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A Man to Remember

  • 1938
  • Approved
  • 1h 19m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
486
YOUR RATING
Lee Bowman, Edward Ellis, and Anne Shirley in A Man to Remember (1938)
DramaRomance

Doctor John Abbott is a single parent who settles in the town of Westport with his son Dick, trying to eke out a living for them. He also inherits, by way of his doorstep, an unwanted baby g... Read allDoctor John Abbott is a single parent who settles in the town of Westport with his son Dick, trying to eke out a living for them. He also inherits, by way of his doorstep, an unwanted baby girl, Jean Johnson, whom he adopts into his family, rears and loves as his own. Practicing ... Read allDoctor John Abbott is a single parent who settles in the town of Westport with his son Dick, trying to eke out a living for them. He also inherits, by way of his doorstep, an unwanted baby girl, Jean Johnson, whom he adopts into his family, rears and loves as his own. Practicing his profession for pigs, I.O.U.s and a lot of empty promises as payment, he is barely able... Read all

  • Director
    • Garson Kanin
  • Writers
    • Dalton Trumbo
    • Katharine Haviland-Taylor
  • Stars
    • Anne Shirley
    • Edward Ellis
    • Lee Bowman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    486
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Garson Kanin
    • Writers
      • Dalton Trumbo
      • Katharine Haviland-Taylor
    • Stars
      • Anne Shirley
      • Edward Ellis
      • Lee Bowman
    • 18User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos13

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    Top cast33

    Edit
    Anne Shirley
    Anne Shirley
    • Jean Johnson
    Edward Ellis
    Edward Ellis
    • Dr. John Abbott
    Lee Bowman
    Lee Bowman
    • Dick Abbott
    William Henry
    William Henry
    • Howard Sykes
    John Wray
    John Wray
    • Tom Johnson
    Granville Bates
    Granville Bates
    • George Sykes
    Harlan Briggs
    Harlan Briggs
    • Homer Ramsey
    Frank M. Thomas
    Frank M. Thomas
    • Jode Harkness
    Dickie Jones
    Dickie Jones
    • Dick Abbott - Age 8-12
    Carole Leete
    • Jean Johnson - Age 4
    Gilbert Emery
    Gilbert Emery
    • Dr. Robinson
    Joe De Stefani
    • Jorgensen
    Barlowe Borland
    Barlowe Borland
    • Doctor with News of Polio Outbreak
    • (uncredited)
    Maurice Costello
    Maurice Costello
    • Town Councilor
    • (uncredited)
    Sarah Edwards
    Sarah Edwards
    • Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    Dick Elliott
    Dick Elliott
    • Hank
    • (uncredited)
    Byron Foulger
    Byron Foulger
    • Bank Teller
    • (uncredited)
    Bud Geary
    Bud Geary
    • Worried Father
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Garson Kanin
    • Writers
      • Dalton Trumbo
      • Katharine Haviland-Taylor
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    7.0486
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    Featured reviews

    Michael_Elliott

    Okay Remake

    Man to Remember, A (1938)

    ** 1/2 (out of 4)

    Remake of One Man's Journey, which I watched a few days ago. This time Edward Ellis plays a country doctor who grows old and poor because of his kind heart, which won't allow him to turn away sick people even if they don't have the money to pay him. Garson Kanin directed the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and it's pretty faithful to the original movie. The fact that it's too faithful is the only real problem with the picture because if you've seen the original then you know everything that's going to happen here. Other than that I'd say this version is somewhat better as the story is better laid out and there's a new opening and closing, which suits the story very well. Ellis is terrific in his role and brings a lot of class and warmth to his character.
    9mkelly54

    Delightful, inspiring story

    To use the cliché, "they don't make them like this anymore," is perfect for this classic. I could write volumes about the power of a generous human spirit overcoming the surge of economic indecency, but I'll leave that for someone else.

    One technique I really enjoy in this film is the use of the doctor's notes, bills and other bits of information to introduce the different chapters of the film. It's a great literary vehicle and was used often in silent films. It also reminded me of some of the chapter introductions used in R.F. Delderfield's work.

    The one thing I will state: if the devils on Wall Street and the banking community maintained half the community spirit as the old doctor in this story, we would all be much better for it.

    Ethics and a purity of heart, what a wonderful concept. This is a great film for a Church Popcorn theology class, high school students considering a medical career or anyone questioning their community spirit.
    Phil-221

    An early cinematic masterpiece and character study.

    This is one of the great unheralded films...called movies in those days...of the century. I saw it the age of 10 and it remained clearly in my mind for 50 years. Now that IMDB has refreshed my memory with the names of the director (Garson Kanin) and screenwriter (Dalton Trumbo), I understand why it remains one of my favorites in the entire history of the cinema.
    8goller2001

    Agree fully

    I just saw this film last night on TCM (Sunday morning at 2am - couldn't sleep). My only complaint is that I missed the first 30 minutes, and wish I had seen the entire film. What a great film that has been missed apparently by most movie lovers. I never heard of it before, and it's quite charming, and the message is clear. This isn't your average big budget film. In fact in a way it's a rather low budget film, that still delivers a simple and clear message perfectly, and in a way that is charming and meaningful. An interesting article in Time Magazine can be found by typing A Man to Remember 1938 in google. It's a good read for sure.
    6Doylenf

    Sentimental yarn traces the life of a country doctor...

    Dalton Trumbo wrote the screenplay for this sentimental tale of an unselfish country doctor who cared for rich and poor alike. EDWARD ELLIS is Dr. John Abbott and little DICKIE JONES is his son. Jones was the little boy who supplied the voice for Disney's PINOCCHIO. When an orphan girl is left on Ellis' doorstep, the orphan girl grows up to be ANNE SHIRLEY and LEE BOWMAN is the grown-up Dickie Jones.

    It's a leisurely tale that moves slowly without the usual melodramatics one might expect in a story of a country doctor--with the only dramatic touch coming well past the midway point with a possible epidemic of infantile paralysis causing the doctor to advise the townspeople to cancel the upcoming country fair. His theory meets with resistance until the feared outbreak occurs and then the townspeople can't thank him enough for all his work.

    There's a Frank Capra feel to this kind of story, but director Garson Kanin keeps it pretty well in command and prevents the sentimentality from becoming too thick.

    Summing up: Good, but not quite the inspiring yarn it was intended to be thanks to below level production values and rather routine performances.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The only surviving copy of "A Man To Remember" is a 35mm, original nitrate print in the English spoken language, but with Dutch subtitles and Dutch credits. In addition, written English notes and letters in the film was replaced with the Dutch equivalents. It was preserved by the Netherlands Filmmuseum in 2000 and shown on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Channel in April 2007, January 2017, and on August 25, 2020.
    • Goofs
      After his son's graduation, Dr. Abbott is asked by Dick where his car is parked. Dr. Abbott replies that it is on the other side of the college campus. But, they walk less than half way around a courtyard and they are suddenly at the car already.
    • Connections
      Featured in TCM: Twenty Classic Moments (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Funeral March (Marche Funèbre)
      (1837) (uncredited)

      from "Sonata in Bb-, Op.35 No.2"

      Written by Frédéric Chopin

      Played by the marching band for the funeral

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    FAQ

    • Translation the note left on the baby

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 14, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Herança de uma Vida
    • Filming locations
      • RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $118,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 19 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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