Adicionar um enredo no seu idiomaSince he was a child, Thomas Alba Edison began carrying out his first chemical experiments in the basement of his house. In addition, he had to practice multiple occupations before he could ... Ler tudoSince he was a child, Thomas Alba Edison began carrying out his first chemical experiments in the basement of his house. In addition, he had to practice multiple occupations before he could register his first patent.Since he was a child, Thomas Alba Edison began carrying out his first chemical experiments in the basement of his house. In addition, he had to practice multiple occupations before he could register his first patent.
- Direção
- Roteiristas
- Artistas
- Prêmios
- 2 vitórias no total
- Joe 'Joey' Dingle
- (as Bobbie Jordan)
- Passenger Buying Maple Sugar
- (não creditado)
- Woman Fainting at Downed Bridge
- (não creditado)
- Woman at Station
- (não creditado)
- Train Passenger
- (não creditado)
- Woman at Station
- (não creditado)
Avaliações em destaque
Rooney is his usual likable self. He tones his high energy down some and shows his dramatic skills. He really was a phenomenal star and a great actor. Superb supporting cast includes Fay Bainter and George Bancroft as Edison's parents, Virginia Weidler as his sister, and Eugene Palette as a railroad conductor. I really like the MGM sets and the 19th century American style. Lovely music, pleasant tone, and good cast. Script is a nice mix of humor, drama, and action.
This is the first of two MGM biopics of Edison released in 1940. The other is Edison, the Man starring Spencer Tracy. That movie covers Edison's adult years so it's like a sequel to this picture. Both are excellent. These old biopics were usually solid, uplifting character-driven stories. Yes they take liberties with the details but the more cynical defamatory biopics we get these days do the same. I'll take an inspirational biography that builds people up and leaves you with the warm fuzzies over some deconstructionist tabloid trash any day.
Mickey Rooney plays "Young Tom Edison", and the movie ends with a cameo appearance by Spencer Tracy, star of "Edison, the Man" (released shortly). They weren't much like Thomas Edison or each other, but Mr. Rooney and Mr. Tracy were the #1 and #2 "Box Office" stars of 1940, according to Quigley Publications - so, these films were both very well-produced.
"Young Tom Edison" focuses on the Edison family (who disappear for the Tracy film): likewise precocious little sister Virginia Weidler (as Tannie), misunderstanding father George Bancroft (as Sam), and mysteriously ailing mother Fay Bainter (as Nancy). Rooney's adversary is "Dead End Kid" Bobby Jordan (as Joseph "Joe" Dingle), who gets repeatedly gets kicked in the shins.
In the strangest scene, Ms. Bainter pretends to take over the beating of her sixteen-year-old son while his proud father listens to Rooney's painful cries. Later, gravel-voiced train conductor Eugene Palette (as Nelson) smacks Rooney so hard he develops an earache. Doctor Lloyd Corrigan says, "Sometimes there's nothing like a good box in the ears to sharpen a boy's senses."
Edison subsequently suffered from deafness.
***** Young Tom Edison (2/10/40) Norman Taurog ~ Mickey Rooney, Virginia Weidler, Fay Bainter, George Bancroft
While the screenplay does toy a bit about the facts, overlooking the Edisons having seven children with Tom being the youngest, the narrative introduces Samuel Edison (George Bancroft), a hard-working husband; Nancy (Fay Bainter), his wife and former schoolteacher in Canada; Bill (John Kellogg), his elder son whose character is least interesting and under developed; Tannie (Virginia Weidler), the youngest daughter; while young Tom Edison (Mickey Rooney) is portrayed as the middle child While Tom is portrayed as a misunderstood 16-year-old who's irresponsible and accident prone, it's his love for science that actually stands in the way him having a normal childhood. Tom may be different from the other children but is very special in the eyes of both his mother and sister. Then there's Mr. Edison who not only constantly tells Tom, "Take your hands out of your pockets," but fails to find time and patience to accept him for what he is. Classified as slow and stupid by his spinster schoolteacher (Eily Malyon), Tom's also the laughing stock by most, especially his classmates, namely Joe Dingle (Bobby Jordan), a school bully and son of a local hardware store owner (Victor Kilian). Portions of the story depict Tom's heroism by saving the life of a station master's (J.M. Kerrigan) little boy (Richard Nichols) from an oncoming train; Tom earning a living by selling candy and newspapers on a train under Mr. Nelson (Eugene Palette), the conductor; Tom having to carefully dispose of nitroglycerin on a train full of people; and his expert knowledge sending messages through Morse Code. Because of situations beyond his control, Tom loses both job and respect from those around him, causing him to believe those accusations made against him.
