Don Juan DeMarco

1995 Comedy Drama

A psychiatrist treats a most unusual patient, only to find that the doctor is the one who gains the most from their sessions in this philosophical romantic comedy. A young man in a mask and cape (played by Johnny Depp) is standing atop a billboard, threatening to jump. When the potential suicide is finally talked down, he's brought to a psychiatric facility where after one doctor washes his hands of the case, he's placed under the supervision of Dr. Jack Mickler (Marlon Brando), an aging psychiatrist soon to retire. The patient informs Mickler that he is actually the great lover Don Juan, who has seduced over 1,500 women, but has fallen into a deep depression after being unable to win the hand of the woman of his dreams. Mickler has ten days to work with "Don Juan," after which he will either be released on medication or committed to a long-term stay in a mental hospital. As Mickler talks with the young man, who speaks rapturously of the art of love, the doctor finds that his philosophies are helping to kick start his failing relationship with his wife (Faye Dunaway), and he slowly becomes convinced that his patient might really be Don Juan after all. Don Juan DeMarco's theme song, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," became a major hit for singer and songwriter Bryan Adams; after working with Marlon Brando on this film, Johnny Depp cast the legendary actor in a key supporting role in his directorial debut, The Brave. more..

Director: Jeremy Leven

Starring: Marlon Brando,Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine Pailhas, Bob Dishy

Reviews

  • There's no great romantic climax to Don Juan DeMarco (and that may be a drawback for Depp lovers looking to swoon), but there is an airy delicacy to this tall tale that fits in perfectly with the weather these days, the hormones, the whole seasonal gestalt.

    Lisa Schwarzbaum - Entertainment Weekly

    19 January 2013

  • What jump-starts the film is the casting of Johnny Depp as Don Juan and Marlon Brando as his shrink. They bring a playfully romantic touch to a drama that could have been dead weight in clumsier hands.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    19 January 2013

  • The picture... is simple, sweet and elegantly written, and it benefits from the presence of Marlon Brando.

    Mick LaSalle - The San Francisco Chronicle

    19 January 2013

  • It benefits not only from Mr. Brando's peculiar presence, but also from Johnny Depp, who again proves himself a brilliantly intuitive young actor with strong ties to the Brando legacy. The movie is cheesy, but its stars certainly are not.

    Janet Maslin - The New York Times

    19 January 2013

  • The movie, written and directed by Jeremy Leven, may not be one for the ages, but it's a pleasant, involving experience that intermixes fairy-tale romance with modern, deadpan comedy.

    Desson Thomson - The Washington Post

    19 January 2013

Awards

  • Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures

    ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (1996)

  • Best Music, Original Song

    Academy Awards (1996)

     
  • Michael Kamen

    BMI Film & TV Awards (1996)

  • Best Original Score - Motion Picture

    Golden Globes (1996)

     
  • Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television

    Grammy Awards (1996)