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Trailer

Bigger Than Life

1956Movie1 h 35 minNR

Drama
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Rotten Tomatoes91%83%
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Rotten Tomatoes91%83%

Summary

A friendly, successful suburban teacher and father grows dangerously addicted to cortisone, resulting in his transformation into a household despot.

Good for

  • Friends night
  • Thought-provoking
  • Adults

Skip it if

  • You need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Cast

18 of 18

Crew

Directed by
Nicholas Ray
Written by
Richard Maibaum, Cyril Hume
Produced by
James Mason
Music by
David Raksin

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 20, 1956 · 1 h 35 min · NR

Released
November 20, 1956
Runtime
1 h 35 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Drug Use
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
4 countries

Tropes

Conspicuous Consumption, Blasphemous Boast, Mood Dissonance +9

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream Bigger Than Life?"

Questions about Bigger Than Life

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Bigger Than Life?

Criterion

In the United States, Bigger Than Life streams on Criterion. It also streams in 3 other countries.

Is Bigger Than Life worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 7.4 and Rotten Tomatoes 91%). Critics rate it higher (91 out of 100) than audiences (79).

Will I feel good after watching Bigger Than Life?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Is Bigger Than Life plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (8 of 10) and pathos (7 of 10) more than on its plot.