Infinity (1996)

Story of the early life of genius and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman.

Director:

Matthew Broderick

Writers:

Richard Feynman (books), Ralph Leighton (books)

Stars:

Matthew Broderick, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Force

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Broderick	...	Richard Feynman
Jeffrey Force	...	Young Richard
Peter Riegert	...	Mel Feynman
David Drew Gallagher	...	Harold
Raffi Di Blasio	...	Robert (as Raffi DiBlasio)
Josh Keaton	...	David (as Joshua Wiener)
Patricia Arquette	...	Arline Greenbaum
James Hong	...	Abacus Adder
Emerson Tran	...	Kid
Melissa DeLizia	...	Young Joan
Dori Brenner	...	Tutti Feynman
John Hammil	...	County Dr. #1
Jack Lindine	...	Mr. Greenbaum
Helene Moore	...	County Nurse #1
Carl Strano	...	County Dr. #2

Storyline

As a young boy, Richard was fascinated with science and objects in motion. This wonderment was reinforced through the efforts of his father. The only thing that mattered as much as science, and his family, was Arline, whom he met when they were both in school. But fate can often be cruel and Arline is found to be stricken by Tuberculosis. Undaunted, Richard studies the disease as he studies science in hopes of curing her. When her disease is in remission, they marry and he proceeds on to college where his studies and the war lead him to Los Alamos to work on the Manhattan Project. While Richard is intrigued with the solution to the project, he is also concerned with the outcome and saddened with the failing health of Arline.

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Plot Keywords:

manhattan project | tuberculosis | los alamos | reference to copernicus | radiation sickness | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, mild sensuality and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The abacus scene is also accurate but Richard is quoted as saying from "Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman" that he knew logarithms so he could calculate the cube root of 1729.03 unlike the man with the beads.

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Quotes

Richard Feynman: Mathematics is a language. It's very difficult. It's subtle. You couldn't say those things any other way - and I can talk to dead people with it. I talk to Copernicus every day.

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Crazy Credits

The film has a 1997 copyright date in the credits, despite being released in 1996.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: That Thing You Do!/Bound/Michael Collins/Infinity/If These Walls Could Talk (1996)

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Soundtracks

She's A Great, Great Girl
Written by Harry M. Woods (as Harry Woods)
Published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
Copyright renewed
Performed by Jack Teagarden
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

What a nice movie! Now go and read his books, they're not too long

What a nice movie! If you do not know who Richard Feynman was, then this is a great way to be introduced. He was a brilliant, eccentric, witty scientist who came of age during the 1930s and 1940s. This movie doesn't show his entire life, just the parts that lead up to his involvement with the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project during WWII. It's based on his books called 'What Do You Care What Other People Think?' and 'Surely You're Joking. Mr. Feynman!' The Movie doesn't deal with his actual scientific work so much as his unconventional approach to it. It also deals with his first marriage to Arline, who was very ill with systemic tuberculosis. The movie takes you from his childhood and university years to his marriage and time at the famous Los Alamos Lab. I think I liked this movie because it doesn't come out and tell you what to think, it just shows snippets of his life and how he overcomes the sad times with humor and grace. I can't say enough about this film. It's that good.

Details

Official Sites:

First Look Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Infinity

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$78,976, 6 October 1996

Gross USA:

$195,170

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$195,170

Company Credits

Production Co:

First Look International, Neo Productions, Overseas FilmGroup

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1