Edison, the Man (1940) - full transcript

Subtitles: Lu?s Filipe Bernardes

Mr. Parks.

Mr. Edison hasn't even left the

house yet, sir.

- Have you any idea what's keeping him?

- No, sir, I haven't.

You'd better phone him and ask.

- Yes, sir.

- Wait.

- You'd better go there yourself. And hurry.

- Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Do you know a fountain pen has

always been a mystery to me?

Can I put that in our

school paper, Mr. Edison?

Nancy, please, that's a foolish question.

- Now, Mr. Edison!

- Nancy, is your name Nancy?

Yes, sir, Nancy Gray.

Nancy. That's a pretty name.

- I've always liked the name of Nancy.

- It was your mother's name, wasn't it?

Hm-hmm.

Yes, that's why I like it.

Now, Mr. Edison, what

is your formula for success?

We know his formula for success,

don't you remember?

Success is 1% inspiration and 99%

perspiration, isn't that right, Mr. Edison?

Hm-hmm, hm-hmm.

Of course that 1% inspiration is

very important, you know?

You have to have it,

you can't invent it.

- You can't learn it in school either.

- What's that?

- You can't learn it in school either.

- No.

No, I guess you can't.

Although I was never in school long

enough to find out.

You weren't? Who taught you then?

- A school marm.

- But you said you didn't go to school.

- Nancy did, my mother.

- Oh.

What do you think was

the greatest invention?

The printing press, the electric light,

the radio?

- The greatest invention?

- Yes, sir.

- A blade of grass.

- But that isn't an invention, Mr. Edison.

Oh, yes it is, oh, yes.

That's nature's invention.

Did you ever stop to think

what makes it grow, makes it green?

No, sir.

Mr. Edison, what would you say is

the most valuable thing in the world?

Oh, that's easy.

- Time.

- Time?

Because all the money in the world

won't buy one minute of it.

Mr. Edison.

- Mr. Edison!

- Hm?

Are you ready to leave for the banquet?

Oh, the banquet.

Oh, Paul, I'm sorry. I forgot all about

that. I never carry a watch.

He never carries a watch!

That's important.

- Yeah, human interest stuff.

- Goodbye, Nancy. Good luck.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye, Mr. Edison, thank you.

You're welcome, you're welcome.

You never can tell about a banquet.

It is fitting that we celebrate

the golden jubilee of light...

...in this replica of old

Independence Hall.

For I hold with Mr. Henry Ford,

who built it here,

that Thomas Edison, through his work,

has framed a new kind of

declaration of independence.

He has declared through his work...

...and with a force greater than that

of any man now living,

the freedom of the human mind.

The peoples of the world whom he has

served are witnesses to this truth,

and we are here to do him honor

in their name.

But there was a time when he had

no witnesses.

He had to make his way slowly,

against odds,

of ignorance, doubt, prejudice

and greed.

After his early years in Port Huron,

Mr. Edison worked as a telegrapher.

Quietly studying the use

of a mysterious new power.

Electricity.

In 1869, he left the

west and went to Boston,

where his first invention,

a vote recorder, was rejected.

He then came down to New York City.

Thank you.

- Who's that fellow?

- I don't know.

Hey, you.

You there.

Hey, what are you doing there?

Come out of there.

- Why didn't you stop?

- Stop what?

You heard me, I shouted three times.

- I'm sorry, I'm a little hard of hearing.

- What's that you're holding?

Come on, open it up.

Oh, books.

- What's going on here anyway?

- I guess maybe I was a little hasty.

- Good night.

- Good night.

I'm looking for a telegraph

operator named Cavatt, Bunt Cavatt.

He told me I'd find him in the

gold indicator building.

- Is your name Tom Edison?

- Yes, sir.

I'm Bunt Cavatt's uncle.

- Els is my name.

- How do you do, Mr. Els?

Come on down.

- Down from Boston?

- Yes, yes, sir.

- Ever been in New York before?

- No.

Aim to stay long?

I hope so, Bunt promised

to get me a job.

- Oh, Bunt!

- Yeah?

Here's Tom Edison.

You old lightning slinger,

how are you?

Well, how's the old tramp?

Finer and stronger.

Well, what are you doing,

going or coming?

I'm going.

Well, you can't do that,

I just got here.

- This is Uncle Ben's suggestion.

- I told him he could stay if he'd work.

Yeah, but look what he wants

me to work with.

I'm telegrapher. A man has

to draw the line somewhere.

- How about that job you promised me?

- Huh? Oh...

Oh, you don't want to work in New

York, Tom.

This town is no good for you. The tall

buildings crush the spirit and torment soul.

Oh, no, not gonna torment my soul.

I always wanted to come to New York.

Now I'm here I'm gonna stay here.

- Is somebody dead? What is that smell?

- Oh, that's, that's, er...

- That's that.

- What?

- That's your vote recorder.

- Gosh, I didn't feel it was that bad.

Well, that's not the reason Congress

rejected it.

They just don't want their

votes recorded.

But I made a big success

out of it anyway.

- It's marvelous for aging whisky.

- Aging whisky?

Smells like you're aging eggs.

You just run the electricity up

through it and jolt it up a bit.

In 10 minutes you got

20-year-old whisky.

Well, that settles that. That's my first

and my last invention.

Oh, you don't mean that, Tom.

Anyway, it'll teach me a lesson not

to invent things that people don't want.

Never mind it.

Let's you and me hit the road again.

Not me, I'm going to stay

in New York.

Aw, you're not ready to settle

down yet.

You're the best telegrapher operator

in the country.

Almost. You can get a job anywhere.

Besides, look at the fun we'll have.

Never mind the fun. I've been

a tramp operator long enough.

And so have you. Now if you take

my advice, you stay here too.

Well, I might as well...

Here, here, the place for you

is San Francisco.

San Francisco needs you.

- And here's a ticket as far as Hoboken.

- Thanks for the lift across the river.

Well, goodbye, Uncle Ben. If anything

happens to me, you'll be sorry.

Uh, how about a little cash?

Help yourself.

- I'll take the five.

- You sure you won't need that?

Oh, no, it's soft money. It's very suiting.

Now, goodbye, Tom.

I'll leave you with Uncle Ben. You can

step right into my shoes.

You'll look very good on the end

of that broom.

Uncle Ben, if you can stand that

whisky, it's yours.

Goodbye gentlemen, it's a beautiful world

and we will meet again to enjoy it.

- My pal. And he runs away from me.

- No, not from you, from that broom.

Well, now how about it, Mr. Els?

How about me picking up from

where Bunt left off?

You can help with the cleaning

if you want.

Room and board. You understand,

temporarily, until you get a job.

That's fine. Thanks very much,

thank you.

And it'll be alright if I do a couple

of experiments here while I'm working...

...you know, on my own time?

Yes, if you're careful.

Come on now, we've got work to do.

You understand that thing?

- I should, I made it.

- Well turn it off. It's getting me down.

# Genevieve, sweet Genevieve #

# The sun may come... #

This is Mr. Taggart's office.

Oh, it's where all the big deals

come off, huh?

- I'm tired, let's drop off awhile and eat.

