Taking over the role of Thomas Alva Edison from his "Boy's Town" co-star Mickey Rooney in this follow-up to "Young Tom Edison", Spencer Tracy performed a George Arliss and Paul Muni like miracle of acting, turning into the famous inventor before your very eyes. This film (which can be seen without having seen its predecessor) deals with his arrival in New York City and his series of inventions from a recording device to the electric light, and a six month contract to get it up and running in New York or forever be shamed in scientific circles. Two character actors who supported Don Ameche's Alexander Graham Bell the previous year, are present. Charles Coburn plays the jovial General Powell who is Edison's biggest champion, while Gene Lockhart returns to his ruthless fool characterization as he becomes desperate to stop Edison from reaching his goal because of his financial involvement in the gaslights which previously (and dimly) lit up the streets.The film starts in 1929 when the aged Edison is being honored at the Jubilee of light, flashes back 60 years (although Tracy never appears to look to be in his early 20's), examines his courtship of young Rita Johnson (introduced thanks to a broken umbrella), his support by Coburn after fixing a broken stock market ticker tape machine, and eventual battle with the scheming Lockhart. Rather than expand into a third Edison tale, this film simply lists his other inventions after the electric light, which includes a reminder that he also had a hand in creating the kinescope, something we now know as motion pictures. A full length version of that discovery and the patent wars (which resulted in lawsuits by the real Edison himself) would have made an intriguing completion to the tale, but alas never came to fruition.This doesn't have the folksy atmosphere of "Young Tom Edison" (which is more family oriented in its narrative) yet is scientifically more important. Tracy really seems to become Edison, while Coburn, Lockhart and Grant Mitchell (as Lockhart's attorney) are excellent. The amount of comedy is somewhat limited, with a seemingly unnecessary inclusion of a young Tom Edison like inventor thrown in for a few later scenes. That doesn't diminish the value of this history lesson, given the MGM gloss and an important addition to the gallery of America's rise as an innovator in technology still in use today.

You don't see these kind of old-fashioned biographies anymore. There have been very few in the last 40 years. Yes, many of the classic biographies sugar-coated the stories, ignoring a person's negative traits, but today's films mostly do the opposite, so it's nice to re-visit a movie in which an American hero is shown as just that. One gets tired of all the trashing.Thomas Alva Edison certainly was a hero with his incredible inventions (i.e., the light bulb) which affected almost everyone on the planet to a significant degree. This movie goes to great lengths to show Edison's persistence in reaching his goals while also highlighting the dedication of the men who worked for him.Spencer Tracy as Edison, along with Rita Johnson, Lynne Overman, Charles Coburn, Gene Lockhart, Henry Travers and Felix Bressart make this a pretty solid movie. It's not spectacular, probably not worth more than one look, maybe two, but it's a story that should be seen about an amazing period in history.

Edison in this version comes across as a kindly soul, sort of "Santa the inventor" -- kind to one and all.Don't look for historical accuracy of any kind in this film. Although the acting is nicely done. Spencer Tracy is a constant delight. He even gets to play the organ in one scene! Tracy and Co.'s contributions rate it a six, but it certainly doesn't deserve anything more.I especially loved the one-handed Morse-code tapping Edison. One doesn't need to know much about Edison to realize pretty quickly that this is sheer hagiography.There is even a court room scene between gas and electrical lighting. Pretty fun.

Motion Picture biographical representations of famous people usually remove the warts in their life history. It was not until February of 2003 did I learn that using carbon filaments, was the brainchild of African-American inventor Lewis Latimer and his partner, Joseph V. Nichols. The movie focuses around Edison's discovery of the carbon filament which lights the world, when actually Edison's filaments were made from bamboo and only lasted 30 hours.The story as told is very pleasant and the performances of Spencer Tracey, Gene Lockhart and Charles Coburn hold the viewers interest. With the warts, this is still an inspiring motion picture. I think seeing Mickey Rooney as YOUNG TOM EDISON should be viewed first.