Steve Martin is always a delight, even when the films he is in don’t work as well as they could. The Man With Two Brains seems like a bit of a hybrid between sex comedy, romance, and an homage to the B-movie horror films of yesteryear.

And a couple of the things in the film are undoubtedly problematic today. That being said, there’s a great cameo, a hilarious end card, and a hat gag that is insanely funny.

Martin plays genius neurosurgeon Michael Hfuhruhurr, who has perfected screw-top brain surgery. And he’s about to hit the most beautiful woman in the world with his car, Dolores (Kathleen Turner).

Dolores is a gold-digger and is literally running from her last husband when she gets hit by the car. Thank goodness there’s a neurosurgeon in the car who can help save her life!

Hfuhruhurr falls in love with her, and she sees a new target to manipulate, so they marry, and she keeps putting off the physical consummation of the wedding. On a trip to Europe, part honeymoon, part work, Michael has finally had enough, but the tables turn when Dolores learns that Michael is about to inherit a lot of cash.

Suddenly she’s all affectionate again, but he catches on.

And by this time, someone else has come into his life. He’s met a fellow neurosurgeon, Alfred Necessiter (David Warner), in his wonderfully redone condo. He has a collection of brains and has developed his own technique for transference.

But how does he have all these brains? There’s an elevator-killer stalking the city, or specifically a single hotel (which seems weird), the same hotel Hfuhruhurr is staying at with Dolores.

One of the brains is able to telepathically communicate with Michael, Brain 21, who we learn is Anne (an uncredited vocal performance by Sissey Spacek!).

There are lots of funny gags, great lines, and physical comedy. Not all of them work as well as they did, I’m sure, but most of it is damned fun.

There’s some stuff about the perfect woman that I was initially worried about, but the ending of the film, Hfuhruhurr’s final line, puts some of that to rest. But not all of it.

Taken at face value, it’s fun, goofy and a little ribald. If you dig a little deeper, it may be increasingly problematic, thematically speaking.

Turner looks absolutely stunning and, at this point, was a year out from Romancing the Stone, she also plays the devious Dolores wonderfully. Warner is an absolute hoot and seems to be having a great time, and Martin, well, Martin is just fabulous. He gets to do all of the things we love about him: sarcastic humour, physical gags, sight gags, and comedic presence.

This one is fun, but Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid is still my fave.