- Alright!

- What's this contrivance?

- What's that?

- What is this thing?

- Oh, that's a master transmitter.

We get quotations direct from the floor

of the Gold Exchange...

...then we send it out from that machine

there to the brokers' offices.

- Ain't it a wonder?

- It's a wonder that it works.

I'd like Mr. Taggart sometime.

- Mr. Taggart? Meet him? To talk to?

- Sure, why not?

That's good! Meet Mr. Taggart.

Come on, let's eat.

Well, how do you do, Mr. Taggart?

Now look what you made me do.

Mr. Taggart, it's a pleasure

to meet you, sir!

A real, unadulterated pleasure.

Now, Mr. Taggart, I'm going

to be very brief...

...because I know you haven't

much time and neither have I.

Have a cigar, Mr. Taggart.

Don't mind if I do.

And sit down, please.

By all means, sit down, Mr. Taggart.

Now, Mr. Taggart, you've got money

and I've got ideas.

Together we should make a great team.

Sounds good, young man.

How much do you need?

Well, I'll make it light on yourself,

Mr. Taggart.

Well, money's pretty tight

right now.

What do you say to two

million dollars?

- You took the words right out of my mouth.

- Shall I wrap it up or send it?

Stop your fooling, stop your fooling.

I guess I'd better go and lay down awhile.

I ain't feeling so good.

'Bout this time of night

I get all tuckered out.

Why don't you take a little nap, Mr. Ells?

I'll clean up the office.

- Help yourself to the lunch.

- Oh, no, that's yours.

I ain't hungry. I keep worrying

about Bunt.

I guess I won't get a wink of

sleep tonight.

Mr. Els, you shouldn't try to do

two things at once.

If you're gonna sleep, sleep.

If you're gonna worry, why, stay awake

and make a good job of it.

Listen to this, Mr. Els. From Faraday's

experiments with electricity.

The object of my search was for a way

to convert magnetism into electricity.

When I broke the current, I observed

a spark leap between the bits of charcoal.

Lo, I beheld the embryo

of electric light.

But I have rather been desirous

of discovering...

...new facts concerning magneto

electric induction...

...that are exalting the force of those

already obtained,

being assured that the latter would find

their full development hereafter.

Hereafter?

That's now.

Hey! Hey!

- Did you see that spark?

- Why do you think I jumped?

It works, just like it said it would

in the book.

You'll burn the building

down first thing you know.

No, I won't, Mr. Els.

This is an experiment in electricity.

Electricity? That stuff's dangerous.

Stop fooling with it down here.

How am I going to find out about it

unless I fool with it?

You told me I could experiment

down here.

Oh, I'll lose my job.

You want to get me fired?

Oh, no, Mr. Els.

I'd rather walk the streets hungry

and homeless than have that happen.

You've been too nice to me.

I'll just go my way.

No, wait a minute, wait a minute, I didn't

say anything about you having to go away.

I'd rather go away than have

you worry all the time.

Oh, I'll be alright, but just go easy,

that's all.

Thanks, thanks. You see, Mr. Els,

if that thing works,

everybody's going to be able

to use it all over the world.

What is it?

It's a new kind of light, something

that's never been seen before.

Are you going to make me mad again?

No sir. Of course I have to get the

money to experiment.

Well, why don't you invent money?

I'm going to get the money

from Mr. Taggart.

I'm going to sell Taggart the idea

of a new stock ticker.

That'll give me the money to

carry on the experiment with light.

You ought to know by this time

you can't see Mr. Taggart.

You can see anybody if you just

try long enough.

- Yes, what is it?

- You know what it is.

Same thing it was yesterday and the day

before that and the day before that.

I want to see Mr. Taggart.

It ought to be clear to you

that he's too busy to see you.

You go in and tell Mr. Taggart

I'd like to see him.

Shut that door, I don't

want to be disturbed.

Beg your pardon, sir, Sorry, but a person

named Edison is anxious to see you.

Well, I can't see any person

named Edison today.

It's very important, Mr. Taggart.

I'll see him next Christmas.

And shut that door.

- Next Christmas, Mr. Edison.

- Hm?

Next Christmas, Mr. Edison.

Is it alright if I wait here?

- It's down half a point.

- One more drop and I'll sell out.

It's a shaky market.

Down another half.

- What time does Mr. Taggart go to dinner?

- He doesn't go. It's brought to him.

What's the matter?

- Hey, what's the matter?

- Give us the quotation!

- It's stopped!

- It'll ruin us!

What does it say?

- It's busted.

- Well do something. Get Taggart!

Yes, sir.

Get away now.

Go downstairs and see

the battery connections.

- The trouble's up here. I can fix it.

- Get away!

It's very simple. It's very easy.

Alright, fix it, fix it!

But be quick!

How long is it gonna take?

It's just the contact spring that

fell down between the gears.

- What's your name?

- Edison.

- Can you keep that indicator running?

- Yes.

You're hired.

I'll give you $300 a month.

- How much?

- Isn't that enough?

I'm afraid if I got that much money for this

job I'd never have the courage to quit.

What do you want?

I want just five minutes of your time.

- Come in to my office.

- Yes sir.

General Powell.

Good afternoon.

That was quite a flurry.

This is the man who fixed the indicator.

General Powell, Mr., uh...

Edison.

General Powell, president

of Western Union?

- Well, you're another man I want to see.

- I have no objection.

You see, we own that gold indicator.

Merry Christmas.

Thank you, sir.

What kind of a stock ticker

have you in mind?

A ticker that will give you quotations

not only on gold...

...but on every stock in the market.

You really think you can do that?

Yes, sir, I think I can, if you'll only

give me a chance.

- Certainly good cigar, you know?

- What sort of a chance do you want?

- A chance to experiment.

- Young man, we can't afford to experiment.

Not with green electrical workers.

We've no guarantee that these theories

of yours are workable.

Well, most electricity is theory yet.

That's the trouble. Beyond the point,

what good is electricity anyway?

What point is a newborn baby?

- Mr. Edison, you're simply wasting my time.

- Well, in that case, I won't waste mine.

Sit down, both of you.

It's not going to do anybody any good

if we get all excited...

...and start jumping to our feet.

Sit down.

You ought to use more

imagination, Taggart.

And you ought to use more patience...

and tact.

Mr. Edison, I'm very much interested

in your idea for a stock ticker.

If you want to work, I'll give

an opportunity in our new workshop.

And whatever you bring to me

that's new and practical, I'll buy.

That's great, General.

All I want is a place to work,

a few tools and some men to help me.

You'll have all that.

Mr. Taggart's secretary will give you

a letter to our foreman in Newark.

- Thank you, sir.

- Not at all.

Thank you.

Oh!

I beg your pardon, I didn't see you.

That's all right.

You didn't hurt yourself?

No. Why are these things always

so much easier to open?

Beg your pardon?

Why are these things always

so much easier to open?

- Maybe I can help you.

- Thank you.

- You work here?

- Yes, upstairs.

- I'm starting in downstairs today.

- What do you do?

- I'm an inventor.

- Oh, well, really!

- You see, I don't invent umbrellas.

