Taglines: Nothing is inconceivable.
Junior movie storyline. Austrian Research geneticist Dr. Alex Hesse (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his OB/GYN colleague Dr. Larry Arbogast (Danny DeVito) have invented a fertility drug, “Expectane”, that is supposed to reduce the chances of a woman’s body rejecting an embryo and thus prevent a miscarriage. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to test it on women since the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved the drug; so Hesse and Arbogast cannot move forward in their research.
In response, Hesse breaks into the laboratory and locks himself in. The head of the review board, Noah Banes (Frank Langella), informs Arbogast that while the FDA has denied their team the right of human experimentation, the team has managed to receive a donation from fellow geneticist Dr. Diana Reddin (Emma Thompson) from the ovum cryogenics department. When Hesse questions the chances of a woman taking an unapproved drug during pregnancy, Arbogast reveals that there is no need to identify the gender of the experiment and convinces Hesse to impregnate himself, using an ovum codenamed “Junior”.
That night, Hesse has a nightmare in which his potential offspring has his own face pasted onto it. That day, he complains to Arbogast that his nipples are hurting him. Later, the normally aloof Hesse inexplicably lightens up and chats incessantly about walks, massages, and naps. Reddin tells Hesse that being a woman is not as great as it sounds, citing the menstrual cycles which do not stop until menopause.
Meanwhile, Arbogast’s pregnant ex-wife, Angela (Pamela Reed), wants him to be the doctor delivering her baby. Hesse begins to wonder what it would be like to be a father and watches some television commercials to have himself a good sobbing. He later begins overreacting, with Angela noting his practice of “mixing cuisines”.
Junior is a 1994 American comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito and Emma Thompson. The film was released in the United States on November 23, 1994. The film follows Alex Hesse, an Austrian-American scientist who agrees to undergo a male pregnancy as part of a scientific experiment.
Despite the film’s lukewarm reception, Schwarzenegger and Thompson received Golden Globe nominations for their performances. The film’s theme song, Patty Smyth’s “Look What Love Has Done” was also recognized, going on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is also Schwarzenegger’s third collaboration with DeVito, following 1988’s Twins and preceding 1993’s Last Action Hero, and second with Pamela Reed after 1990’s Kindergarten Cop.
Junior (1994)
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Emma Thompson, Frank Langella, Pamela Reed, Aida Turturro, James Eckhouse, Kathleen Chalfant, Megan Cavanagh, Antoinette Peragine, Mindy Seeger
Screenplay by: Kevin Wade, Chris Conrad
Production Design by: Stephen J. Lineweaver
Cinematography by: Adam Greenberg
Film Editing by: Wendy Greene Bricmont, Sheldon Kahn
Costume Design by: Albert Wolsky
Set Decoration by: Clay A. Griffith
Art Direction by: Gary Wissner
Music by: James Newton Howard
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sex-related humor.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 23, 1994
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