The Story of Louis Pasteur

1936
Approved
1h 26m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

3.2K

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 Drama Political Drama Biography Drama History

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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

3.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 3 Oscars
- 5 wins & 2 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 3:19

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Photos31

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Storyline

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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)

User reviews46

Review

Featured review

7/10

Nice film for biology teachers

This is a great film that is also very historically and scientifically correct. Almost everything in the movie REALLY happened to the real Louis Pasteur. I am a high school biology teacher and I show this film every year when we study viruses and bacteria. When I tell the students that it is a black and white film from 1935, I get moans and words of disapproval. But every year after they have viewed the film almost all students come away legitimately liking the film.

Paul Muni's performance is extraordinary and may be the best performance of his entire career. I highly recommend watching this film. It was nominated for BEST PICTURE, Paul Muni won BEST LEAD ACTOR, it won BEST WRITER, and won BEST EDITING that year.