In 1918, John Romulus Brinkley and his wife open a doctor’s practice in the linear settlement of Milford in Kansas. Goats pairing in the meadow gives a local farmer an idea. Can’t the brand-new surgeon transplant some of those testicles into him in order to heal his impotence? It is a great success and countless villagers choose surgery. The next step is publicising the intervention for a wider audience. When he gets his own radio mast, this leads to Brinkley’s second career as a radio personality. In his heyday, Brinkley even has political ambitions.
The chapters in the wayward documentary NUTS! are based on Brinkley’s autobiography; they are staggering episodes, accompanied by moving images made by a variety of artists. Alongside archive material, animation plays a major role. This can wrong-foot the viewer, just as Brinkley did with his supporters. Everyone believes the stories that he wants them to believe; that much is demonstrated very clearly by director Penny Lane.
Film details
- Country of production
- USA
- Year
- 2016
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2016
- Length
- 79'
- Medium/Format
- DCP
