American Short Story (1980)

Genres - Visual Arts, Drama  |   Sub-Genres - Media Satire, Americana, Satire  |   Run Time - 60 min.  |   Countries - United States  |  
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

The Greatest Man in the World is based on a genteelly vitriolic short story by James Thurber. Brad Davis stars as a '30s-era aviator who becomes a national hero when he flies solo nonstop around the world. The problem: Davis is an illiterate boor. It's up to the journalists who've elevated Davis to idol status to exercise the "damage control" that will make the aviator public-friendly. Howard Da Silva and Carol Kane co-star in this February 18, 1980, presentation of PBS' "American Short Story."

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Keywords

around-the-world, flight, man, idol, journey, trip, uneducated, vanity, barnstorming, fuel, conservation, courage, illiteracy, deception, flying, publicity