And thanks for the appreciation of Mr. Mason as well. Film Forum in New York had a screening of some of his early movies as well as a two week run of the incredible Odd Man Out in a brand new print. Mason was an extraordinary screen actor and potent screen presence – always interesting to watch because he never quite did the expected. And he had the most eloquent face – I always feel like I can read the contradictory thoughts that are going on at the same time in his character’s mind.

It’s a shame that neither Bigger than Life nor Odd Man Out are available on Region 1 DVD’s – both movies and Mr. Mason’s performances in each deserve more exposure and recognition.

I thought that there is certainly an element of “supportive friendship” between the harried Rush and a concerned Matthau, (and Rush loves her hubby, even if he is a paternalistic madman), but I think a case could be made for that subtext being a valid element of this movie. However, Walter does everything but twirl an imaginary mustache as the sleazoid in “Strangers…”, but in this movie his greatest crimes are apparently having no interest in an attractive fellow single teacher and his little touch of schadenfreude when he realizes that James “Mr. Perfect Teacher” Mason has feet of clay. It’s a nice touch when naive if generous Walter thinks consuming regular doses of “tiger’s milk” will fix Mason‘s problems. Yeah, right.

I would love to see this movie on the big screen as Jeff did recently. It must have had quite an impact. I hope that you’re correct about the possibility of an upcoming Region 1 dvd for this movie in the near future.

Joe, I think that even for people who don’t normally like James Mason, they may find him to be particularly appealing in Bigger Than Life. Another movie of his that I try to introduce my Mason-resistant friends to is Murder By Decree (1979) starring Christopher Plummer as Sherlock Holmes and James Mason as Dr. Watson. While Plummer has a fine time as the sleuth, Mason‘s competent yet sometimes understandably confused Watson is subtly appealing and funny, as well as much closer to the Arthur Conan Doyle character than darling Nigel Bruce, (though I also love the take Robert Duvall did on Watson in The Seven Percent Solution too).

Medusa, thanks for the heads up, and fyi, the daughter of James and Pamela Mason, Portland Mason (1948-2004) can be seen among the many children around the fringes of Bigger Than Life. I believe her younger brother Morgan Mason, was active in the Reagan White House for a time and was, last I heard, an agent at William Morris. He has been married to Belinda Carlisle, (formerly the lead singer of The Go-Gos) since 1986.

Pamela Mason, the wife of James from 1941-1964, was the daughter of one of the controlling producers of British Gaumont studios. While a driving force behind Mason‘s career as a muse, producer, writer, and occasional actress, (she can be seen as a character in the recently released dvd of the Mason co-produced British noir, The Upturned Glass (1947), many of us just old enough to remember her vivid appearances on the Merv Griffin Show probably think that she must have been a stimulating if at times daunting spouse. Their eventual divorce, was, sadly, one of the more acrimonious and most expensive on record when it occurred. It is probably one reason why Mr. Mason popped up in some real turkeys in his later career. Still, I wonder if we would have his body of work to enjoy today without her drive and support of him?

As commentator Bill Fairchild said about James Mason at the time of his death, “In a noisy world he spoke quietly, and yet his voice will be remembered by millions who never knew him.”

One note — James Mason’s wife was the loquacious Pamela Mason, who became famous back in the 1960s for a daily talk show which as a kid I remember watching all the time — no doubt when I should have been outside playing in the fresh air. Their daughter was named Portland.

Mason is a fascinating actor, nearly exotic, droll, and emminently imitable (as seen very recently in a SNL sketch that I posted here on 10/30). There are so many films I absolutely love him in — “A Star is Born”, “Lolita” among them. Once you’ve seen him tumbling through the stair bannister locked in mortal combat with Walter Matthau in “Bigger Than Life” — well, you’ve just gotta go nuts for him. I was surprised how action-packed in a really disturbing way, “Bigger Than Life” was!

Great spotlight on an underappreciated movie, Moira!