Peter O'Toole plays a Nobel Laureate scientist who wants to uncover the secret of life so that he can clone his wife who's been dead for many years. His dreams are answered when a beautiful and free-spirited girl (Mariel Hemingway) comes along and offers the ovum needed for his experiment. She brings light and erotic adventure into his life just as Virginia Madsen lifts the spirits of lab assistant Vincent Spano.
Creator is directed by Czech-born Ivan Passer who makes the most of the drama's black comedy — especially the academic rivalries (David Ogden Stiers is hilarious as an egghead who wants to bring O'Toole down). The screenplay by Jeremy Leven based on his 1980 novel stalks big issues such as the existence of God, the nature of scientific genius , and the way death compels us to take stock of life. O'Toole's madcap performance is a wonder to behold, reminiscent of the brio he exhibited in The Ruling Class.