As much as these episodic situations take place during the course of a few years, it gives every indication of it set during the course of a few weeks. Whether the screenplay is true or not, whether Rooney physically resembles Tom Edison or not really doesn't matter much for that YOUNG TOM EDISON is a great film. Once seen, its hard to forget these standout scenes: the development of Tom's inventive mind brought forth by some clever devises; tender moments of family togetherness as the Edison's gather around the piano singing to the much underscored "Sweet Genevieve"; Tom finger rolling his right eye-brow while coming up with a positive solution; Mrs. Edison's motherly advice to her son as any mother could; Tom's despair while walking aimlessly through the rain as he hears in his mind voices of laughter and ridicule following his pleading with local business owners to give him a job; plus the climactic race against time segment as Tom makes every effort to save an oncoming train from danger through some ingenious plan.
Aside from Rooney's excellent portrayal, Fay Bainter stands out most as the understanding mother while Virginia Weidler gives an unforgettable performance playing Tom's younger sister who repeatedly tells him with amazement, "Gosh, you're smart." George Bancroft with mustache and sideburns should not go without mention playing the stern father. Humor, sentiment and moral lessons in the tradition of Tom Sawyer are thrown in on few occasions, the best being where Tom Edison tricks his way from taking his overshoes and muffler on to his next ventures. With apple pie and milk being his favorite meal simply shows young Tom Edison the all-American boy with a bright future of great inventions ahead of him.
When YOUNG TOM EDISON played regularly on commercial television prior to the 1980s cable TV generation, usually on Edison's birthday, February 11th, the promotional announcement presented after the film's closing showing Spencer Tracy in forefront of Thomas Edison's portrait as narrator talks about an upcoming sequel, EDISON, THE MAN (1940), was usually omitted. Not until its broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies has this final segment been restored in both 1991 home video distribution and later DVD presentations. Thanks to films such as these does the name and legend of Thomas Alva Edison live on. (****)
Você sabia?
- CuriosidadesAt the time he starred in this, Mickey Rooney was literally the #1 box office attraction in America, having toppled Shirley Temple from the top spot in 1939. He would spend a total of 3 years atop the Top Ten Box Office Stars list before his appeal began to fade in 1942.
- Erros de gravaçãoWhen young Tom jumps on the train to sell his maple candy, he tells the first customer the price is "a nickel". The scene takes place in the late 1850s. The first US nickel five cent coin wasn't issued until 1866. (At the time, the only 5¢ coin was a half-dime, a tiny silver coin but not called "a nickel".)
- Citações
Samuel 'Sam' Edison: [Standing with his family, watching Tom's train depart] Once he was known as Sam Edison's son. But now I'm Tom Edison's father, and I like it!
- Cenas durante ou pós-créditosAfter "The End" title page, a portrait of Tom Edison is displayed and, after some of the inventor's many accomplishments are noted, then the camera pans back to show Spencer Tracy admiring the painting while the narrator announces the forthcoming "Edison, The Man (1940)" biography (featuring Tracy in the title role).
- Versões alternativasAlso available in a computer-colorized version.
- ConexõesFeatured in The Phantom of Hollywood (1974)
- Trilhas sonorasSweet Genevieve
Written by George Cooper and Henry Tucker
Played by Fay Bainter on the organ
Sung by Virginia Weidler, Mickey Rooney and George Bancroft
Variations played throughout as part of the score
Principais escolhas
Detalhes
- Tempo de duração1 hora 26 minutos
- Cor
- Proporção
- 1.37 : 1