qurlp'." It is not recorded whether this also carried the standard warning "do not try this at home".

Goofs
When the Hawks are chasing Professor Brainard and Betsy, the two policemen are shown approaching the area in their squad car, a 1956 Ford. However, when they arrive on the scene, they are driving a 1960 Ford.