The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)
- Starring:
- Paul Muni, Akim Tamiroff, (more)
- Director(s):
- William Dieterle
Synopsis of The Story of Louis Pasteur
"Every time Paul Muni parts his beard and looks through a microscope, we lose a million dollars." Producer Jack Warner's lament concerning Muni's historical dramas is cute enough, but hardly backed up by facts; the economically produced The Story of Louis Pasteur proved to be a surprise hit for the Brothers Warner. The Sheridan Gibney-Pierre Collings screenplay concentrates on Pasteur's tireless efforts to find a cure for anthrax and hydrophobia. The famed French scientist is continually challenged and thwarted by his principal rival, hidebound bacteriologist Dr. Charbonnet (Fritz Leiber). The film's climax, involving a desperate Pasteur, the immovable Charbonnet, Pasteur's ailing daughter (Anita Louise), and a hydrophobia-infected youngster (Dickie Moore), is straight out of the Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight school of melodrama. Within the film's context, however, this contrivance works magnificently. Virtually thrown away by Warners upon its first release, The Story of Louis Pasteur was finally awarded class-A treatment when the picture proved to be favorite with audiences and critics alike; Paul Muni's Academy Award win was the mere icing on the cake. The film's success led to Warners' decision to go ahead with 1937's The Life of Emile Zola, also starring Muni. This time, the studio copped its first Best Picture Oscar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Complete Cast of The Story of Louis Pasteur
- Paul Muni - Louis Pasteur
- Josephine Hutchinson - Madame Pasteur
- Donald Woods - Jean Martel
- Henry O'Neill - Roux
- Raymond Brown - Dr. Radisse
- Frank Reicher - Dr. Pheiffer
- Walter Kingsford - Napoleon III
- Iphigenie Castiglioni - Empress Eugenie
- Niles Welch - Courier
- Otto Hoffman - Farmer
- Mabel Colcord - A Lady
- C. Montague Shaw - British Reporter
- George Andre Beranger - Assistant
- Leonard Mudie - Coachman
- Edward Van Sloan - Chairman
- Ferdinand Schumann-Heink - Reporter
- Robert Strange - Magistrate
- Lotta Williams - Cecile
- Frank Mayo - President Sadi Carnot
- Akim Tamiroff - Dr. Zaranoff
- Anita Louise - Annette Pasteur
- Fritz Leiber - Dr. Charbonnet
- Porter Hall - Dr. Rosignol
- Halliwell Hobbes - Dr. Joseph Lister
- Dickie Moore - Phillip Meister
- Herbert Corthell - President Louis-Adolphe Thiers
- Eric Mayne - Lord Chamberlain
- Leonid Snegoff - Russian Ambassador
- Brenda Fowler - Midwife
- Herbert Heywood - Boncourt
- Alphonse Ethier - Finance Minister
- Baron Hesse - Fat Doctor
- Fred Walton - Government Inspector
- Richard Alexander - Burly Farmer
- Tempe Piggott - Woman
- Wheaton Chambers - Alsatian
- William Burress - Doctor
- Director(s):
- William Dieterle
- Writer(s):
- Sheridan Gibney, Pierre Collings
- Producer(s):
- Henry Blanke
- 1936 - Film Daily - 10 Best Films
- 1936 - New York Times - 10 Best Films
- 1936 - Venice International Film Festival - Volpi Cup for Best Actor
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