- Anyone could tell that.

My word!

- Mr. Johnson?

- Yes.

I'm Tom Edison.

- General Paul told me that...

- The letter is self-explanatory.

This way.

You can work here. Naturally, anything

you want is at your disposal.

Thank you, Mr. Johnson.

We like to have the home addresses

of all our men.

Where are you staying?

Right here.

I mean, where are you sleeping?

Well, for the present I'll have

to sleep here.

Very well.

General Powell says you are to draw

some money on payday.

That's very nice of the general.

When is payday?

Next Saturday.

- My name is Michael Simon.

- Oh, how do you do? Mine's Edison.

- And that is Mr. Ashton.

- How are you?

How do you do?

What sort of work are you going

to do here, Mr. Edison?

Well, the first thing I'm going to do

is fix an umbrella.

Excuse me, miss.

Here's your umbrella.

Oh, it's you.

You fixed it!

It looks alright again.

Thank you.

- Thank you very much.

- Don't mention it.

You handle those keys very well.

- That's my job, Mr. um...

- Edison, Tom Edison.

Mine's Mary Stillwell.

- Dinner time, I'm hungry.

- Beg your pardon?

I'm hungry.

Rushed to work this morning

without any breakfast.

So did I.

And I got a lot of work to do

yet before I can eat.

- Goodbye, Miss Stillwell.

- Goodbye, Mr. Edison.

Yes, sir.

How much is apple pie

and a glass of milk?

- 10 cents.

- I'll have that.

Oh, hello!

Well, it seems like we'll have

to have dinner together.

That's fine, fine, uh...

You see, when I went back downstairs

I found out that I, uh...

- Uh, won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

I'll have the regular 35-cent

dinner, please.

You eat very little for a big man.

Yes, yes, don't I?

- Oh, no! Please.

- Oh, it's a pleasure, Miss Stilwell.

Thank you.

This check is for 45 cents. Could

you trust me for a day or two?

No.

Maybe I could come back a little

later to pay you.

No.

Mr. Edison.

- You dropped something.

- Oh! Thank you, thank you.

Mr. Funny Fellow, huh?

I guess I didn't hear that dollar

when it dropped.

I heard something, and looked

and there it was.

Sure is nice to have somebody like

you around to pick things up for me.

- Do get out of the rain.

- Yes, ma'am.

You've earned your share

of this umbrella.

When you get it fixed again be sure

and bring it back to me.

- Well, here's some money for you.

- Oh, thank you.

Mr. Simon, here's the money I owe you,

I'm very much obliged.

Oh, it is a pleasure, I'm sure.

- Thanks, Bob.

- Oh, any time.

- I'm ready for some men now.

- How many of these machines...

- ...are you going to make?

- Just one.

You've got drawings here for a dozen.

- If one works, I'm lucky.

- Alright, I'll get you some men.

Mr. Johnson, if it's all the same to you,

I'd like to pick them out myself.

Of course.

I'm afraid Mr. Simon isn't very original.

I guess he's right.

Alright.

The spring's too strong.

Maybe you can make a better one.

Say, a fellow can tell a bad egg

without being able to lay one.

Sorry, I guess you're right.

Graham, Lundstrom, Bigelow,

report to Mr. Edison.

Boys, I'd like to get some models

made of each one of these sketches.

- Would you like to try that one?

- Sure.

I think that'll suit you.

And here's one that'll keep

a tomcat home nights.

- The tougher the better.

- Go to it, boys.

Would you like to try this one?

Thank you very much. I prefer to

work for the company.

Alright. Well, I guess I'll go after

this one myself.

Simon, I'm sorry, but it looks like

I'll have to lay you off.

Have you got another job?

No.

Look, I'm sure you can do this.

- I'll try my best, Mr. Edison.

- Sure, I know you will.

Do you mind working a little while

tonight until I come back?

- I've got something very important to do.

- No, I don't.

Thanks.

What are you doing?

I'm asking the young lady

to have supper with me.

- What does she say?

- Says she'd be delighted. Want to try?

It's been a wonderful evening.

Such a dinner, the concert...

- I didn't know you liked music.

- I do, if it's simple enough.

Oh, look, isn't that a lovely sofa?

If could tell better

if I could see it better.

Wait until they can light their windows

with electric lamps

Then you'd really see something.

- What is electricity?

- Hm?

I've been working around it for over

a year and don't even know what it is.

Nobody does.

An old Scotch telegrapher told me once

it was like a dachshund dog,

long enough to stretch from

Edinburgh to London.

You'd pull his tail in Edinburgh

and he barks in London.

Nobody knows what goes through

the dog or over the wire.

You know, there's electricity

in people too.

I know. Sometimes my hair gets

so full of it I can't comb it.

Really? I'd never think so

looking at it now.

Maybe you're a human electric battery.

Let's experiment.

That's what you are, a human

electric battery.

Did I shock you?

No, not exactly, let me have

your hand.

Oh, there's a lot of electricity in you.

I can feel it going up my arm.

It sort of tingles.

- Wouldn't we better be going?

- Wait, this is a scientific experiment.

Now, you know the theory

of electricity...

is that it always travels in one

direction, see, from positive to negative.

Positive, negative.

We're wrong somewhere.

- You're the positive one, is that it?

- Very positive.

- Then should that make me negative?

- I hope not, are you?

Somebody's always interfering

with science.

And does the machine really work?

Yes, it did, at 4 in the

morning when I went home.

I left it still working. And after ten

weeks of it, too. I'll show you.

Boys, come on. I'll show you.

Now watch.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Mr. Edison.

Mr. Edison.

I don't know, it doesn't work.

- It doesn't work?

- No.

Gosh, that's funny.

It should work.

- Congratulations, Tom, it's a good job.

- That's fine, Tom.

- I didn't believe we could do it.

- What do you mean we?

Mr. Edison, that's a very fine

piece of work.

- Thanks. Hey, what time is it?

- Seven o'clock.

Oh, Gosh, I got to be in New York

by nine.

- Oh, there's plenty of time.

- Somebody put my hat on for me, will you?

Sure!

- Here we go, boys.

Tom.

- Think they'll like it?

- Of course they'll like it.

How much do you think I ought

to ask them for it?

What do you think it's worth?

I don't know. I'd like to get a couple

thousand dollars for it.

Suppose you let them make an offer

before you say anything.

That's a good idea.

You think you're nothing

but wood, and metal and glass.

But you're not. You're dreams,

and hard work and heart.

- You'd better not disappoint us.

- I'm glad you said us, Mary.

Good luck, Tom.

Oh, Tom!

There you are, General.

What do you think of it?

Why, you've done it.

Well, that's that!

Looks like it.

Would you be interested in taking over

a plant to manufacture these tickers?

Oh, no, sir.

I'd like to sell it outright.

- I got some other things I want to do.

- What are some of these other things?

Well, I'll bring them around and show them

to the General when it think they're right.

You see, I like the cigars I get here.

As a matter of fact, I'm now in association

with the general so let's talk business.

I'm ready.

How much you want for this

stock ticker?

Well, uh... I...

Suppose you make me an offer, General.

