The Great Moment (1944)

Synopsis: THE GREAT MOMENT is the more or less serious biography of Dr. W.T. Morgan, a 19th-century Boston dentist, during his quest to have anesthesia, in the form of ether, accepted by the public and the... THE GREAT MOMENT is the more or less serious biography of Dr. W.T. Morgan, a 19th-century Boston dentist, during his quest to have anesthesia, in the form of ether, accepted by the public and the medical and dental establishments. Written and directed by Preston Sturges, the film contains aspects not usually associated with the king of quick-witted comedy. The film is an unexpected amalgam of various techniques, including an extensive flashback sequence and a hybrid of genres, shifting back and forth from comedy to drama. The dentist receives neither fame nor fortune for this great service to humanity. But like the hero in Sturges's THE GREAT MCGINTY, Morton, played darkly by Joel McCrea, is shown as a man who ruins himself through one great moment of generous impulse. Familiar Sturges bouts utilize slapstick and verbal fancy while getting some unexpected performances from the actors in his stock company. The finished film was taken away from Sturges and reedited by the studio; even still, it resonates as an oddly moving film that sticks agreeably in the memory. [More]

Starring: Joel McCrea, Betty Field, Harry Carey, William Demarest

Starring: Joel McCrea, Betty Field, Harry Carey, William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn, Porter Hall, Grady Sutton

Director: Preston Sturges

Director: Preston Sturges
Screenwriter: Preston Sturges
Composer: Victor Young

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