Our Mr. Sun

A Frank Capra WONDERS OF LIFE film.

OUR MR. SUN endlessly makes life possible on Earth.

In the mid-1950's, AT&T and Bell Science teamed with famed Hollywood director Frank Capra to produce a series of CBS television science films to educate the public about the Universe around them. A far cry from the dreary black & white fodder so often foisted off on young scholars, the Capra films would both instruct and entertain with lively scripts and eye-catching visuals shown in Technicolor. The four films - OUR MR. SUN (1956), THE STRANGE CASE OF THE COSMIC RAYS (1957), HEMO THE MAGNIFICENT (1957), THE UNCHAINED GODDESS (1958) - quickly became schoolhouse favorites, where they were endlessly shown in 16mm format.

The star of the series was Dr. Frank C. Baxter (1896-1982), an affable English professor at the University of Southern California. This avuncular pedagogue proved to be the perfect film instructor, genially imparting to his audience the sometimes complex facts in a manner which never made them seem dull or boring. Dr. Baxter, who won a Peabody Award for his achievements, continued making instructional films after the Capra quartet were concluded.

OUR MR. SUN, which won an Emmy for its editing, presents the information known about our solar neighbor at mid-century, using spectacular photography, animation and gentle humor. Film star Eddie Albert appears as the Fiction Writer, looking to get an angle on how to present the sun's story. Marvin Miller provides the voice for the animated Mr. Sun.

Strangely uncredited is Lionel Barrymore, one of America's best loved character actors, who gives the voice for Father Time. Barrymore had died back in 1954, making this his very final performance. Movie mavens will also recognize Sterling Holloway as the voice of Chloro Phyll.

The devotional sentiments spoken by Barrymore at the end of the film are completely in tune with the tenor & tone of the production.

I attended Elementary school in the early-mid sixties, and I have to say, they must have shown this movie every year, and maybe even once or twice after elementary school. It became somewhat of a ritual, and I did enjoy watching it.

I recently purchased a copy on Ebay (VHS) and showed it to my 9 year old son. Yes, it is probably so outdated, but I still found it interesting and informative, and it was truly a (enjoyable) blast from the past.

If you are boomer, you must have scene this movie more than once, as I think we were all spoon fed the same stuff. Yes, it was a great time.

Enjoy.

I remember seeing this as a kid in elementary school. I was absolutely fascinated and captivated by it. It and "Mr. Hemo" were what got me interested in science. Keeping in mind when it came out, the ideas and possibilities for the future were back then astounding. Many like solar power became reality. Our Mr. Sun was at a level I could understand at age 9 and years later as an adult I found it was still interesting. It made such a great impression that when I was older and saw it on a list of films available for my class I had jumped at the chance to show it. The kids loved it. As an adult it was great realizing that it was a younger Eddie Albert as the "host". It is hard to find but it is definitely worth the time if you find it. Most Highly recommended.

Having enjoyed this film and other science-oriented films made by Capra in Elementary school, I was delighted to see how well "Mr. Sun" holds up. Other than a brief clip featured in the movie "Gremlins", I hadn't seen or thought of these films in thirty-five years.

Apart from the obvious nostalgic emotions one associates with fond memories of childhood, this film also present scientific information about the sun in an entertaining and comprehensive way with Eddie Albert and the voice of Sterling Holloway to add charm to an already charming documentary. I would rank this film of Frank Capra with the best of Walt Disney's True Life Adventures of the same period.

Our Mr. Sun was my first AV experience in Elementary School back in 1961 (Grade 5), and I am certain that having seen it helped to kindle my interest in Science Education......I became a science teacher, and have taught Grade 7 science for the past 33 years. Some of the scenes in this film stuck with me, particularly the animated scenes with Mr. Chlorophyll and with the recipe for the photo-electric silicon wafer. I rate this film highly for classroom use still today. For one thing, there is precious little available in instructive video on the subject of Solar Science. For another thing, I believe that watching this film intent on filling in some of the science that was little understood or misunderstood at the time is a useful exercise. As a part time social studies teacher I also find that examining the sociological content of the film, in consideration of its 50 year old values and assumptions is quite instructive. As to any criticism of moralistic bias in this film, of course one must always remember its vintage foremost, before criticizing the screenwriters, since times, they sure have changed!!!