This film is the story of Will Lightbody and his wife Eleanor, who are seeking medical treatment in early twentieth century Michigan. They go to the Battle Creek Sanitarium to find the cure for whatever it is that is ailing them. They meet up with Charlie Ossining on the way, who is also travelling to Battle Creek in an attempt to become wealthy via the breakfast cereal industry. Battle Creek Michigan is pretty much the breakfast cereal capital of the world, in case you were unaware.
The Battle Creek Sanitarium is run by none other than John Harvey Kellogg, who you may be familar with, as he is the man who invented Corn Flakes. Kellogg prescribes strict vegetarianism and sexual abstinence, along with exercise, enemas, and regular baths. Wil has a lot of trouble following these rules, and ends up breaking them terribly with both another patient and a nurse.
Wil and Eleanor soon turn to sex and nudism as their primary form of "treatment", which was not at all what Mr. Kellogg had prescribed. All in all, not a bad film. I am surprised it didn't do significantly better, considering the cast members.
Cast
Anthony Hopkins ....
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg
Bridget Fonda ....
Eleanor Lightbody
Matthew Broderick ....
William Lightbody
John Cusack ....
Charles Ossining
Dana Carvey ....
George Kellogg
Michael Lerner ....
Goodloe Bender
Colm Meaney ....
Dr. Lionel Badger
John Neville ....
Endymion Hart-Jones
Lara Flynn Boyle ....
Ida Muntz
Traci Lind ....
Nurse Graves
Camryn Manheim ....
Virginia Cranehill
Roy Brocksmith ....
Poultney Dab
Norbert Weisser ....
Dr. Spitzvogel
Monica Parker ....
Mrs. Tindermarsh
Jacob Reynolds ....
Young George Kellogg