Whatever you think is fair.

How about $20,000?

- How much?

- I said $20,000.

$20,000...

Well, I... $20.000, I, uh...

Perhaps a fair price with world rights

would be $30,000.

- $30,000?

- Yes, $30,000.

- Well, I...

- Come, come, now. Let's make it $40,000.

World rights and everything,

I really think that's fair.

Yes, yes, General, I think that's fair.

Oh, General, before you make that out.

You advanced me some money, remember?

$215 in cash.

$106.23 in material, it comes to

$321.23.

Are you sure that's correct?

Yes sir. I'm sure.

All right.

We'll forget it.

Thank you, sir.

What are you going to do with

all that money?

I'll tell you one thing I'm not

going to do with it.

- I'm not going to buy any gas stock.

- Well, you might do worse.

I doubt it, Mr. Taggart.

Oh, here are patent papers, General.

They're yours now.

- And thank you, sir.

- Don't mention it. Goodbye.

One moment. Don't congratulate

yourself too much.

You may be interested to know

that we were prepared to go...

...as high as $60,000 for your invention.

- You were?

- We were.

It may interest you to know that I was

prepared to sell it for $2,000.

Mr. Edison, what happened?

Hold your horses, boys, I'll tell you

all about it later.

He sold it.

$40,000.

He says "will you marry me?".

She says, "Yes, Tom."

He says, "Come right down."

She says, "Right away".

- Congratulations!

- When is it going to be?

Mr. Edison, I'd like to work with you

wherever you go.

Sure, sure...

Congratulations!

Well, what are you waiting for?

Well, what are we waiting for?

- Congratulations, Mr. Edison.

- A boy, too!

That's wonderful, Tom.

First a girl, now a boy.

Well, it had to be one or the other,

don't you think?

- Congratulations.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Don't smoke cigars?

- Yes, but I'll save it for some day.

Here, here's one for Monday too.

Come on, there's one more for each here.

- Thank you again.

- Thank you, Tom.

Can't tell when this will ever

happen again.

Maybe not for another year.

- More? Great shakes, what a capacity.

- Tom, it's nearly 9 o'clock.

- Is it?

- You're spoiling that child.

A man has a right to humor

his youngest.

You've been late to the shop three

mornings this week. What'll the men say?

Oh, they'll bear up on it, won't they?

Eh, won't they, Dash?

They'll bear up on it.

Come on, you'd better feed

yourself now.

Daddy's got to go to work to make

more money to buy more oatmeal.

Don't let me hold you.

It's been nice seeing you, Mr. Edison.

Do drop in when you're out

this way again.

Come on, here you are.

Go to it.

- Goodbye, Dash. Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Goodbye, honey, goodbye.

Goodbye, Tom. Say goodbye.

Say goodbye. There you go!

Well, Mr. Els!

Bunt, how are you?

- Is this 7 o'clock?

- Well, it was 7 o'clock.

Yeah, two hours ago. What kind

of a businessman are you anyway?

- What have you been doing all this time?

- I've been feeding the baby.

There you are, Uncle Ben,

the wheels of industry have to stand

still while this man feeds his baby.

The wheels ain't standing still.

Listen to them.

He means his own wheels,

huh, Bunt?

- It won't do any good, Bunt, I'm broke.

- You certainly are looking fine.

Broke?

- Are you really?

- Practically.

You can't be! You're an important

businessman.

You got a laboratory, and a wife

and children, and all kinds of stuff.

Besides, I only want five dollars.

Well, see if you can get ten

and give me five of them. Come on.

Bunt, you could've at least let him

finish saying hello.

There must be a leak in your business.

Something wrong with your bookkeeping.

There are the books.

Look them over.

- Books, I don't see any books.

- There they are. Both of them.

Bills I owe, bills owed me. Maybe it's the

other way around, I don't know.

- But that's the whole thing in a nutshell.

- In a nutshell is right.

Come on upstairs and have a look.

- No wonder you're insolvent.

- Insolvent? Insolvent?

It sounds better than just being broke.

- Means the same thing, though, doesn't it?

- Yeah!

Well, you really have a nice

place here, Tom.

Hm-hmm, not trying to show off.

Just wanted to prove to you, Bunt,

that I spent the money.

- Good morning, Michael.

- Good morning, Tom.

Jack, any progress?

I've got it. I've got it sure.

All I need is a couple of days more.

That's fine, that's fine, I knew

you'd get it. Stick to it, now.

That's wonderful. You know,

I never thought he'd get it.

- Has he got it?

- Sure, he said. You said...

He hasn't got a darn thing, but I

like to hear him talk that way.

- Hey, Tom, here comes the sheriff.

- Uh-oh!

The sheriff in person.

I'd better evaporate.

Looking for Thomas Edison.

- Which one of you gentlemen is Tom Edison?

- Can I help you?

You certainly can, Mr. Edison,

There's a writ of replevin, Mr. Edison.

What does that mean?

A writ of replevin is an action to regain

personal property illegally retained.

Such as what?

Such as this here machinery.

It ain't paid for.

Well, I wouldn't worry about that

if I were you, sheriff.

I'll take care of all those

things on the first of the month.

You ain't been taking care of them,

that's what the trouble is.

Well, I might have overlooked

a few little things.

- There's the writ of attachment, Mr. Edison.

- Oh, this is something different.

No, that's practically the same thing.

It gives you a week to pay up your bills...

...or this machinery all goes back

to the factory.

I see, anything else?

Uh, yeah, here's a summons

to come to court...

...and show cause why we shouldn't

serve this here replevin.

This is no good now, you've already

served the replevin.

No, no, look here, that writ

of attachment nullifies all that.

- Oh, I see. Well, is that good?

- Well, it should... Doggone, how do I know?

Maybe you need a habeas-corpus.

You got everything else.

- Are you a drinking man?

- Well, sure, but I'm sober now.

Me too. Let's go someplace where

you can buy me a drink.

Oh, yeah, that's an idea.

I never indulge in legal discussion

without benefit of spirits.

Well, it's very thoughtful of you,

Mr. Edison

Say, Mr. Edison, I've got a little

invention of my own.

- That's fine, boy or girl?

- Oh, no, I don't mean that.

Tom, Tom, the sheriff's gone.

I'm an ostrich.

Whenever I get in trouble I stick

my head in there and hide.

Why am I laughing?

I am in trouble.

Yeah, that's right.

The sheriff said you got a week

to pay the machinery company.

A week. A week.

It doesn't seem possible you can destroy in

a week what's taken five years to build up.

It's a shame, you must have a mint

of money wrapped up in that laboratory.

It's not the money wrapped up

in the laboratory,

the lives that are wrapped up

in the laboratory.

It's come to mean everything

that I ever set out to do.

The weekly paycheck

for all my men.

It means home, shelter, clothing,

food for lots of families.

I can't let a week destroy all of that.

Uncle Ben, I've got to do something.

And I'm open for suggestions.

- Are you fooling, Tom?

- I wish I was.

Nobody ever asked me for

advice before.

Then you ought to have a lot of it

stored up.

Well, it seems to me,

if I was in your place...

you being an inventor and all that, I'd...

