Themes: Actor's Life, Ladder to the Top, Work Ethics
Main Cast: José Ferrer, Dean Jagger, Keenan Wynn, Julie London, Joanne Gilbert
Release Year: 1956
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
Plot
Based on a novel by television producer Al Morgan, The Great Man is a Citizen Kane-style look at the private life of a public figure. The Great Man is a beloved radio and television personality who dies suddenly. Jose Ferrer (who also directed) plays a writer/commentator who has a chance to break into the Big Time by preparing a eulogistic broadcast concerning the deceased celebrity. As he interviews the various people who knew the Great Man on the way up (including Julie London and Ed and Keenan Wynn) he learns that the "idol of millions" was actually a conniving, duplicitous scoundrel who stepped on everyone in his path and who took credit for the hard work of others. Warned by his boss (Dean Jagger) that his career will be ruined if he tells the truth, Ferrer nonetheless takes to the airwaves with a "warts and all" biography--and the results are surprising only to those with no cynicism in their souls. The Great Man stirred up a sensation in 1956 because it was perceived to be an a clef study of the enormously popular (and ruthlessly powerful) media star Arthur Godfrey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Great Man is an extremely effective film that has been surprisingly neglected. Though known and respected by film buffs, Man is basically unknown to the general public, perhaps because of its cynicism. The film starts off well, but with echoes of Citizen Kane that make one fear it will be a pale imitation of a flawless classic, but it shortly develops its own voice -- and when it does, it speaks out loud and strong. The screenplay is also filled with delicious bits of dialogue, and its insider's view of show business is fascinating. Most importantly, it has characters that live and breathe, even when they seem to be stock characters, like a hard-boiled reporter or an alcoholic ex-wife. José Ferrer's direction is sharp and solid throughout, giving the film excellent pacing and just the right tone. His performance is always dead-on, as are the performances of practically the entire cast. Special mention should be made of Ed Wynn's skillful performance, which mixes humor and humanity to very good effect. The Great Man is not as well known as the later, similar A Face in the Crowd, but it deserves to be. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Ed Wynn - Paul Beesley; Jim Backus - Nick Cellantano; Russ Morgan - Eddie Brand; Edward Platt - Dr. O'Connor; Robert Foulk - Mike Jackson; Lyle Talbot - Harry Connors; Henny Backus - Mrs. Rieber; Vikki Dougan - Receptionist; Robert Schwartz - Mailboy; Vinton Haworth - Charley Carruthers; Hallene Hill - Old Woman
Credit
Alexander Golitzen - Art Director, Eric Orbom - Art Director, Richard H. Riedel - Art Director, Bill Thomas - Costume Designer, Phil Bowles - First Assistant Director, José Ferrer - Director, Sherman Todd - Editor, Al Joseph - Editor, Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score), Herman Stein - Composer (Music Score), Bobby Troup - Songwriter, Leah Worth - Songwriter, Bud Westmore - Makeup, Harold Lipstein - Cinematographer, Aaron Rosenberg - Producer, Russell A. Gausman - Set Designer, Ruby Levitt - Set Designer, Leslie I. Carey - Sound/Sound Designer, Frank H. Wilkinson - Sound/Sound Designer, José Ferrer - Screenwriter, Al Moran - Screenwriter, Al Morgan - Book Author
The Great Man is a 1956 drama film directed by José Ferrer and based on a novel by Al Morgan. It was loosely based on the controversial career of Arthur Godfrey, the beloved TV and radio host whose image had been tarnished by a number of cast firings and Godfrey's contentious battles with the press.
Characters and story
Joe Harris (José Ferrer) is a popular, established network radio news reporter covering Broadway entertainment with a wise-guy attitude. The Godfrey-like Herb Fuller is the network's undisputed star. When Fuller dies in an auto accident, Philip Carleton (Dean Jagger), president of the Amalgamated Broadcasting Network, assigns Harris to prepare a memorial extravaganza, including an elaborate public viewing and a special memorial show featuring interviews with Fuller's radio cast, the "Fuller Family," and others who knew him. Carleton dangles a chance at Harris becoming Fuller's replacement if he succeeds.
Assisted by network PR man Nick Cellentano (Jim Backus), Harris is intrigued by odd comments at the public viewing, including some from various individuals who attend strictly out of boredom and are indifferent to Fuller.
Harris meets Sid Moore (Keenan Wynn), Fuller's longtime producer, who offers his assistance but realizes Harris is in line to become Fuller's successor. As he begins his research, aided by his secretary Ginny (Joanne Gilbert), Harris discovers Fuller was an alcoholic and an unethical womanizing egomaniac who became a star in spite of it. He is visited by Paul Beaseley ( Ed Wynn), owner of a tiny Christian radio station in New England, who first hired Fuller, impressed by his inspirational poetry and treated him as a son only to discover his dark side. While Harris is initially condescending to the relatively innocent Beaseley, by the time he explains his relationship with Fuller, Harris is apologetic for his attitude.
Harris's investigations reveal Fuller's relationship with Carol Larson (Julie London), the alcoholic vocalist on his show, and various conflicts of interest involving his relationship with various song publishers whose songs were performed on Fuller's program. Fuller bandleader Eddie Brand, hoping to remain on what he, too suspects will be Harris' show, dutifully records an artificially sincere sound bite regarding Fuller. Brand was played by real-life bandleader Russ Morgan. Finally, Moore signs Harris to a contract, then tells him of more Fuller escapades.
Carleton privately warns Harris of Moore's duplicitous nature, telling the newsman that the network will spin his chances of becoming Fuller's successor negatively so Moore agrees to release him from the contract, adding if Harris cannot secure a release, the network will turn elsewhere. Amassing the research into a script with sound bites, Harris has to choose between reporting the beloved, amusing and warm-hearted Fuller the public saw and the phony beneath the image.
Harris makes up his mind as the broadcast starts, throwing away his prepared script to tell the truth about Herb Fuller. As Carleton and Moore listen in Carleton's office, Moore realizes what Harris is about to do, rips up Harris' contract and demands Carleton stop the broadcast. Seeing that Moore has done precisely what he had hoped for, Carleton refuses to stop the broadcast, explaining that he can market Harris as a man of principle and honesty to the public just as easily as his network marketed Fuller's phony image.
While the movie was based on the controversy surrounding Arthur Godfrey, whose controversial real-life persona contrasted with his warm-hearted public demeanor, the fictional Fuller's failings differed greatly. Godfrey's controversies were mostly public, not private. Godfrey's womanizing was long-rumored but never confirmed, but he was not a heavy drinker like Fuller.
