The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935)

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Sheridan Gibney (story) and
Pierre Collings (story) ...

Release Date:

February 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Biography of the man who invented pasteurization and made the first vaccine against rabies.

Plot Keywords:

France | Rabies | Anthrax | Doctor | Dying In Childbirth

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Paul Muni	...	Louis Pasteur
Josephine Hutchinson	...	Marie Pasteur
Anita Louise	...	Annette Pasteur
Donald Woods	...	Dr. Jean Martel
Fritz Leiber	...	Dr. Charbonnet
Henry O'Neill	...	Dr. Emile Roux
Porter Hall	...	Dr. Rossignol
Raymond Brown	...	Dr. Radisse
Akim Tamiroff	...	Dr. Zaranoff
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Dr. Lister
Frank Reicher	...	Dr. Pfeiffer
Dickie Moore	...	Joseph Meister
Ruth Robinson	...	Mrs. Meister
Walter Kingsford	...	Napoleon III
Iphigenie Castiglioni	...	Empress Eugénie

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 | Australia:G

Company:

Cosmopolitan Productions

Trivia:

Film debut of Eddie Dew.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: A newspaper is shown announcing that the government (of France) is appropriating grazing land. The text surrounding the featured item mentions dollars and the Bronx, indicating the text was likely taken from a US newspaper.

Quotes:

[last lines]
[addressing The Academy of Medicine - directing his remarks to the young men in the balcony]
Dr. Louis Pasteur: You young men - doctors and scientists of the future - do not let yourselves be tainted by apparent skepticism; nor discouraged by the sadness of certain hours that creep over nations. Do not become angry at your opponents, for no scientific theory has ever been accepted without opposition...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in A Day at the Races (1937)

A Decent Bio Of An Important Man

This was a pretty interesting historical account of the man who first discovered that microbes - germs - were the cause of many sicknesses. Dr. Louis Pasteur then went about the make changes so these germs were not so prevalent and causing so much sickness. We can thank him for "pasteurization."

Paul Muni does a fine job of playing the title role. He seemed to always play intense roles.

The story is very frustrating, however, as we watch "Pasteur" become the target of an ignorant medical profession at the time, constantly trying to discredit the famous man's work. We know, of course, through history that he was right so to listen to his naysayers go on and on and on is frustrating.

At least we know Pasteur and his discoveries were finally accepted and he was given the recognition he deserved. In the end, there is a final, very moving scene that gives him his due.