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Edison, the Man
Edison, the Man is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was portrayed by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work on this film. Typical of most Hollywood biopics, much of the film fictionalizes or exaggerates the real events of Edison's life.
Edison, the Man was the second of a complementary pair of Edison biopics released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1940. Young Tom Edison, starring Mickey Rooney, was released two months earlier and told the story of Edison's youth.
In 1869, anxious to be more than a tramp telegraph operator, Edison travels to New York at the prompting of an old friend, Bunt Cavatt. He goes to work for Bunt's uncle, Ben Els. He tries to persuade financier Mr. Taggart to fund the development of his inventions, but Taggart has no interest in financing “green electrical workers”. However, General Powell, the president of Western Union, does.
Edison eventually sells his invention of an improved ticker tape machine to Taggart and Powell for $40,000, enabling him to get married and open his own laboratory at Menlo Park. In the next few years, he invents the phonograph with the help of his devoted staff.
Trouble arises when Bunt brags to reporters that Edison has perfected the electric light. Since he hasn't yet, he is condemned by the scientific community (encouraged by Taggart, whose gas stocks are threatened by the announcement). Edison “leaves science behind”, and with a Herculean trial-and-error effort, finally succeeds in inventing a practical electric light. His subsequent plans to light New York City are again hindered by Taggart, who arranges it so that Edison is given only six months to complete the entire task. Nevertheless, Edison finishes the job just in time.
“I’m an inventor. I can’t be told what to do. I’ve got to do the things I want to do. I work with ideas, visionary things. Nobody—not even I—knows how useful they’re going to be or how profitable until I had a chance to work them out in my own way.”
“You think you’re nothing but wood and metal and glass. But you’re not: you’re dreams and hard work and heart. You’d better not disappoint us.”
“It’s not the money wrapped up in the laboratory, it’s the lives wrapped up in the laboratory. It’s come to mean everything that I ever set out to do. It means a weekly paycheck for all my men. It means home, shelter, clothing, and food for lots of families.”
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Edison, the Man
Edison, the Man is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was portrayed by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work on this film. Typical of most Hollywood biopics, much of the film fictionalizes or exaggerates the real events of Edison's life.
Edison, the Man was the second of a complementary pair of Edison biopics released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1940. Young Tom Edison, starring Mickey Rooney, was released two months earlier and told the story of Edison's youth.
In 1869, anxious to be more than a tramp telegraph operator, Edison travels to New York at the prompting of an old friend, Bunt Cavatt. He goes to work for Bunt's uncle, Ben Els. He tries to persuade financier Mr. Taggart to fund the development of his inventions, but Taggart has no interest in financing “green electrical workers”. However, General Powell, the president of Western Union, does.
Edison eventually sells his invention of an improved ticker tape machine to Taggart and Powell for $40,000, enabling him to get married and open his own laboratory at Menlo Park. In the next few years, he invents the phonograph with the help of his devoted staff.
Trouble arises when Bunt brags to reporters that Edison has perfected the electric light. Since he hasn't yet, he is condemned by the scientific community (encouraged by Taggart, whose gas stocks are threatened by the announcement). Edison “leaves science behind”, and with a Herculean trial-and-error effort, finally succeeds in inventing a practical electric light. His subsequent plans to light New York City are again hindered by Taggart, who arranges it so that Edison is given only six months to complete the entire task. Nevertheless, Edison finishes the job just in time.
“I’m an inventor. I can’t be told what to do. I’ve got to do the things I want to do. I work with ideas, visionary things. Nobody—not even I—knows how useful they’re going to be or how profitable until I had a chance to work them out in my own way.”
“You think you’re nothing but wood and metal and glass. But you’re not: you’re dreams and hard work and heart. You’d better not disappoint us.”
“It’s not the money wrapped up in the laboratory, it’s the lives wrapped up in the laboratory. It’s come to mean everything that I ever set out to do. It means a weekly paycheck for all my men. It means home, shelter, clothing, and food for lots of families.”