The Search for the Truth

Was the film entertaining and interesting? Why?
The movie wasn't particularly interesting for me because the plot was too predictable. There's the ambitious scientist who invents something that will benefit the world, an experiment goes wrong, the scientist realizes that man isn't ready for the new invention yet and destroys his creation. The movie itself wasn't bad since the story was well developed. There were instances though that amused me greatly, like when Andre teleported the cat, the experiment failed and it turned into atoms floating in the air, its meowing still audible.



What was the film's commentary on Scientists and conduct of science? Would you consider it a morality play? Why?
Scientists seemed to have much freedom when it came to exploring the sciences. It was a respected profession but one that was risky (like when Andre mixed atoms with a fly). In some sense the movie is a morality play, since it showed that man cannot just mess with nature however they wish, that even though something may be good for the world, if the people aren't ready for it yet, it's meaningless. Helene's struggle on whether she should seek help despite her husband's opposition or fulfill his last wish of a hidden death is also a play on morality. Should she kill a man who wants to die or should she continue the fruitless search for the fly? So many things could have ended differently had Andre not made that mistake with the fly.



How does it reflect the view on Science and Technology during the 1950's ?
STS seemed to be very important back in the 1950's since scientists were often given huge budgets for them to research with to their hearts content. Even Helene talks as if scientists are so abundant that it would be easy to ask for help when Andre's experiment went wrong. As Francois says, Andre died doing the most dangerous act to humanity, but also the most beneficial: "the search for the truth".