Edison, the Man (1940)

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Hugo Butler (story)
Bradbury Foote (writer)

Release Date:

10 May 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

In flashback, fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Edison tells his story starting...

Plot Keywords:

Invention | Hiding Place | Skepticism | Montage | Poverty

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Thomas A. Edison
Rita Johnson	...	Mary Stillwell
Lynne Overman	...	James J. Cavatt
Charles Coburn	...	General Powell
Gene Lockhart	...	Mr. Taggart
Henry Travers	...	Ben Els
Felix Bressart	...	Michael Simon
Peter Godfrey	...	Bob Ashton
Guy D'Ennery	...	Lundstrom
Byron Foulger	...	Edwin Hall
Milton Parsons	...	Acid Graham
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Jack Bigelow
Gene Reynolds	...	Jimmy Price
Addison Richards	...	Johnson
Grant Mitchell	...	Shade

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In the film, Edison and his wife communicate with each other by tapping out Morse code. In the movie this is presented as a charming endearment, but in fact Edison was so deaf the only way he and his wife could talk was by tapping Morse code on each other's hands.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The montage sequence depicting Edison's inventions lists "electric power transmission" over a shot of a massive transmission line and the tower that holds it up. That technology was actually developed not by Edison but by his contemporary rival, Elihu Thomson. Edison insisted on powering his lights with direct current, which could only travel sort distances from the generators that produced it. Thomson used alternating current, which could be run through transformers to increase its voltage so it could be moved over long distances, then reduced in voltage again for home use. Thomson's alternating current, not Edison's direct current, quickly became the standard and is what we use today.

Quotes:

Ben Els: I keep worryin' about Bunt. I guess I won't get a wink of sleep tonight.
Thomas A. Edison: Ah, Mr. Els, you shouldn't try to do two things at once. If you're gonna sleep, sleep. If you're gonna worry, why stay awake and make a good job of it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Servant of Mankind (1940)

Get into the life of one of the 'greats' of the modern world

Very well made film, effortlessly acted out by, who else but, Spencer Tracy. The movie traces the dedication of Edison and his team and their sometimes frustrating situations which they conquer eventually to succeed. A must for anyone who is inspired by the work of great people.