Our Mr. Sun (1956)

★★★★★ · Roll This, Roll That · Dodsworth the Cat · 2025-10-25

Much has been written about this Emmy-winning film and the others in the Bell science series for television. It was ambitious for its time, and aimed at kids to watch with their parents. The kids would be able to buy into the tremendously contrived beginning and Marvin Miller's bombastic dialogue as the sun. Watching it now, as an adult, it's all a bit much. Frank Capra apparently wanted a religious (ie., Christian) component in this TV episode. UPA is credited with the animation, with no mention of the artists or director Bill Hurtz.The narration over the artwork and stock footage is still…

★★★★★ · My earliest memories.... · copperbird49 · 2010-03-18

I remember this film being shown at school when I was seven or eight years old. I loved this "scientist", as we called them back then, and it was as interesting and informative now,as then. I watched this man in many of these informative Bell productions and he is the source of many and much of my early learning of science and I always loved each and every one of them. I thank the archive and the sources of all of these wonderful memories of our film heritage. Wonderful!!!

★★★★★ · Thanks, Mr. Sun · clearwoodlouis · 2009-03-07

It was like walking down memory lane to watch this film, which I may have seen in my grade school science class. I appreciated the religious content toward the end, but I guess it would not be a hit in our general educational climate of seperation of church and state. These films are entertaining and instructive.

★★★★★ · Barrymore lends his voice to Father Time. · LeGrande · 2010-08-17

While the film is over 50 years old, most of the information is still very relevant and accurate. The cartoon features about thermonuclear reactions, chlorophyll production, and silicon-solar-cell derived electricity are excellent review for anyone young or old. It gets preachy at the end, but in 1950s Cold-War America, many attempts were made to show that one big difference between us and the Soviet Union was our religious beliefs and their lack of religion. It was during this time in US History that the words "Under God" were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. So I understand the quote from…

★★★★★ · A wonderfully dated animation from the jazz era of Bell Labs · NYChivist · 2010-09-04

I personally remember these old films as magic from my misspent youth as a kindergärtner. I thought Eddie Arnold was hokey then as I do today. He needs Zsa Zsa to keep him in check. Father Time as a 'railroad earth hobo' kinda worked for me. It comes from a simpler time in our American history & more of the modern lifeforms might not 'grok' the reference and, therefore, regard him as a square or in modern tongue: 'a douche'. The Sun is portrayed as a Leo personality which is totally realistic. I dig the Sun's jazzy phraseology, daddy-o. This is a very warm (npi) science flick aimed towards an…

★★★★★ · Fantastic Scientific Investigation, Proving the Sun's Awesome Power · MensaProfEngr · 2008-05-29

Everyone watching this factual account, albeit earlier science, must attest to the awesome power of the sun, and it's changing effects on our meager planet. To this awesome powerhouse, humans are one insignificant effect. Due to the Sun, our planet has frozen and fried. We're just somewhere in the middle at present.