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The Story of Louis Pasteur

  • 1936
  • Approved
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)
The biography of the pioneering French microbiologist who helped revolutionize agriculture and medicine.
Play trailer3:19
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31 Photos
Medical DramaPolitical DramaBiographyDramaHistory

The biography of the pioneering French microbiologist who helped revolutionize agriculture and medicine.The biography of the pioneering French microbiologist who helped revolutionize agriculture and medicine.The biography of the pioneering French microbiologist who helped revolutionize agriculture and medicine.

  • Director
    • William Dieterle
  • Writers
    • Sheridan Gibney
    • Pierre Collings
    • Edward Chodorov
  • Stars
    • Paul Muni
    • Josephine Hutchinson
    • Anita Louise
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    3.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William Dieterle
    • Writers
      • Sheridan Gibney
      • Pierre Collings
      • Edward Chodorov
    • Stars
      • Paul Muni
      • Josephine Hutchinson
      • Anita Louise
    • 48User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 7 wins & 2 nominations total

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    Trailer 3:19
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    Photos31

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    Top cast59

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    Paul Muni
    Paul Muni
    • Louis Pasteur
    Josephine Hutchinson
    Josephine Hutchinson
    • Marie Pasteur
    Anita Louise
    Anita Louise
    • Annette Pasteur
    Donald Woods
    Donald Woods
    • Dr. Jean Martel
    Fritz Leiber
    Fritz Leiber
    • Dr. Charbonnet
    Henry O'Neill
    Henry O'Neill
    • Dr. Emile Roux
    Porter Hall
    Porter Hall
    • Dr. Rossignol
    Raymond Brown
    • Dr. Radisse
    Akim Tamiroff
    Akim Tamiroff
    • Dr. Zaranoff
    Halliwell Hobbes
    Halliwell Hobbes
    • Dr. Lister
    Frank Reicher
    Frank Reicher
    • Dr. Pfeiffer
    Dickie Moore
    Dickie Moore
    • Joseph Meister
    Ruth Robinson
    • Mrs. Meister
    Walter Kingsford
    Walter Kingsford
    • Napoleon III
    Iphigenie Castiglioni
    • Empress Eugénie
    Herbert Corthell
    • Louis Adolphe Thiers - First President Republic of France
    George Beranger
    George Beranger
    • Louis Pasteur's Assistant
    • (as Andre Beranger)
    Richard Alexander
    Richard Alexander
    • Burly Farmer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Dieterle
    • Writers
      • Sheridan Gibney
      • Pierre Collings
      • Edward Chodorov
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews48

    7.33.4K
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    Featured reviews

    8wes-connors

    Paul Muni Gets Pasteurized

    In 1860 Paris, doctors are collectively disgruntled by chemist Paul Muni (as Louis Pasteur). He advises surgeons, "Wash your hands. Boil your instruments. Microbes cause disease and death to your patients." In the opening scene, a doctor is shot due to his patient believing in Pasteur's advice. The controversy causes problems for Pasteur. Ten years later, the renowned man works on cures for anthrax (the black plague) and rabies (after a dog bites Dickie Moore)...

    This is an exceptionally well-produced, straightforward biography of Louis Pasteur by director William Dieterle and the crew at Warner Bros. Paul Muni forwarded his film career considerably. He is nothing less than perfect, and Mr. Muni won a much-deserved "Best Actor" Oscar for his performance. So many early "Academy Awards" were chosen due to politics, popularity and promotion. It's nice to see the old Academy occasionally got one right...

    The film is lacking, however, in not presenting Pasteur as a younger man (oddly, Muni is only made to look older). And, the fact that you drank "Pasteurized" milk isn't even covered.

    ******** The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935-11-23) William Dieterle ~ Paul Muni, Josephine Hutchinson, Fritz Leiber, Donald Woods
    7utgard14

    "Live in the serene peace of libraries and laboratories."

    Enjoyable biopic about the famous chemist Louis Pasteur, played by Paul Muni. It doesn't focus on all of the man's life and achievements. But it tries to cover some of the highlights, including his fight against anthrax and rabies. Muni does a great job. He's backed up by solid actors like Donald Woods, Henry O'Neill, Fritz Leiber, and Halliwell Hobbes, as well as the lovely Anita Louise and Josephine Hutchinson. It's a well-written and directed film. There are liberties taken with the facts but this is a movie not a history book. As with the best of Hollywood's great old biopics, its focus is to tell the inspirational story of a historical figure in an entertaining way. It does just that. Fans of Paul Muni and fans of old school Hollywood biopics will love it.
    8TheLittleSongbird

    A story well worth telling

    Louis Pasteur was an important and pioneering figure in his field and ever, and his discoveries were revolutionary. He also had a very interesting life well worth telling, and one that lends itself well to film. Even though a film would not be able to cover everything about his life, it was an eventful personal life and he revolutionised so much. It would fare even better as a mini-series.

