Introverted geek Clifford Skridlow is a professor of comparative literature at the financially strapped Monroe College in Chicago. Smooth Walker, a pimp, owes $80,000 to "Mom", a gruff Chicago mob boss. Attempting to weasel out of his debt, Smooth invents a fictitious mobster, the flamboyant "Doctor Detroit", a ruthless chiropractor who allegedly is overrunning Smooth's turf. Clifford meets Smooth and his girls Monica, Jasmine, Karen, and Thelma, and has the best night of his life partying with them. The next morning, during a faculty meeting, Clifford learns about their troubles with Mom, that Smooth has skipped town, and that according to Smooth, they are now Clifford's girls. Clifford agrees to assume the persona of Doctor Detroit in an effort to help them out of their jam. Meanwhile, Monroe College anticipates a corporate endowment from Rousehorn Consolidated Industries to be presented by its CEO, Harmon Rousehorn. If the contribution is large enough, it will allow the college to remain open. While Clifford is teaching classes, grading papers, catering a faculty party and assisting in hosting the visiting CEO, his Doctor Detroit alter ego has to find a way to get Thelma out of a solicitation charge, hold Mom at bay, and appear at the Players Ball to be proclaimed the new King of the Pimps while simultaneously appearing at Monroe College's annual Alumni Dinner. When Mom shows up at the Players Ball, she figures out that Doctor Detroit and Professor Skridlow are one and the same, and duels him with sword-length kebab skewers in front of the assembled academics. Following the defeat of Mom, the two functions combine into one joyous, spectacular party, as the ultimate fates of the characters are revealed, ending with the reveal that Clifford married Karen.
James Brown makes a cameo appearance in the film, performing "Get Up Offa That Thing/Dr. Detroit." Devo performed the "Theme from Doctor Detroit," which plays over the opening credits, as well as "Luv-Luv," and released an EP including both tracks and a longer dance remix of the theme song. A music video was also produced for the theme song, incorporating footage from the film. A soundtrack album for the film was released on the labels Backstreet, MCA and WEA.
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Reception
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. Writing in the Chicago Tribune, critic Gene Siskel gave the film two and a half stars and called it "a mess, but a genial mess." Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes reports that 33% of six critics have given the film a positive review. In her autobiography, Enter Whining, Fran Drescher commented that Doctor Detroit was expected to be a major hit for the summer of 1983 but fell short of expectations, grossing $10.8 million on a budget of $8 million. Despite this, Doctor Detroit has developed a cult following over the years.
