The Freshman (1990 Film) - Plot

Plot

Clark Kellogg (Matthew Broderick) leaves his mother (Pamela Payton-Wright) and environmental activist stepfather Dwight (Kenneth Welsh) in Vermont to go to New York University (NYU) to study film. As he's wandering around lost in Grand Central Terminal, he's approached by Victor Ray (Bruno Kirby), who at first offers to carry Clark's bags for him, then offers Clark a ride to college in his car. As soon as Clark steps out of the car, Victor drives off with Clark's luggage still in the trunk.

Clark tells his professor, Professor Fleeber (Paul Benedict), who uses books he has written as required study, about losing his books. Clark notices out the window Victor walking by and gives chase. Victor vows to give his luggage back in return for a favor. Clark is introduced to Victor's uncle, Carmine Sabatini (Marlon Brando). In a running gag, Clark mentions how much Carmine looks, sounds and acts like Brando in The Godfather — though no one will tell Carmine this to his face. Victor explains that Brando's character in The Godfather, Vito Corleone, was based on Carmine.

Carmine offers Clark the opportunity to make a lot of money just for running small errands. The first is to pick up a Komodo dragon from JFK Airport and transport it to a specific address. Clark enlists the help of his roommate Steve Bushak (Frank Whaley) to pick up the animal and deliver it to Larry London (Maximilian Schell) and his assistant, Edward (B.D. Wong).

Clark is also introduced to Carmine's daughter, Tina (Penelope Ann Miller), who takes an immediate shine to him. Tina starts to talk to Clark as if the two are soon to be married. A distracted Clark tries to pay attention in Fleeber's film class (where the professor shows clips of The Godfather Part II) but he's soon being chased by two agents of the Department of Justice. Upon being caught, he's told that Carmine - also known as "Jimmy The Toucan" - is not only a Mafia figure, he runs the Fabulous Gourmet Club, an illicit and nomadic establishment, never holding its festivities in the same place twice, where for enormous prices endangered animals are served as the main course, specially prepared by Larry London. Clark is told that "for the privilege of eating the very last of a species," a million dollars is charged.

Clark finds out that his activist stepfather had been listening in on a conversation with his mother. Right after Clark mentioned the Komodo dragon, Dwight contacted the Department of Justice. Carmine admits to Clark that the Gourmet Club exists, but tells Clark that the two DOJ agents are being bribed by a rival crime family that wants both Carmine and Clark dead. While driving to the Gourmet Club, a plan is hatched to get Carmine out of the exotic animal business for good and to clear Clark.

At the Gourmet Club's dinner, longtime Miss America pageant host Bert Parks sings a version of "There She Is" when the Komodo Dragon is revealed. Clark steps outside to signal the DOJ agents, and the DOJ agents raid the restaurant where the club is meeting. Carmine is upset that Clark has ratted him out. Carmine pulls a gun, the two wrestle and Carmine is apparently killed in the struggle.

The two DOJ agents, who do indeed turn out to be corrupt, leave with a duffel bag filled with money, though they're soon caught by real FBI agents and arrested. Clark berates his stepfather, who leaves. Carmine then gets up off the floor, having faked his death. Larry London reveals tonight's expensive and exotic dinner is actually Hawaiian tigerfish mixed with smoked turkey from Virginia, not endangered species (a long-running con of Carmine's, swindling the rich out of their money). It is also revealed that the whole thing had been a set-up. Clark was picked out by Carmine, working with the FBI, because they knew Clark's stepfather would contact the corrupt agents when he found out about Clark's "job".

Carmine and Clark walk off with the Komodo dragon, which will be taken safely to a new habitat at the zoo. He offers to help Clark in any way he needs to make it in Hollywood. Clark says "thanks, but no thanks."