The Misadventures of Merlin Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Misadventures of Merlin Jones |
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Official theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Bill Walsh |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Buddy Baker |
| Cinematography | Edward Colman |
| Editing by | Cotton Warburton |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | February 11, 1964 (Los Angeles) |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $4,000,000 (US/ Canada) |
The Misadventures of Merlin Jones is a 1964 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Tommy Kirk as a college student who experiments with mind-reading and hypnotism, leading to run-ins with a local judge. Annette Funicello plays his girlfriend (and sings the film's title song, accompanied by Disneyland's very own harmony quartet, The Yachtsmen, written by the Sherman Brothers), with Leon Ames, Stuart Erwin, Alan Hewitt, Connie Gilchrist, and Dallas McKennon rounding out the film's supporting cast. This film was followed up by a sequel called The Monkey's Uncle the following year.
Plot
Midvale College student Merlin Jones (Tommy Kirk), who is always involved with mind experiments, designs a helmet that connects to an electroencephalographic tape that records mental activity. He is brought before Judge Holmsby (Leon Ames) for wearing the helmet while driving and his license is suspended. Merlin returns to the lab and discovers accidentally that his new invention enables him to read minds.
Judge Holmsby visits the diner where Merlin works part-time, and Merlin, through his newly found powers, learns that the judge is planning a crime. After informing the police, he is disregarded as a crackpot. Merlin and Jennifer (Annette Funicello), his girlfriend, break into Judge Holmsby's house looking for something to prove Holmsby's criminal intent but are arrested by the police. Holmsby then confesses that he is the crime book author "Lex Fortis", and asks that this identity be kept confidential.
Merlin's next experiment uses hypnotism. After hypnotizing Stanley, Midvale's lab chimp, into standing up for himself against Norman (Norm Grabowski), the bully student in charge of caring for Stanley, Merlin gets into a fight with Norman, and is brought before Judge Holmsby again. Intrigued by Merlin's experiments, the judge asks for Merlin's help in constructing a mystery plot for his next book.
Working on the premise that no honest person can be made to do anything they wouldn't do otherwise – especially commit a crime – Merlin hypnotizes Holmsby and instructs him to kidnap Stanley. Shocked when the judge actually commits the crime, Merlin and Jennifer return the chimp, but are charged for the theft themselves. The judge sentences Merlin to jail, completely unaware of his own role in the crime. Livid at the injustice, Jennifer persuades Holmsby of his own guilt, and the good judge admits that there might be a little dishonesty in everybody.
Cast
- Tommy Kirk as Merlin Jones
- Annette Funicello as Jennifer
- Leon Ames as Judge Holmsby/Lex Fortas
- Stuart Erwin as Police Captain Loomis
- Alan Hewitt as Professor Shattuck
- Connie Gilchrist as Mrs. Gossett
- Dallas McKennon as Detective Hutchins
- Norm Grabowski as Norman