    'The Story of Louis Pasteur' was one of the first biopics that came to be (and also the first of those from Warner Brothers), and it is one of the better early ones. Although not quite one of my favourite biographical films of all time, 'The Story of Louis Pasteur' is a fine example of how to do it right. Meaning that of course there would be fictional elements, and it is these elements that ring the least true here, but the subject, their personal life and what made them so important are treated with respect and not rose-tinted, distorted or falsified.

    Pasteur is still a very interesting man and we do see what made him a pioneering and revolutionary figure. 'The Story of Louis Pasteur' is at its weakest in the romantic element of the story, which didn't engage as much as the rest of the film and didn't fit as well either.

    Also the performances of Anita Louise and Donald Woods who struck me as a little colourless. Wouldn't have said no to 'The Story of Louis Pasteur' being longer, it did feel too brief and one does wish that there was even more to the story than was told.

    However, the story is thoroughly compelling and while not everything is there it does focus on what were particularly revolutionary and in a way that engages a lot and are very intriguing, found myself learning a fair bit. Found myself relating to Pasteur with his struggles against adversity and his eventual overcoming, having been there myself.

    One does not notice that 'The Story of Louis Pasteur' is low budget, it is lovingly photographed and handsomely designed. The script is literate without being worthy and very thought-provoking with a surprising amount of complexity and respect for the subject and the ability to entertain and educate. The direction keeps the film moving along briskly with few dull spots. The film is particularly worth seeing for the terrific and deservedly Oscar-winning performance of Paul Muni. The rest of the supporting cast are strong, especially Ftitz Leiber and Akim Tamiroff. Josephine Hutchison does very well with what she has.

    In summary, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
    Michael_Elliott

    Great Performances

    Story of Louis Pasteur, The (1935)

    *** (out of 4)

    Bio pic of chemist Louis Pasteur (Paul Muni) who found a cure for the black plague but was then blacklisted when he made the claim that childhood fever was caused when doctors didn't wash their hands before delivering babies. This is a pretty strong film from start to finish that features a terrific performance by Muni who rightfully deserved his Best Actor Oscar. I was really shocked at how well Muni was here because I was a little skeptical going in. God knows he's given countless great performances throughout his career but I was shocked at how well he play Pasteur who of course used his brains more than his muscles or mouth like many of Muni's other roles. There's not a single second where Muni comes off as himself but the entire film he gives the performance that we think we're actually watching Pasteur work. The supporting cast is also very good with Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise and Donald Woods all turning in good work.
    7blanche-2

    Nice Warner Brothers bio

    Paul Muni has the title role in "The Story of Louis Pasteur," a 1935 film also starring Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise, Donald Woods, and Fritz Lieber.

    The biopic focuses on Pasteur's work in sterilization, rabies, and anthrax, and includes his inoculation of the small boy Joseph Meister (Dickie Moore) which is a famous - and risky - moment in Pasteur's life. Strangely, there is nothing about pasteurization, although with a great scientist who was responsible for so many innovations, you can't show everything. And certainly the rabies and anthrax stories are more dramatic.

    Some of the film, I believe, is fictionalized - his nemesis, Dr. Charbonnet, was probably created to represent some of the criticism Pasteur faced in his lifetime. The love affair between his assistant, Dr. Martel (Donald Woods) and Pasteur's daughter Annette doesn't seem to be true either. Typical Hollywood.

    Nevertheless, this is a reverent biography with a strong performance by Muni and good work by the rest of the cast. It seems crazy to think that before Pasteur, doctors did not sterilize instruments and wash their hands, but apparently, they didn't.

    Good movie.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      An electrician for Warner Bros. came up to Paul Muni after an advanced screening of the film and told him that his nine-year-old son asked him to buy him a microscope because of Muni's performance. Even though he went on to win the Oscar for it, Muni said that this was the greatest compliment he had ever received and that all other accolades meant nothing compared to that one.
    • Goofs
      Pasteur refers to the "rabies virus" prior to completing development of his vaccine and immunization of Joseph Meister in 1885, but the idea of a non-bacterial pathogen didn't exist until 1892, and the term "virus" itself was coined when the first (tobacco mosaic) was isolated in 1898.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      [addressing The Academy of Medicine - directing his remarks to the young men in the balcony]

      Dr. Louis Pasteur: You young men - doctors and scientists of the future - do not let yourselves be tainted by apparent skepticism; nor discouraged by the sadness of certain hours that creep over nations. Do not become angry at your opponents, for no scientific theory has ever been accepted without opposition. Live in the serene peace of libraries and laboratories. Say to yourselves, first, "What have I done for my instruction?" And as you gradually advance, "What am I accomplishing?" Until the time comes when you may have the immense happiness of thinking that you have contributed in some way to the welfare and progress of mankind.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Our Gang Story (1994)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • February 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Priča o Luju Pasteru
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 12, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cosmopolitan Productions
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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