The Man Who Played God (1932)

Just one moment of courage is all it takes. Distraught after losing his hearing, renowned pianist Montgomery Royle teeters on his window ledge, high above Central Park. His manservant saves him, then hands him binoculars to view the world he nearly left. Royle reads the lips of a troubled young couple and realizes other people suffer - and that he has the resources to help them. As Royle, George Arliss reprises one of his best- known silent roles. He personally selected Bette Davis, whose career was stalled, to play his fiancee, more in awe of the older man than in love with him - and thus began her legendary career at Warner Bros. Forever grateful to Arliss, Davis was delighted to reteam with him the next year in The Working Man. Two more cast members also went on to Hollywood fame: a fresh-faced, uncredited Ray Milland as one of the people Royle aids, and soon-to~be gossip columnist Hedda Hopper as a Santa Barbara socialite.

An aging & celebrated concert pianist completely loses his hearing, and with it his faith in The Almighty. After learning to lip read, he realizes he can once again enter into people's lives, alleviating the misfortunes of total strangers. With this much power to do good, he becomes THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD.

Although sadly neglected today, George Arliss was one of the very greatest of film actors of the 1930's. His art was consummate - a whole volume of emotion could be conveyed by the slightest movement of face or posture. He gives a wonderful performance here as a man torn from what he loves the most, blaming God for it and eventually finding peace.

A splendid actress of the same period, Louise Closser Hale gives quiet dignity to the role of Arliss' sister. As his protégé, young Bette Davis does a fine job; she always considered this to be her first film role of substance. Ivan F. Simpson is excellent as a very loyal butler. Hedda Hopper has a tiny role as a woman at a picnic & look for an uncredited Ray Milland as a young man in Central Park attempting suicide.

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