The Human Comedy (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Human Comedy


image_size =
caption =
director = Clarence Brown
producer = Clarence Brown
writer = William Saroyan
Howard Estabrook
narrator =
starring = Mickey Rooney
music =
cinematography = Harry Stradling Sr.
editing = Conrad A. Nervig
distributor = MGM
released = 2 March, 1943
runtime = 118 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0036022

"The Human Comedy" is a 1943 drama film directed by Clarence Brown and adapted by Howard Estabrook. cite web |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/23815/The-Human-Comedy/overview |title=New York Times: The Human Comedy |accessdate=2008-08-19|work=NY Times] It is based on the novel of the same name. It starred Mickey Rooney, Frank Morgan, James Craig, Marsha Hunt, Fay Bainter, Ray Collins, Van Johnson, Donna Reed and Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins.

Production

Saroyan wrote a movie treatment and a screenplay that he was asked to direct. He was paid off and removed from the project when his film proved to be more than two hours long. Saroyan was not at all happy with the film as completed by Brown, and he wrote his novel from the script he produced. The novel was published at the same time as the film's release with the intent of countering the film version of the story. There are noticeable differences between the film and the novel, including a stronger characterization of Ulysses, the small boy, in the novel and far fewer scenes of sentiment than were incorporated into the film by Estabrook and Brown (social criticism is also much blunter in the novel). cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/human_comedy/about.php |title=Rotten Tomatoes: The Human Comedy |accessdate=2008-08-19|work=Rotten Tomatoes]

Awards

It won the Academy Award for Best Story and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Mickey Rooney), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Director and Best Picture.

Cast

* Mickey Rooney - Homer Macauley
* Frank Morgan - Willie Grogan
* James Craig - Tom Spangler
* Marsha Hunt - Diana Steed
* Fay Bainter - Mrs. Macauley
* Ray Collins - Mr. Macauley
* Van Johnson - Marcus Macauley
* Donna Reed - Bess Macauley
* Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins - Ulysses Macauley
* Dorothy Morris - Mary Arena
* John Craven - Tobey George
* Anne Ayars - Mrs. Rose Sandoval
* Mary Nash - Miss Hicks
* Henry O'Neill - Charles Steed
* Katharine Alexander - Mrs. Steed
* Alan Baxter - Brad Stickman, Sick Man Wiring for Money
* Darryl Hickman - Lionel
* Barry Nelson - Fat, First Soldier
* Rita Quigley - Helen Eliot, Homer's Crush
* Clem Bevans - Henderson (apricots)
* Adeline De Walt Reynolds - Librarian

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0036022|title=The Human Comedy