# "Real Genius" based on real events?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595 "2003-05-02T11:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/1 "2003-05-02T11:15:31Z")
I’ve read a couple of reviews for the movie **Real Genius** that claim the plot was loosely based on real events which took place at Carnegie-Mellon University. What I’d like to know is, what are these people referring to? What real events could be even remotely similar to this movie? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/2 "2003-05-02T11:53:58Z")
Well, there’s [this](http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~erich/real_genius_refs.html). ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/3 "2003-05-02T12:21:07Z")
That’s not quite what I was looking for. Check IMDB’s [trivia page](http://us.imdb.com/Trivia?0089886) for this movie: > [@](#): > > Although the movie is set at a West-Coast school, the film was inspired and based loosely on actual events at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/4 "2003-05-02T14:09:41Z")
> [@](#): > > What real events could be even remotely similar to this movie? Wellll… Super-brainy kid starts college at 16, rooming with a braniac senior. The two students realize that their research is being used to build some sort of weapon. The students decide to sabotage their work to prevent this. ## If you take out the zany hijinks, there is a core plot that could conceivably have occured at some time or place. Chris Knight: I’ve suceeded… but I’ve failed! Holyfeld: Well, then, I’m happy and sad for you. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/5 "2003-05-02T15:07:17Z")
I love this movie. That’s all I wanted to say. That, and that I’ve heard of all the CalTech references but not the Carnegie thing. ---
**Author:** ![rsvp9146](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rsvp9146](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsvp9146)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/6 "2003-05-02T17:46:16Z")
All i know is that Jordan from that movie is way hot. That’s the kinda girl i want. So smart she is almost insane. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/7 "2003-05-02T18:03:25Z")
I have never heard of the Carnegie-Mellon reference, either. I wonder where the IMDB folks got their source for that. A couple of the remaining trivia reference Caltech. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen _Real Genius_, but as FairyChatMom pointed out in her link, Caltech has a long tradition of pulling pranks. The annual Ditch Day is quite a production and what you see in the movie - students running around solving problems to break into a dorm room - is exactly what happens on Ditch Day. The movie seems to be a mish-mash of actual events and a certain amount of Caltech lore. Here’s another webpage that draws parallels between the movie and the institute. ([http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/7350/misc.html](http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/7350/misc.html)) The section on “pranks and parties” may be what you’re looking for. It has basically the same information as what’s on FairyChatMom’s link, but I think it’s a little easier to read. ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/8 "2003-05-02T18:09:33Z")
This movie is my all time favorite. 🙂 “In the immortal words of Socrates… I drank what?!” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-genius-based-on-real-events/172595/9 "2003-05-02T18:12:19Z")
Gabe Jarrett was indeed a real genius.