The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
| The Story of Alexander Graham Bell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Irving Cummings |
| Written by | Ray Harris(story) Lamar Trotti[screenplay) |
| Produced by | Darryl F. Zanuck (producer) Kenneth Macgowan (associate producer) |
| Cinematography | Leon Shamroy |
| Edited by | Walter A. Thompson |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | 14 April 1939 |
Running time | 98 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 biographical film of the famous inventor. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche as Bell and Loretta Young as Mabel, his wife, who contracted scarlet fever at an early age and became deaf. The first half of the film concentrates on the hero's romantic, financial, and scientific struggles, starting in 1873. Most scenes are set in Boston and vicinity; a few late scenes are in London.
Henry Fonda is notable in a supporting role as the “Mr. Watson” who hears the first words ever spoken over the telephone. In a pivotal scene, Bell, while working on the telephone, accidentally spills acid onto his lap and shouts in pain, “Mr. Watson, come here! I want you!”. Watson, barely able to contain his own excitement, rushes into the room and stammers out the news that he heard Bell calling out to him over the telephone receiver. Bell has Watson repeat his own words to him to confirm it, and the two men begin hopping around the room, with Watson yelling out a Native American war whoop.
That scene of jubilation was likely based on fact. In real life the Six Nations Mohawk Reserve near Bell's home in Brantford, Ontario awarded him the title of Honorary Chief, about 1870, for his work in translating the unwritten Mohawk language into Visible Speech symbols. Bell was thrilled at his recognition by the Six Nations Reserve and throughout his life would launch into a Mohawk war dance when he was excited.[1]
The last part depicts the legal struggle against Western Union over patent priority in the invention of the telephone, as a battle of the small and plucky against lies promoted by a mighty corporation, ending with a dramatic courtroom revelation and victory. Earlier attempts of Western Union to buy out Bell, and the many other patent infringement lawsuits, are not mentioned. The final scene has the hero contemplating manned flight, under his wife's adoring gaze.
Cast
- Don Ameche as Alexander Graham Bell
- Loretta Young as Mrs. Mabel Hubbard Bell
- Henry Fonda as Thomas Watson
- Charles Coburn as Gardner Hubbard
- Gene Lockhart as Thomas Sanders
- Spring Byington as Mrs. Hubbard
- Sally Blane as Gertrude Hubbard
- Polly Ann Young as Grace Hubbard
- Georgiana Young as Berta Hubbard
- Bobs Watson as George Sanders
- Russell Hicks as Mr. Barrows
- Paul Stanton as Chauncey Smith
- Jonathan Hale as President of Western Union
- Harry Davenport as Judge Rider
- Beryl Mercer as Queen Victoria
- Elizabeth Patterson as Mrs. Mac Gregor
- Charles Trowbridge as George Pollard
- Jan Duggan as Mrs. Winthrop
- Claire Du Brey as Landlady
- Harry Tyler as Joe Eliot
- Ralph Remley as D'Arcy - Singer
- Zeffie Tilbury as Mrs. Sanders
References
- ^ Groundwater, Jennifer (2005) Alexander Graham Bell: The Spirit of Invention, Pg. 35. Altitude Publishing, Calgary ISBN 1-55439-006-0