Einstein: The Man Behind the Genius
by Willard Simms
Portrayed by Steve Polinsky
Produced and directed by Steven Kovacs
The film explores the private man who transformed our conception of the universe. We discover in him a man of humor, deep moral commitment, involvement in the political issues of his time, a contagious enthusiasm for life, and a never-ending wonder about the world around him.
We meet Albert Einstein at his home in Princeton in the autumn of his life. He is listening to Mozart, his favorite composer, and the music unleashes a torrent of memories. He recalls the time he went to a Beethoven concert and was chided for humming Mozart during the performance. He told his friend that Mozart was better for thinking about a mathematical problem.
He recalls his youth in the patent office and the objections of his superiors to working on a scientific paper during office hours—a paper that turned out to propose the theory of relativity. He talks about how the headmaster of his school thought he would never amount to anything and how even in his old age, children come up to him asking his help with math problems. He is fascinated by everything around him--in a cup of tea the swirling leaves suggest to him aspects of the nature of the universe. A photo reminds him of the pain he suffered when he separated from his first wife. The warmth of his feelings towards people is matched by the outrage he feels toward the rise of fascism which forced him to leave his native Germany.
Arriving in America Einstein offers a childlike delight in the different flavors of ice cream, disgust at the tyranny of automobiles, amusement at the respect given him. He speaks out passionately about the dangers of nuclear power. He talks of the honor he felt being offered the presidency of Israel and observes that the best way he could serve the cause of Israel is by not accepting the post. He imagines a conversation with Sir Isaac Newton. And always he returns to his curiosity about the world around him, speaking of himself as a dog uncovering a bone that leads to another, yet another, until the skeleton of an entire dinosaur lies before him.
In this thoughtful, provoking, humorous and human portrayal of Albert Einstein we discover not only the man who transformed our conception of the universe, but the best parts of ourselves.
A Class Productions, Inc. Presentation
© 1982