Well, I'd invent something.

Oh, you mean just invent

something quick, like uh...

on the spur of the moment.

- That's right, the quicker the better.

- Anything you suggest in particular?

How about that light you

was always talking about?

The one that was supposed to work

by electricity, you remember?

Yes, I remember.

Well, it seems to me this is about

as good a time as any to invent that.

Bunt's always talking about it.

It ain't often he talks sense but

whenever he mentions that light,

he sounds pretty reasonable.

No two ways about it, Tom,

if you invent that,

Yes, if I could invent that.

- Uncle Ben, will you do something for me?

- Sure I will, Tom.

Will you tell my wife I won't

be home for dinner?

And I may not be home for breakfast

in the morning.

I'll gonna stay here

and get busy on that light.

Tom!

- Hello, Mary.

- Tom, look at you.

- It would be a good thing if I could do it.

- Don't you think you ought to stop for a while?

- I can't, not now.

- But four days, Tom.

The children have actually

stopped asking for you.

You've got to rest and eat.

I had some apple pie and milk

a little while ago.

- That was yesterday.

- I've got work to do.

It can't be so important as all this.

Right now it's more important to me

than anything in the world.

It isn't at all, Tom. Nothing is

as important as health.

You're tearing yourself to pieces.

Come home with me.

Please.

- Leave me alone.

- Tom!

I mean it. Leave me alone.

I'm working and you're interrupting me.

Do I have to get your permission

to do my job?

- You're not working, you're slaving.

- Alright, alright.

- Please leave me alone.

- All right, Tom!

Come in.

- Tom.

- Yes?

I don't understand these specifications.

This clay, what kind of clay is?

Pipe clay, ordinary pipe clay.

Wind the wire around it.

- Oh, yes, I see, I see.

- Michael.

Suppose this shop were to pass

out of my hands...

...and become the property of someone else,

would it make any difference?

Not to us, as long as you are

here with us.

Supposing I took in General Powell

as a partner.

And of course, Mr. Taggart.

Well...

If you have to...

Sounds very good.

That's all, Michael.

- Only a minute or two, please.

- I had no idea he was like that.

He's very, very ill.

- Hello Tom!

- Hello, General.

I'm glad you came.

I'd have come before this

if I knew you were ill.

Why did you keep it a secret? Why didn't

you let your friends know?

- Is everything alright?

- All fine.

- Sure?

- Sure. Everything smooth as silk.

Money piling in like corn in a crib.

I saw Taggart the other day.

He said something about helping you.

Helping me? I don't need any help.

Don't put too much faith in Taggart.

Now don't you worry about that,

General. You just hurry up and get well.

I'm doing my best, Tom.

I want to be around when

you get that light.

- That light.

- You will be, General.

Hm, you think so.

So, it looks as though General Powell won't

be up and around for quite a while and...

Well, the fact is I can't wait that long.

I've got to have the money right away.

Well, that's fine, Mr. Edison.

How much money do you want?

Well, with one thing and another

it's quite a tidy sum.

It doesn't matter, it doesn't

matter at all.

General Powell thinks that

you're a man with a future.

And any man the general believes in

is alright with me.

Just name your figure.

What would you say to...

...$50,000?

Hm-hmm, $50,000.

Suppose I let you have $100,000.

- 100,000?

- That's right.

Well, I don't need that

much, Mr. Taggart.

You may, you may.

You can't ever tell what's in the future.

For the present, I'm in the position to

give you a check for $ 100,000 right now.

Why, that's wonderful, that's great!

I wish I could tell you how

obliged I am.

Not at all, not at all.

I can go on experimenting for maybe

3 years now without any worry.

Naturally, if I let you have this money,

I should expect to assume some authority...

...in deciding the kind of work

you do at Menlo Park.

Oh, you would.

Now, don't misunderstand me.

I simply want the right to...

...make sure that whatever you undertake

to do is, uh... commercially profitable.

Sort of a little string on my money,

if you don't mind.

But I do mind.

I'm an inventor, I can't be told what to do.

I've got to do the things I want to do.

I work with ideas, visionary things.

Nobody, not even I know how useful

they're going to be or how profitable...

...till I've had a chance to work

them out in my own way.

You're in a very bad spot to ask

for your own way, Mr. Edison.

Yes, I am.

And you're willing to take advantage of it.

You want to put me on a chain.

Well now, you think it over.

No, that won't be necessary. I don't

want your money at that price.

I'd prefer to hang on somehow until

General Powell is able to talk to me.

Thank you.

Mr. Edison, General Powell is dead.

Men, this might be a fine time for us

all to sit down and have a good cry.

But we're not going to do that because

it won't get us anywhere.

I know that we've been in tough

spots before but, uh...

...we always seem to come up with

something at the last minute,

something that pulled us through.

Remember the chemical telegraph?

That was a windfall.

And the quadruplex and the electric pen?

Those things just sort of seemed to

come along when we need them most.

But this time nothing has happened.

I don't know, maybe I've been

expecting a miracle.

Anyway, it hasn't happened.

And I haven't any more time.

We're at the end of our rope.

And...

Boys, if you'll forgive me for

putting it this way,

You're discharged.

Hold out for a few more days, Tom.

I know I'll work out this new

telegraph thing.

Thanks, Jack, we can't hold out.

You've got to have money to live on,

and so do I.

And we haven't any money.

Except, I've been able to scrape enough

together to pay you off in full.

- Tom, Tom, may I say just a word?

- No.

The less said the better right now.

Men, I...

I want to thank you all for

what you've done for me.

Pay them off, that's all.

Oh, there's Papa.

Yes. Now lie down.

Good night, sweetheart.

Hello, Tom.

Hello, Tom.

Hello, Mary.

I don't suppose it's any use

to tell you I'm sorry, is it?

I don't know.

You might try.

Would it be alright if I tried tomorrow?

I'm dog tired.

- Tom, we've got something to settle.

- Not now, dear.

Yes, right now, Tom.

I want to know just how much

this light means to you.

I want the truth.

Is there anything real to it

or are you too stubborn to give it up?

- It's very real to me, Mary.

- But are you right about it?

Is everybody else in the world wrong?

Is there any chance, I don't care

how small, of your ever finding it?

Can we discuss it in the morning,

please, Mary?

Alright, Tom.

In the morning.

- Tom.

- Hm?

Well, I must have dropped off.

You let me sleep here all night?

Kind of tucked me in a little,

didn't you?

I couldn't let you catch cold, Tom.

- We have to talk this out.

- My, my, my, I just had the funniest dream.

He was dreaming about winter.

It was so cold that the

trees couldn't shake.

And daybreak froze fast

just as it was trying to dawn.

Yes, ma'am, all creation was freezing.

The question was whether I was going

to stay snug in bed or...

...get up and see what had happened.

Well, I got up, and the earth

had frozen fast on its axis.

It couldn't turn around.

Everything was pitch dark, too.

The sun had got jammed in between

two cakes of ice...

...and was working so hard to get loose

that it froze in its own sweat.

Well, so I stared off cross-country to see

what could be done and I met a bear.

