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Bigger Than Life (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   1,121 votes
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Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Cyril Hume (story) and
Richard Maibaum (story) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bigger Than Life on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 August 1956 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The story of the handful of hope that became a fistful of hell! more
Plot:
A seriously ill schoolteacher becomes dependent on a "miracle" drug that begins to affect his sanity. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 nomination more
User Reviews:
The Father more (30 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

James Mason ... Ed Avery
Barbara Rush ... Lou Avery

Walter Matthau ... Wally Gibbs
Robert F. Simon ... Dr. Norton (as Robert Simon)
Christopher Olsen ... Richie Avery
Roland Winters ... Dr. Ruric
Rusty Lane ... Bob LaPorte
Rachel Stephens ... Nurse
Kipp Hamilton ... Pat Wade
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dee Aaker ... Joe (uncredited)
David Bedell ... X-Ray Doctor (uncredited)
Harold Bostwick ... Gentleman (uncredited)
Virginia Carroll ... Mrs. Jones (uncredited)
Mary Carver ... Saleslady (uncredited)
Betty Caulfield ... Mrs. LaPorte (uncredited)
Lewis Charles ... Dr. MacLennan (uncredited)
George Chester ... Janitor (uncredited)
Richard Collier ... Andy - the Milkman (uncredited)
Fred Dale ... Male Nurse (uncredited)
Nan Dolan ... Dr. Norton's Nurse (uncredited)
Alex Frazer ... Clergyman (uncredited)
Bill Jones ... Mr. Byron (uncredited)
Colin Kenny ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Thomas Martin ... Cab Dispatcher (uncredited)
Portland Mason ... Nancy (uncredited)
Natalie Masters ... Mrs. Tyndal (uncredited)
Jerry Mathers ... Freddie (uncredited)
Mary McAdoo ... Mrs. Edwards (uncredited)
Renny McEvoy ... Mr. Jones (uncredited)
Joseph Mell ... Frank - the Cab Dispatcher (uncredited)
Sid Melton ... Cabby (uncredited)
Joe Merritt ... Husband (uncredited)
John Monaghan ... Sam - the Cabby (uncredited)
Eugenia Paul ... Saleslady (uncredited)
Paul Peters ... Gentleman (uncredited)
Gladys Richards ... Lab Nurse (uncredited)
Mary Margaret Robinson ... Child (uncredited)
Gus Schilling ... Druggist (uncredited)
Ann Spencer ... Nurse (uncredited)
Hal Taggart ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Nicholas Ray 
 
Writing credits
Cyril Hume (story) and
Richard Maibaum (story)

Cyril Hume (screenplay) and
Richard Maibaum (screenplay)

Burton Roueche (article in "The New Yorker") (as Berton Roueché)

Gavin Lambert  uncredited
James Mason  uncredited
Clifford Odets  uncredited
Nicholas Ray  uncredited

Produced by
James Mason .... producer
 
Original Music by
David Raksin 
 
Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald  (as Joe MacDonald)
 
Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler  (as Louis Loeffler)
 
Art Direction by
Jack Martin Smith 
Lyle R. Wheeler 
 
Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss 
Walter M. Scott 
 
Costume Design by
Mary Wills 
 
Makeup Department
Ben Nye .... makeup artist
Helen Turpin .... hair stylist
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eli Dunn .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
W.D. Flick .... sound
Harry M. Leonard .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg .... special photographic effects
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire .... executive wardrobe designer (as Charles LeMaire)
 
Editorial Department
Leonard Doss .... color consultant
 
Music Department
Lionel Newman .... conductor
Edward B. Powell .... orchestrator
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
One in a Million (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
95 min | 91 min (FMC Library Print)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (optical prints) (Westrex Recording System) | 4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Playwright Clifford Odets was invited on the set by the director Nicholas Ray, where he worked on re-writing the final scene of the film. Ed Avery (Jamese Mason), still delirious out of his coma, starting to talk about Abraham Lincoln was Odet's contribution. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: 37 minutes into the movie, Ed is at the bathroom sink and has just replaced the pill bottle in the medicine cabinet. As he closes the cabinet door, the director and the camera are reflected in the mirror. more
Quotes:
Ed Avery: God was wrong! more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Edge of Outside (2006) more

FAQ

Will Nicholas Ray's 'Bigger Than Life' ever be available on DVD?
more
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful.
The Father, 17 May 2007
8/10
Author: dbdumonteil

Although referring to cortisone,"Bigger than life" is rayesque to the core.Davey ("Run for cover" )Plato and Jim ("rebel without a cause")and the Chinese girl ("55 days at Peking") were in search of a father.Even the Jeff/Wes relationship in "lusty men" is of the same kind.

Cortisone is just an alibi.The subject of the film is the paternal power .And this father is also a teacher!The PTA meeting is revealing!

Richie has got a father.But there's a crack in the mirror (Ed's broken reflection is the key to the movie).Little by little,we feel there's something irrational in his attitude.Buying clothes ,It's very natural !Playing football with your sonny,is a right thing to do to be good friends.But ,thanks to James Mason's sensational performance,we feel ill-at-ease,even scared .This fear will culminate in the arithmetic lesson where Mason 's shadow on the wall is terrifying (when Barbara Rush enters the room,see her tiny shadow !it's a lesson in directing a movie).And being a father is not far from being a God .After hearing again in the church the prodigal son story ,it's only natural in Ed's case to feel like Abraham .(His final dream -which we do not see- is extraordinary).

It might be a warning against pills ,drugs and all that stuff.But I rather think it's a warning against "overeducation".As a teacher,I heard about a student's father who spent a WHOLE Saturday afternoon to make sure his unfortunate son did understand the multiples .

Superb performance by James Mason (the scene when his face suddenly appears in the mirror as his boy is searching his room is really spooky),good support from Barbara Rush,Walter Matthau and young Christopher Olsen.

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