Young Tom Edison *** (1940, Mickey Rooney, Fay Bainter, George Bancroft, Eugene Pallette) – Classic Movie Review 7914

Director Norman Taurog’s 1940 biopic Young Tom Edison stars the 19-year-old Mickey Rooney, who is conscientious in the star part in this plush, well-crafted first part of MGM’s two-film biography of the inventor Thomas Alva Edison (with Spencer Tracy’s Edison the Man to follow later the same year).

The splendid cast (especially Fay Bainter and George Bancroft as mom and dad, Mrs Nancy Edison and Sam Edison, and Eugene Pallette as Mr Nelson) help to light it up, but, as it plods faithfully through all the main details of an eventful life-story (though the details are slightly rearranged for dramatic purposes), it is more worthy than exciting. More voltage even from the high-wired Rooney would help and there is too much sentimental mother-love stuff.

Still, Young Tom Edison is enjoyable, though. It is unfair to point it out, but the producer’s name is O O Dull. Tracy makes a cameo appearance as the man admiring a portrait of Tom Edison.

Also in the cast are Virginia Weidler as Tannie Edison, Victor Kilian, Lloyd Corrigan, Bobby Jordan, J M Kerrigan, John Kellogg, Eily Maylon, Harry Shannon, Ernie Adams, Stanley Blystone, Wade Botelier, John Ince, Milton Kibbee, Emory Parnell, Lee Phelps, Fern Emmett, Olin Howlin and Victor Potel.

Young Tom Edison is directed Norman Taurog, runs 85 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Bradbury Foote, Dore Schary and Hugo Butler, is shot in black and white by Sidney Wagner, is produced by Orville O Dull and John W Considine Jr, is scored by Edward Ward and is designed by Cedric Gibbons.

Young Tom Edison was released on 15 March 1940 in the US and Edison, the Man was released on 10 May 1940 in the US.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7914

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