I told him what had happened and he just

naturally bounced up and down on the ice...

...so hard that the hot oil

welled out all over him.

Then I picked Mr. Bear up and

I held him over the earth's axis...

...and I let the hot oil drip down.

Then I gave the earth's cog wheel a little

kick backwards till I got the sun loose.

The earth gave a grunt and began to

move, and the sun went up beautiful.

I lit my pipe by the light of its topknot.

Broke off a piece for myself.

Yes, ma'am, I walked home

with sunlight in my pocket.

Oh, Tom, that's beautiful.

You go on with your work.

Go right ahead with your light.

Don't listen to anyone

who tries to stop you.

Don't even listen to me if I talk

against it.

Nothing in the world can happen to us

as long as you can dream like that.

Well, Mary, maybe I didn't

dream it exactly.

Maybe I got it mixed up with an old

tall tale my mother would tell me.

No, I'd rather have it a dream.

Please, let it be a dream.

Alright, if you feel better that way.

Thank you.

I think you're a couple of laps

ahead of me all the time.

I told you you needed a heavier spring.

How many times do I have to tell you...

...to make you understand?

Getting anywhere with repeating

telegraph, Jack?

Not yet, but we'll get it.

Oh, Tom!

Here, here, don't monkey

with that.

- Sorry, Tom.

- That's all right.

It certainly put up a loud holler.

Never heard it make that

noise before.

It's certainly a keen noise. It seems

to be coming from the disk.

Very odd.

Michael, I'll be in my office if anyone

wants me. I've got some drawings to make.

Make this up as fast as you can.

What is it?

Is it something for the light?

No, I hope it's something that'll

keep the sheriff away.

Hello, hello, hello.

Mary had a little lamb!

His fleece...

Hello, hello, hello.

Mary had a little lamb!

His fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,

the lamb was sure to go.

Ha, ha, ha.

Hello, hello. hello.

Mary had a little lamb!

His fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,

the lamb was sure to go.

Ha, ha, ha.

- Gee wiz!

- I say!

That's... that's a wonderful invention.

It's no invention. It's been there

waiting for us all the time.

- You mean it was an accident?

- No, no, I don't think it was an accident.

Edison invents talking speaking.

Read all about the machine that talks!

Read all about it!

Bill told you, and Bill you owe.

You're certainly back on the right hook.

This talking machine is a gold mine.

Best pick in the corn stock load.

Look, Dash.

This is what I want to do. I want to get

a record of your voice at its loudest

Come on now, huh?

Before your mother comes, be a good boy and

give a big cry over this thing, will you, Dash?

Don't he cry enough as it is?

Go on, turn it.

come on, Dash, cry, honey.

Look, Dash, Dash...

Dash, look, look.

Look, look, Dash.

Dash, will you please cry?

Dash...

Dash... look.

Well, I must say!

I wanted him to cry a little,

but he would only laugh.

I should think he would,

watching you two perform.

Come along, dear.

Tom, there's a crowd of newspapermen

who want to see you.

What about? I'm busy now.

They want to know how far

you've got with the electric light.

I wish I knew myself. Bunt, you go out

and talk to them, will you?

Tell them I'll be glad to give

them an interview...

when I have something more definite

about the light.

I see, you're still in the dark

about the light.

You better duck.

No, no, don't rush. I'll answer

your questions one at a time.

What is this about a light?

We heard he's working on a light..

Mr. Edison can't see anybody

at present.

However, if there's anything

I can do for you.

Who are you?

I have been Mr. Edison's associate

and confidant for many, many years.

Maybe you invented Edison, huh?

This is not a subject for levity,

young man.

Mr. Edison and I were out west

together as telegraph operators...

...and I may say, in all modesty,

of course,

that whatever Tom knows

about telegraphy, I taught him.

I was always exceptional

as an instructor.

To illustrate, I was once in the

Western Telegraph Station, so lonely...

that I caught a big rattlesnake

and brought him into my office for company.

And I named him Pete.

And gentlemen, in the long, cold,

winter night hours...

...I taught Pete to sing out the

Morse Code with his rattles.

Well, sir, the snake got away,

disappeared.

One day I chanced to be out

bear-hunting...

and I ran across a great big

rattlesnake in the brush.

I brought my gun down on him and,

would you believe it,

he rattled out, "Stop, Bunt,

don't shoot! It's me, Pete."

Just a minute, Mr... uh...

Cavatt.

James J. Cavatt

- Known over the world as Bunt.

- How do you do?

Mr. Cavatt, we didn't come here to listen

to your snake stories,

we came here to interview Mr. Edison.

Mr. Edison is shut up in his laboratory.

In fact, he's on the verge

of a great discovery.

What is it? That's what we came

to find out.

- Gentlemen, I'm not at liberty to say.

- Is it the electric light?

That's something you'll have to find out

from Mr. Edison himself.

Why doesn't he tell us?

Firstly I don't believe he has a light

and I don't think he ever will have.

- Oh, you don't, eh?

- No, I don't, eh.

And what's more, I think he hasn't the nerve

to come out here and tell us.

He's hiding inside there behind you.

Why, you little pipsqueak, he's inside

there alright because he has got the light.

- You mean he's actually discovered it?

- Yes.

- He's got it now?

- Yes.

Why hasn't he announced it?

One thing at a time. He just finished

with the talking machine.

You can't let these big inventions

pile up on the public.

- Thank you, Mr. Cavatt.

- Come on, these will make the headlines.

Pipsqueak.

I guess I gave him an earfull.

I sure did.

Ordinarily I'm a reticent fellow.

But he made me so mad.

You know I didn't have the light.

I'm miles away from it.

I never thought anybody'd believe me.

Everybody who reads the paper

will believe it.

Everybody except the men of science.

They'll skin me alive.

Well, I guess maybe I'd better

make myself scarce for a while.

If I had the money, I'd blow.

Can I take $20, Tom?

Here's the ten I owe you.

Like to keep even, don't you?

Well, take care of yourself.

Sure.

I'm awful sorry about that

little blunder I made.

Why don't you tell them it's my fault?

Blame it on me.

No, it's alright, Bunt, it's alright.

As a matter of fact I'm kind

of glad it happened.

Now I've got to get the light.

Taggart, the gas stocks are going down

another point.

Gentlemen, if you please, make yourselves

easy. There isn't any light.

- How do you know?

- It's my business to know.

There's no electric light

and there never will be.

It's as impossible as perpetual motion.

- Then we ought to expose this man.

- I shan't say a word against him.

I don't have to. He's hung himself.

He's made a statement that isn't true

and never will be true.

In the field of science that sort

of thing is suicide.

That's right. By George,

he's ruined himself.

Talk of an electric light is sheer nonsense.

Edison's claims are as extravagant

as a fairy tale.

He knows or should know that it is

impossible as perpetual motion.

I say to you in all sincerity that these

statements about an electric light...

...are without any scientific foundation.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Edison refuses to

demonstrate his mysterious electric light.

We can easily assume why he refuses.

Because there's no such light.

It burned out again.

Well, that won't work.

- We'll have to try something else.

- But what?

