Drama

Bigger Than Life

- The story of the handful of hope that became a fistful of hell!

A friendly, successful suburban teacher and father grows dangerously addicted to cortisone, resulting in his transformation into a household despot.

Release Date : 1956-11-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : One in a Million

Cast

Character Name : Ed Avery

Original Name : James Mason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lou Avery

Original Name : Barbara Rush

Gender : Female

Character Name : Wally Gibbs

Original Name : Walter Matthau

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Norton

Original Name : Robert F. Simon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Richie Avery

Original Name : Christopher Olsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Ruric

Original Name : Roland Winters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bob LaPorte

Original Name : Rusty Lane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Rachel Stephens

Gender : Female

Character Name : Pat Wade

Original Name : Kipp Hamilton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. LaPorte (uncredited)

Original Name : Betty Caulfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Jones (uncredited)

Original Name : Virginia Carroll

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Jones (uncredited)

Original Name : Renny McEvoy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Byron (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe (uncredited)

Original Name : Dee Aaker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Freddie (uncredited)

Original Name : Jerry Mathers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nancy (uncredited)

Original Name : Portland Mason

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Tyndall (uncredited)

Original Name : Natalie Masters

Gender : Female

Character Name : Milkman (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Collier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. McLennan (uncredited)

Original Name : Lewis Charles

Gender : Male

Character Name : Druggist (uncredited)

Original Name : Gus Schilling

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clergyman (uncredited)

Original Name : Alex Frazer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Edwards (uncredited)

Original Name : Mary McAdoo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Saleslady (uncredited)

Original Name : Mary Carver

Gender : Female

Character Name : Saleslady (uncredited)

Original Name : Eugenia Paul

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lab Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Gladys Richards

Gender : Male

Character Name : X-Ray Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : David Bedell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dispatcher (uncredited)

Original Name : Joseph Mell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Janitor (uncredited)

Original Name : George Chester

Gender : Male

Reviews

Godaray

@Godaray

2021-06-23

The movie deals with serious topics pertaining to life and drug abuse. Ed Avery (James Mason) has a serious condition which can only be controlled with cortisone, a still experimental drug leaving consequences in the human psyche. In the movie, Ed is describes as an intelligent, vibrant and happy man. He lives a mediocre, but happy life, he has financial problems just like any other man, and in the start of the movie we can see how much he loves his family, and would do anything for his wifes and sons safety. Then, he becomes addicted to cortisone, and almost everything changes, it leaves a scar which changes their quality of life. As any other addictive prescription drug, he becomes obsessed with having to take it. He even impersonates a doctor in order to get it, his son and wife are deeply affected by his actions, and his son, who has almost gone out of his mind looking at his father grow more and more depressed and vulnerable tries to steal his pills, Ed catches him in the act and leaves his child in the room so that he could contemplate about the level of his punishment, he is then affected with the Bible, exactly , the passage with Abraham and his son Isaac. He gets it into his head that, to make things right he needs to murdor his son, and than his wife and himself, of course, he is stopped in the act and the movie ends happily with him getting back to normal and his happy family life.