Brewster McCloud

Brewster McCloud
Directed by	Robert Altman
Produced by	Lou Adler
Written by	Doran William Cannon
Starring	Bud Cort Sally Kellerman Michael Murphy
Music by	Gene Page
Cinematography	Lamar Boren Jordan Cronenweth
Editing by	Lou Lombardo
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	December 5, 1970
Running time	105 minutes
Language	English

Brewster McCloud is a 1970 movie, directed by Robert Altman, about a young recluse who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome, where he is building a pair of wings so he can fly. He is helped by his fairy godmother, played by Sally Kellerman.

The film was shot on location in Houston, Texas. During the opening credits, shots of the downtown Houston skyline (with the One Shell Plaza building under construction) zoom toward the Houston Astrodome and Astrohall, with the emerging Texas Medical Center in the background. It was the first film shot inside the Astrodome.

Cast [edit]

• Bud Cort as Brewster McCloud
• Sally Kellerman as Louise
• Michael Murphy as Detective Frank Shaft
• William Windom as Weeks
• Shelley Duvall as Suzanne
• Rene Auberjonois as The Lecturer
• Margaret Hamilton as Daphne Heap
• Corey Fischer as Officer Hines
• Stacy Keach as Abraham Wright
• John Schuck as Officer Johnson
• Bert Remsen as Officer Breen
• Jennifer Salt as Hope

Plot summary [edit]

With the aid of Louise (Sally Kellerman), owlish Brewster (Bud Cort) constructs a pair of human-size wings in his Houston Astrodome nest to realize his dream. Meanwhile creeps, including a witchy "Star-Spangled Banner"-belting crone (Margaret Hamilton) and Brewster's skinflint boss (Stacy Keach), keep turning up dead and covered with bird droppings. The Houston Establishment calls in blue-eyed, turtleneck-wearing, "San Francisco super cop" Frank Shaft (Michael Murphy) to investigate. Brewster cooks his goose, when he defies Louise's edict against sex and hooks up with Astrodome usher Suzanne (Shelley Duvall). She impressed him (and saves his life) by out-driving Shaft in her Road Runner. Despite her sweetness, Suzanne will not compromise her comfortable home to choose flight with Brewster.

Opening quirk [edit]

The film opens with the MGM logo, as usual, but with the voice of Rene Auberjonois saying, "I forgot the opening line," replacing the lion roar.^[1]

Cultural references [edit]

The film has references to other films, Altman's own work, and other places. Altman refers to Bullitt (1969) by including a character named Frank Shaft, who is a detective from San Francisco.

Homages to The Wizard of Oz (1939) have been noted in the film, as Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, is the music conductor seen during the opening credits. She is seen wearing ruby slippers in the film. Hope (Jennifer Salt) who supplies Brewster with health food, resembles Dorothy, as she wears a distinctive gingham dress, has pigtails and carries a basket. At the end of the film, she is shown in the cast as Dorothy carrying Toto.

Production [edit]

This film marks the first feature produced by Altman's Lions' Gate Films. The film records landmarks and streetscapes that later were demolished or radically changed. The hotel Frank Shaft checks into was part of the AstroDomain complex; it has gone through several changes.

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Brewster McCloud at the Internet Movie Database
• Brewster McCloud at Rotten Tomatoes

• ArcticBoy's Brewster McCloud Clips