We've tried dozens of metals.

Tin, copper, iron, iridium, brass, nickel.

We'll have to try hundreds more,

maybe thousands.

But I know that somewhere

in this universe...

...is a substance which will work

and we're going to find it.

We've got to have a light much brighter

for its size than any gaslight...

...or it's no good at all.

If platinum won't give it to us,

I don't know what will.

- Shall I connect it?

- Yes.

Well, it ought to work, but it won't.

I don't know, it must be some reason

we haven't thought of.

Or else we haven't the right material.

We've tried everything but this.

Now cry, son, cry.

Now cry, cry, cry.

Cry, son, cry.

- Doesn't he cry?

- He has quite frequently.

Never when I'm around. I've been trying to

get him to cry since he was 9 months old.

Come son, cry, please.

Now cry. Cry, son, cry.

- Oh, Tom, this is terrible.

- What's terrible?

Listen to this.

"When asked for an opinion of

Mr. Edison's claim,

the professor stated, "There is no room

in the world of science for a charlatan."

- Tom.

- There, there, do you hear that?

Your father's a faker.

Everybody says so.

Well, don't you see?

Look at that.

He doesn't care. I'm disgraced

and he sits here calm and peaceful.

Read it to him again slowly.

Maybe we can get him to understand.

I hope I never lay eyes on that

Bunt Cavatt again.

Oh, don't be too hard on Bunt.

He and I had some good times together.

I'd like to shake his head until

his brains rattled.

Look, son, cry, please.

I don't suppose Bunt has enough

brains in his head to rattle.

No, sort of a vacuum, I guess.

Well, even the vacuum can

be useful at times.

I remember I had an old bird dog once...

Vacuum.

Vacuum.

By George!

Tom, what on earth?

Simon, Simon!

We need a vacuum. That's

what we've been looking for.

The wire can't burn brightly enough

without melting...

...because it's exposed to the open air.

Too much oxygen. We'll enclose

the wire in a glass globe.

Pump out the air, turn on the current

and see what happens.

No, tonight.

- How was that?

- That'll do for the present.

- Thanks.

- Turn on the current.

She burns it up brighter now.

Not bright enough. We'll have

to improve the vacuum.

But Tom, I've got it down to one/one hundred

thousandth of an atmosphere already.

- We'll have to do better than that.

- But we can't do it. Not with this pump.

There's a mercury pump over at

Princeton that could do the trick.

Wonder if we can borrow that.

Have we got enough vacuum, Mike?

It's as good as we'll ever get.

Alright, turn on the current.

Well, here we go.

Well, we failed again.

That's the net result of

nine thousand experiments.

Too bad, Tom.

We know the work you have done.

We are as sorry as you are

that you didn't get results.

Results? Man, I got a lot of results.

I know nine thousand things now

that won't work.

It's a shame.

I'd like to see Mr. Edison, please.

What about?

I want to study to be an inventor.

You do, huh?

Why?

Well, because inventors make things,

and I like to make things.

And look.

See that?

- See how easy it works?

- Let's see it again.

Pretty good.

I made it myself, I was always breaking

my thumb nail.

Think you can make me one?

I don't know.

I might.

- It ain't much of a knife, is it?

- It will be when you fix it up.

- Tom, don't feel too bad.

- Mr. Els.

This young man wants to be

an inventor. What is your name?

- Jimmy Price

- Alright, Jimmy, this is Mr. Els.

Jimmy's going to work here with us.

Where are you staying, Jimmy?

I mean, where are you sleeping?

Well, for the time being I guess

I'll just have to sleep right here.

Take him over to the boarding house.

Give him a good meal and a room.

What's the matter?

Gosh...

Are you Thomas Edison?

Well, I think I am, Jimmy. Sometimes I get

a little confused about it.

You report at eight in the morning

for work.

Good morning, Tom.

- Good morning, boys.

- Good morning.

- Will it light?

- Hm-hmm.

We're going to use carbon for a filament

instead of metal.

- Filament? I never heard that word before.

- Neither did I. I just made it up.

That's ordinary sewing thread.

I want you to put it in the oven

and bake it for about an hour, you see?

Get it thoroughly impregnated

with carbon first, the way this is.

Then we'll put it in the bulb and try it.

But the thread is too delicate, Tom.

The heat'll break it.

Well, we'll try it anyway.

- But we've tried carbon before.

- Not carbonized thread.

That isn't very scientific, Tom.

I told you we had to leave

science behind! Come on!

Be careful you don't break

that filament.

It's number 65.

- Did it break? Is it alright?

- It's going to be alright.

Look, it's holding together.

Jimmy, take it up to Mr. Edison,

but be careful

I'll be right up.

By guns, Jimmy, can't

you stand on your feet?

There goes a whole day's work.

Jimmy.

Jimmy!

Yes?

Careful with this one now

It's still hot.

Come on, come on, Jimmy,

we're wasting time.

Come on.

Nice thing about mistakes,

they don't have to be permanent.

I had to learn that by myself

when I was a kid.

A shoe filament.

A cotton sewing thread,

impregnated with carbon,

and sealed in a vacuum.

Alright, we'll give it the live test.

I'm almost afraid to turn the switch.

Here we go.

Well.

Looks as if this one

is going to last.

Still burning.

- Well, it must be 7:00.

- Yeah, and after.

How about a cup of coffee?

No, no, I'll have a glass of milk.

- Bring a glass for Jimmy, too.

- Sure.

A piece of pie.

Ashton, you'd better go home

and get some sleep.

He's been here all day.

I won't fall out of bed, Mama.

Good night, darling.

Close your eyes.

Come on.

- Can I lace my shoes?

- Hm-hmm.

- Don't I look pretty in my pink dress?

- Oh, you do.

# Oh, Genevieve #

# Sweet Genevieve #

# The days may come #

# The days may go #

# But still the hands of memory weave #

# The blissful dreams of long ago #

Give it a little more current.

Give it all it will take.

Turn up the gas.

- Forty hours.

- My, my.

Well, if it'll burn forty hours,

it'll burn four hundred.

Put that filament under a microscope.

- What's the date?

- October, 21st.

He's calling the newspapers.

He's going to light New York City!

Good, I'm going to bed.

Take it easy, Jim. All worry ever got me

was indigestion.

Look, Sneed, if Edison gets the franchise

to light this town,

I may as well make a bonfire

of my gas stocks.

Let him have it. The light

probably won't work.

That's the trouble, it will work.

Everything Edison invents works,

and works well.

I found that out to my sorrow.

What do you want me to do?

Stop him from getting

that franchise.

I see no reason, gentlemen,

why Mr. Thomas A. Edison should not

be granted a franchise...

...to electrically illuminate the

specified district under discussion.

Mr. Chairman, your own enthusiasm is not

shared by all of us by a long shot.

We are asked to let this man use New

York as a testing ground for his...

The light has been tested thoroughly.

You've been shown that its fire hazard

is so much less than that of gas...

Just a minute.

Gas is not on trial here.

No, but I can see that the

electric light is.

Gentlemen, I've told you that we're

willing to put our wires underground,

...so they will not overburden

your telephone poles.

