Edison, the Man
| Edison, the Man | |
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| Directed by | Clarence Brown |
| Produced by | John W. Considine Jr. |
| Written by |
Talbot Jennings Bradbury Foote Dore Schary Hugo Butler |
| Starring |
Spencer Tracy Rita Johnson |
| Music by | Herbert Stothart |
| Cinematography | Harold Rosson |
| Edited by | Fredrick Y. Smith |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $893,000 |
| Box office | $1,787,000 |
Edison, the Man is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was played 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. However, much of the film's script fictionalizes or exaggerates the real events of Edison's life.
The film 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 first and told the story of Edison's youth.
In 1869, anxious to be more than a tramp telegraph operator, Edison (Spencer Tracy) travels to New York at the prompting of an old friend, Bunt Cavatt (Lynne Overman). He goes to work for Mr. Els (Henry Travers). He tries to persuade financier Mr. Taggart (Gene Lockhart) to fund the development of his inventions, but Taggart has no interest in financing “green electrical workers”. However, General Powell (Charles Coburn), the president of Western Union, does.
Edison eventually sells an invention to Taggart and Powell for $40,000, enabling him to get married and open his own “invention factory” at Menlo Park. In the next few years, he perfects the phonograph with his devoted staff.
Trouble arises when Bunt brags to reporters that Edison has invented 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 are again hindered by Taggart, who arranges it so that Edison is only given six months to complete the entire task. Nevertheless, Edison finishes the job just in time.
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