Customer Reviews

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fox made a bunch of these Bio classics and they are all superb. This one ranks right up there with the rest and is fairly accurate. Henry Fonda steels this picture though. He is very funny in the few scenes he is in. A very moving story that is factual as well as entertaining. Another homeschool friendly flick...with a tad bit more romance than Tom Edison, but nothing like movies of today. An ejoyable movie for the whole family that could breed some good discussion afterwards!

This movie is a favorite classic! All the actors do a superb job at bringing together everything a good movie needs... suspense, romance... drama... good versus the evil businessmen... and it makes you feel good to watch it. I'm an electronics teacher and show this to my high school students who love the movie! (It is not easy to inspire kids these days!!!) I've seen it over 20 times now showing it to all my students, and still love watching it!

Those were the very first words spoken (and successfully received by another party) via telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, the Scotsman who invented the telephone. The tale begins in 1875. Young Alex Bell is shown eating cheese and apples while trying to send speech over copper wires. No one thinks much of this idea except the deaf daughter of one of his grudging sponsors (the deaf girl is Loretta Young). Folks were inclined to call it a toy and they kept away from it; Bell himself tended to distust it. When Bell wants an ambulance, he sends a friend out to call one. "This thing will never work" he lamented. But it did of course, and soon the Western Union was trying to claim the patent...Don Ameche does rather well here, playing Bell with surprising conviction. Henry Fonda is fine as the sensible Mr. Watson as is Charles Coburn as the methodical Mr. Hubbard. The most moving scene in the entire film is when a mute boy, who had never spoken before, enunciates the word "father" (sob!). The direction by Irving Cummings is piously sincere.

This is a very well done film starring Don Ameche as Alexander Graham Bell and Loretta Young as his encouraging wife. Don Ameche's portrayal of Alexander Graham Bell is very nice and sympathetic and one feels his glee when he is happy. One also sympathizes with him when he gives his heroic speech for the lone inventor in court. Loretta's portrayal of his wife is very nice as well, a little on the melodramatic side which is typical for the time period. But still very admirable and enjoyable. One of the cute vignettes throughout the movie are the comments of Henry Fonda as Bell's assistant Watson. I laughed at nearly everything he said. Everybody in my family enjoyed watching this movie and I believe yours will too!

I bought this video new. The story line is excellent. The acting is excellent. The scene in the courtroom is clever and excellent. The depiction of American history is excellent. The costumes are stylized and overwrought, as was typical during the earlier days of Hollywood. The film is an excellent teaching device for kids. This film was one of the eternal favorites of our parents' generation and our grandparents' generation. But there is a slight problem. There are irritating crackling noises throughout. Why is this? The crackling noises make the movie almost unbearable. I was only able to watch this otherwise excellent movie only once. I own about 50 videotapes, many of them bought second hand. Crackling noises of the same type occur on only one of these, namely, Three Stooges in Orbit, which I bought new. Can any of the reviewers of this product provide insight as to the source of the noises? Can somebody please tell the manufacturer that they need to do something about the noises.