The Great Moment

Year: 1944

Runtime: 83 mins

Language: English

Director: Preston Sturges

ComedyDrama

A lively, comedic portrait of 19th‑century Boston dentist Dr. W.T. Morgan as he battles entrenched medical opinion to win public acceptance for ether anesthesia. The film blends humor with historical detail, following Morgan’s relentless campaign to demonstrate the safety and value of the new pain‑relief breakthrough.

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Timeline & Setting – The Great Moment (1944)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Great Moment (1944). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Location

Morton Farmhouse, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston), Harvard Medical School (Cambridge)

The film opens in a rural farmhouse belonging to Lizzie Morton, grounding the story in a quiet domestic world before medicine's public stage. Washington, D.C. becomes the hub of recognition and controversy as Morton seeks support and patents. The moral and technical center of the tale shifts to Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where demonstrations and debates about anesthesia unfold.

❄️ Rural setting 🏛 Medical institutions 🗽 Capital city 🎓 Academic centers

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:53

Main Characters – The Great Moment (1944)

Meet the key characters of The Great Moment (1944), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:53

Major Themes – The Great Moment (1944)

Explore the central themes of The Great Moment (1944), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:53

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Movies about the personal cost of scientific progress like The Great Moment

Stories where groundbreaking discoveries come with profound personal sacrifice.If you liked The Great Moment's portrayal of Dr. Morton's sacrifice for anesthesia, you'll find similar stories here. This collection features movies about scientific ambition, perseverance, and the bittersweet personal toll of innovation in movies like The Great Moment.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread follow a determined individual, often against skeptical establishments, who achieves a major breakthrough. The story structure juxtaposes professional success with personal downfall, creating an arc that is both inspiring and melancholic.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the ethical and emotional complexities of progress, blending a hopeful tone with a reflective, often somber, look at the price paid by the visionary.

Movies about compassionate crusaders like the protagonist in The Great Moment

Hopeful journeys of individuals fighting entrenched systems to ease human suffering.Find more movies like The Great Moment featuring heroes driven by compassion. These films share stories of perseverance against establishment opposition, with a steady pace and a hopeful, historically grounded vibe similar to The Great Moment.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist witnessing profound suffering, which ignites a compassionate mission. The central conflict is their relentless campaign against a dismissive or hostile establishment, driven not by ego but by a genuine desire to reduce pain and improve lives.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their core emotional drive: compassion. This creates a specific, hopeful vibe where the stakes are human wellbeing, differentiating them from stories driven by ambition, revenge, or personal gain.

Unlock the Full Story of The Great Moment

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Great Moment in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Great Moment is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Great Moment Summary

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The Great Moment Timeline

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The Great Moment Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About The Great Moment

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Discover movies like The Great Moment that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.