Bigger Than Life

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

7.2
19561h 35m

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

Production

Logo for 20th Century Fox

Trailers & Videos

Thumbnail for video: Bigger Than Life (1956) | The Criterion Collection Trailer

Bigger Than Life (1956) | The Criterion Collection Trailer

Thumbnail for video: Bigger than life |TRAILER|

Bigger than life |TRAILER|

Cast

Photo of James Mason

James Mason

Ed Avery

Photo of Barbara Rush

Barbara Rush

Lou Avery

Photo of Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau

Wally Gibbs

Photo of Robert F. Simon

Robert F. Simon

Dr. Norton

Photo of Christopher Olsen

Christopher Olsen

Richie Avery

Photo of Rusty Lane

Rusty Lane

Bob LaPorte

Photo of Virginia Carroll

Virginia Carroll

Mrs. Jones (uncredited)

Photo of Renny McEvoy

Renny McEvoy

Mr. Jones (uncredited)

Photo of Dee Aaker

Dee Aaker

Joe (uncredited)

Photo of Jerry Mathers

Jerry Mathers

Freddie (uncredited)

Photo of Richard Collier

Richard Collier

Milkman (uncredited)

Photo of Lewis Charles

Lewis Charles

Mr. McLennan (uncredited)

Photo of Mary Carver

Mary Carver

Saleslady (uncredited)

Photo of Joseph Mell

Joseph Mell

Dispatcher (uncredited)

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Reviews

G

Godaray

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.

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