Bigger Than Life
The main manufacturers of cortisone at the time, Merck in the US and Glaxo in the UK, were worried about the impact of this film would have on the public and their willingness to take the drug if prescribed by their physician. However, by the time of this film's release, newer and better formulations of the drug, along with greater knowledge of its uses and limitations had reduced (but not eliminated) the side-effects experienced by Ed in this film.,When Ed has a barium X-ray, the image of the swallowed fluid is anatomically inaccurate. The fluid falls straight down to an extremely large "stomach" in his groin area.,Ed Avery: God was wrong!,Featured in Century of Cinema: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995),Back in 1956 this must have been a very daring flick indeed. Of course it has dated and today it packs less of a punch but it still remains a very sincere film anchored by a superb James Mason performance. Walter Matthau is similarly top rate though in a smaller and less flashy role. The direction is absolutely mesmerizing and I only felt slightly uneasy about the psychiatric approach of the day and the flashing red screen reflecting Mason's mental disintegration which was so in fashion in films of the time.

Even so, it was not enough to spoil the pleasure afforded by the many good aspects in this movie that I found quite riveting and intelligent for the most part. The bit where Mason snips the phone cord is as frightening as it is memorable, to me the highpoint of a honest yet never predictable work.,