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6.8/10
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After losing his hearing, a musician uses lip-reading to help others.After losing his hearing, a musician uses lip-reading to help others.After losing his hearing, a musician uses lip-reading to help others.
George Arliss
- Montgomery Royle
- (as Mr. George Arliss)
André Luguet
- The King
- (as Andre Luguet)
Ivan F. Simpson
- Battle
- (as Ivan Simpson)
Charles E. Evans
- The Doctor
- (as Charles Evans)
Fred Howard
- Man
- (scenes deleted)
Symona Boniface
- Woman in Audience
- (uncredited)
Wade Boteler
- Detective
- (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon
- Would-Be Ticket Buyer
- (uncredited)
Grace Durkin
- Kit - First Girl
- (uncredited)
Helena Phillips Evans
- Music Fan with Boy
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGeorge Arliss and Ivan F. Simpson played the same roles ten years earlier in the 1922 silent version.
- GoofsWhen Royle goes to his desk after observing the couple in the park, the shadow of the boom microphone dips onto the window curtain behind him.
- Quotes
Grace Blair: You're my ideal!
Montgomery Royle: I shall always be... your friend.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)
- SoundtracksFantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66
(1834) (uncredited)
Written by Frédéric Chopin
Played on piano by George Arliss (dubbed by Salvatore Santaella) at the concert
Featured review
Central Park benefactor
Although George Arliss made several of the roles he did on stage into films both sound and silent The Man Who Played God was not one of them. Another stage legend Otis Skinner originated that role on Broadway although Arliss filmed it twice both as a silent and with sound.
We can only speculate about what Skinner did with the part, but Arliss because we have him on film can truly be said to make the part his own. His is a style that many find old fashioned, but I find most compelling when he's performing.
The story is that of a famous concert pianist who was born into a wealthy family so he's never in danger of missing a meal. A bomb set off at a private performance has left him stone deaf and in a great deal of despair. But he learns the art of lip reading and from his Central Park penthouse with opera glasses in hand spies on a lot of ordinary people and becomes their anonymous benefactor.
Bette Davis made her Warner Brothers debut and the first of two films with George Arliss. Davis who was not exactly shy about criticizing her colleagues had nothing but praise for this man. She credited him with being the first to realize the potential she had as an actress. She plays a student of his who mistakes romantic love for an admiration as an artist she feels. She's not given much to work with in the role, but she does far more than could be expected.
Louise Closser Hale as Arliss's sister and Ivan Simpson as his butler who has a wonderful scene preventing Arliss from suicide also stand out. Look also for Ray Milland in a small part as another man on the verge of suicide.
The Man Who Played God is old fashioned in its presentation, but still holds up well after 80 years.
We can only speculate about what Skinner did with the part, but Arliss because we have him on film can truly be said to make the part his own. His is a style that many find old fashioned, but I find most compelling when he's performing.
The story is that of a famous concert pianist who was born into a wealthy family so he's never in danger of missing a meal. A bomb set off at a private performance has left him stone deaf and in a great deal of despair. But he learns the art of lip reading and from his Central Park penthouse with opera glasses in hand spies on a lot of ordinary people and becomes their anonymous benefactor.
Bette Davis made her Warner Brothers debut and the first of two films with George Arliss. Davis who was not exactly shy about criticizing her colleagues had nothing but praise for this man. She credited him with being the first to realize the potential she had as an actress. She plays a student of his who mistakes romantic love for an admiration as an artist she feels. She's not given much to work with in the role, but she does far more than could be expected.
Louise Closser Hale as Arliss's sister and Ivan Simpson as his butler who has a wonderful scene preventing Arliss from suicide also stand out. Look also for Ray Milland in a small part as another man on the verge of suicide.
The Man Who Played God is old fashioned in its presentation, but still holds up well after 80 years.
helpful•31
- bkoganbing
- May 6, 2016
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Covek koji se dopao Bogu
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Man Who Played God (1932) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer