Another in EGR's quest to be considered a 'prestige' actor in the Paul Muni mold, (although he is far better than Muni, IMO), by playing biographies. This would make an excellent double bill with Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet. Both are about idealistic rebels going up against the establishment in their professions and eventually triumphing. Both are entertaining with lively, well-acted characters, despite not having any conventional 'action'. Both are Hollywood's attempt to tell us who we are and hint at where we are going by looking at how we got here.
EGR is fine. Edna Best, with whom I was not familiar, (she was Herbert Marshall's wife and had been a major success on the London stage in the 20's) was very impressive. I really like Albert Basserman, Gene Lockhart, Montau Love and Nigel Bruce in supporting parts.
I really didn't like Eddie Albert's character, a long-time friend and assistant to Reuters who has none of Reuter's qualities: he's lazy and rather stupid, hardly the type an ambitious genius would have around him or give a substantial role in his business. But an old Hollywood trick is to pair the clever hero with an idiotic companion to make him look smart, as it with Bruce's performance as Dr. Watson, (who should be a smart character in his own right, the better to appreciate Holmes' genius) in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes series.
EGR is fine. Edna Best, with whom I was not familiar, (she was Herbert Marshall's wife and had been a major success on the London stage in the 20's) was very impressive. I really like Albert Basserman, Gene Lockhart, Montau Love and Nigel Bruce in supporting parts.
I really didn't like Eddie Albert's character, a long-time friend and assistant to Reuters who has none of Reuter's qualities: he's lazy and rather stupid, hardly the type an ambitious genius would have around him or give a substantial role in his business. But an old Hollywood trick is to pair the clever hero with an idiotic companion to make him look smart, as it with Bruce's performance as Dr. Watson, (who should be a smart character in his own right, the better to appreciate Holmes' genius) in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes series.