I've assured you we'll take every

other necessary precautions.

I still say the risk is too great

for his impossible claims.

But they're not impossible.

And even if it were, my associates and I

are the ones taking the risk.

We're not asking New York City

for any financial aid.

We're merely asking for permission

to install our equipment at our own risk,

at our own expense, and if

we fail, at our own loss.

That seems fair enough.

Shall we vote on it?

- Yes. Yes.

- Mr. Edison!

One thing more, if you please. You know

that no dynamo in existence...

...is capable of producing the current

necessary to supply your lighting system.

Yes, sir, that's quite true.

Then how do you propose

to perform this miracle?

I'm going to build a dynamo. I'm going to

build a dynamo big enough to do the job.

One word, please,

I demand to be heard.

Mr. Taggart, this is extremely

presumptuous.

Let him speak, he's a taxpayer.

- Make it brief, Mr. Taggart.

- Thank you.

I want to repectfully call the attention of

this board to the law which requires...

...that a specified time limit

be put in all contracts.

Mr. Edison's project must be

completed on some definite day.

That's the law.

Mr. Edison, how long will this

experiment of yours take?

- It won't be an experiment, Mr. Taggart.

- Please, don't let's quibble.

- How long will it take?

- It'll take a year, perhaps two.

There we are, gentlemen.

One year, perhaps two.

That means that for two years the streets

of the city of New York are to be torn up.

And traffic at a standstill. As a taxpayer,

I protest against such an outrage.

I protest with all the vehemence

at my command.

What would you suggest then?

I suggest that Mr. Edison be limited

to three months.

Can you do it in three months,

Mr. Edison?

No, sir.

And I doubt if Mr. Taggart could pipe

the same area for gas in three months.

The gas is already there, Mr. Edison,

functioning for the benefit...

...of thousands of grateful taxpayers.

I say those taxpayers have rights.

Rights its the duty of this board

to protect.

Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Edison.

I didn't come here this morning to deprive

the taxpayers of any rights.

I'm inviting this Board to let them

make use of a discovery...

...which will endanger and

handicap no one...

...but those who are afraid of its

competition with their own monopolies.

Your own experts have shown you

that the electric light is practical.

Its enemies know that it will be a cheaper

form of illumination than gas.

And that's the reason they're

against it.

But that's not the reason

I'm fighting for it.

I didn't hunt for it over

a period of years...

...because I thought there'd be money

at the end of the search.

It's because I've always known that if

we could find the light without a flame,

that you could put into homes

where men and women...

...are ruining their eyesight under

oil lamps and gas jets,

where surgeons are performing operations,

where doctors are working over microscopes,

men down coal mines, people everywhere...

...could have a safer and

a brighter light.

That I'd be doing something that every one

of them would be grateful to me for...

...whether they ever paid me

in money or not.

Now that light has been found!

What are you going to do about it?

Could you completely pipe

that district in six months, Mr. Taggart?

Easily.

Alright, then, let's say six months,

how's that?

- Shall we vote on it, gentlemen?

- Yes.

All in favor of granting the franchise

under discussion?

- Aye.

- All against?

- Nay.

- Accepted. The franchise is granted.

- I congratulate you, Mr. Edison.

- Six months!

That's about September, 4th.

I'll have to hurry.

Thank you, sir.

- Tom.

- Oh, thanks.

- What do we call her, boys?

- It's the biggest in the world.

- Alright, we'll call it Jumbo.

- I christen you Jumbo!

Here, here, here!

It can't be wasted.

Two o'clock. Five hours to spare.

Power them for a load test.

Stand by for a full load test, boys.

Number 1.

Alright, number 2.

Throw them in parallel.

We're out of speed!

Faster, faster.

We're out of speed.

More, now! More, more speed!

Stop it, stop it!

I don't know what caused this problem.

The engines were not running

at the same speed.

One dynamo was pulling, the other

didn't follow.

The trouble must be with those

governors.

We'll have to connect those

governors together with a shaft.

But we can't do it now, Tom.

It's too big a job.

Send one of the men down to Gertz St.

and get 15 feet of one-inch steel shafting.

Five hours are not enough, Tom.

We haven't got the time.

We haven't got time to talk about it.

Go and do it.

Come on, men. Let's see what

damage was done now.

Let's get going.

Come on!

Why don't they play some chiff music?

- Mr. Taggart.

- Go away, Hall. Go away.

Mr. Taggart, listen.

- Very interesting, very interesting.

- I thought you'd like to know, sir.

Very thoughtful of you, Hall. Thank you.

Gentlemen, I've just received

very heartening news.

- What is it?

- Our friend Edison has stumbled.

At the last minute he has

miscalculated.

His dynamos have broken down.

What lovely music.

Alright, turn it.

The other way.

Does it bind?

Running nice and smooth.

Alright. Put the belt on.

Tom, what happened?

Oh, Jumbo developed some bug

at the last minute.

Oh, look at your trousers.

Tom, your new blue suit.

How do you suppose that happened?

Oh, I'll never be able to fix that.

What's the matter, dear?

- I'm worried.

- About the dynamos?

Suppose they fail to work?

- They won't.

- You should have been here a while ago.

I wish I had your confidence.

I wish I had yours.

- Tom, one minute to seven.

- Right on the dot.

Remind me to give you a big hug

and a kiss afterwards, will you?

Go on, get out of the way.

- All ready, boys?

- Yeah, ready.

- Go ahead, Mike.

- Stand by, boys.

Now, number 1.

Take it easy, take it easy now.

Number 2.

Alright, throw them in parallel.

Go ahead.

Hooray!

Lower those feeders switches.

And yet, he would have been

a great man...

...even if had never invented anything.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you a name that will remain...

...forever vital with courage,

and vibrant with inspiration.

Thomas Alva Edison.

Mr. Toastmaster...

Mr. Toastmaster,

ladies and gentlemen.

To be told by the outstanding

men and women of your time...

...that you have contributed a great deal

to human betterment is pleasant.

Very pleasant.

I'd hardly be humored if my heart didn't

fill from such a magnificent compliment.

But somehow I have not yet

achieved a success I want.

Earlier this evening, I talked

with two school children.

Tomorrow, the world will be theirs.

It's a troubled world, full of

doubt and uncertainty.

You say we men of

science have been helping it.

Are those children and their children...

...going to approve of what

we've done?

Or are they going to discover

too late...

...that science was trusted

too much...

...so that it has turned into a monster...

...whose final triumph is man's

own destruction?

Some of us are beginning to feel

that danger.

But it can be avoided.

I once had two dynamos.

They needed regulating.

It was a problem of balance

and adjustment.

And I feel that the confusion

in the world today,

presents much the same problem.

But dynamo of man's God

given ingenuity...

...is running away with the dynamo

of his equally God given humanity.

I am too old now to do much more

than to say:

Put those dynamos in balance.

Make them work in harmony,

as the great designer intended

they should.

It can be done.

What man's mind can see,

man's character can control.

Man must learn that.

And then we needn't

be afraid of tomorrow.

And man will go forward...

...toward more light.

Subtitles: Lu?s Filipe Bernardes