Big Man on Campus

A news broadcast reports the apparent sighting of a mysterious creature on the UCLA campus. Among those interviewed are underachieving student Alex Kominski and his girlfriend Cathy Adams. A hunchbacked figure is shown looking down from the bell tower, spying on Cathy through a telescope.

During a campus Renaissance-themed carnival, Alex insults another student's girlfriend. Cathy intervenes, and the creature suddenly defends her but is chased away and eventually captured by campus security. The incident sets the stage for the creature's fate to be debated.

In court, psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Fisk labels the creature a menace to society. Cathy rejects the doctor's harsh assessment, arguing the creature was only protecting her. Dr. Richard Webster, head of the university’s Psychology department, suggests rehabilitation might be possible.

The hunchback is asked to identify who should determine his fate and can only repeat the name of Dr. Fisk. Fisk presses him to describe himself as a fool, humiliating him in front of the court. Judge Ferguson rules that the creature be confined to a mental facility, prompting Cathy to protest.

The judge overturns the confinement ruling and grants temporary custody to the university under Dr. Webster, with the condition that violent behavior will lead to institutionalization. Cathy’s protest continues, but the arrangement shifts guardianship to the university and its mental-health oversight. The decision marks a turning point in the creature's life on campus.

Escorted back to the university, the creature shows Alex and Cathy his home in the bell tower, cluttered with scavenged campus items. Cathy encourages Alex to stay and watch over him, while Dr. Webster offers to secure special consideration for the task from instructors. The tower becomes a symbol of Bob's new, fragile independence.

Over the next several days, Bob undergoes a series of observational tests, including speech therapy with Dr. Diane Girard. Despite his unusual behavior, he learns quickly and gradually becomes friends with Alex. The tests reveal potential for growth under careful supervision.

During therapy, the creature selects his own name: Bob Maloogaloogaloogaloogalooga. He explains that after his father deserted them and his mother died, a group of people locked him away before he escaped to the bell tower. The moment gives Bob a sense of identity and a reason to persevere.

Bob tries to win Cathy’s affection by presenting an engagement ring, but she rejects him. He returns to the bell tower heartbroken, resolute to prove himself. The rejection deepens his longing to belong and be accepted by those around him.

Dr Fisk falsely tells Bob that Cathy was injured in an accident to dramatize the threat he poses. Bob races across campus toward the girls' dorms, only to find Cathy unharmed. Campus security closes in, and he flees into the streets of Los Angeles.

Alex, Cathy, and Bob's supporters appear on a controversial talk show hosted by Stanley Hoyle to defend Bob. When Hoyle mocks them, Bob hurries to the studio, climbs to the roof, and snatches Dr. Fisk, forcing her to confess her lie. The audience swings to Bob's side, and a scholarship for Bob becomes a possibility.

On camera, Bob shows a softer side by kissing Dr. Girard, hinting at a complex bond and a potential future beyond fear and misunderstanding. The show ends with the crowd on Bob's side and talk of a scholarship under Webster’s supervision. The group imagines a cautious, hopeful path forward for Bob.