The Cine-Files Presents BUSINESS HISTORY: Thomas Edison and the Movie Murder Mystery

The Cine-Files Presents BUSINESS HISTORY: Thomas Edison and the Movie Murder Mystery

Author: Steve Morris & John Rocha December 11, 2025 Duration: 55:41

Hello Cine-Files fans! Pushkin Industries, a podcast company we are sure you are all familiar with, reached out to ask us to help with the launch of their new show Business History. Former Planet Money hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith examine the surprising stories of businesses big and small, bringing to life the greatest innovations, the boldest entrepreneurs and the craziest mavericks in the archives of commerce and finance. 

They sent us an episode that fits with our conversations on movies. It details Thomas Edison's role in the mysterious disappearance of the true inventor of the movie camera. The man who invented the movie camera got on a train in France in 1890 and was never seen again. The wife of Louis Le Prince thought she knew who’d ordered her husband’s disappearance and presumed murder - Thomas Alva Edison. Many people were simultaneously racing to develop moving pictures - so had Edison decided to bump off his closest rival so he could win? The story of who deserves the credit for the movies is a murky one - involving bitter betrayal, courtroom drama and soft-core porn.

We hope you enjoy it. If you do, find more tales of founders, business success, and spectacular failures on Business History, available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.


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Hosted by Steve Morris and John Rocha, The Cine-Files is a weekly deep dive into the movies that matter. This isn't just a review show; it's a guided tour through the layers of a single film, examining the craft, context, and conversation surrounding it. Each episode selects one picture-whether a classic, a contemporary standout, or an overlooked gem-and unpacks its artistic themes, the historical moment it came from, and the vision of the filmmakers behind it. The discussion naturally extends to how these works echo through cinema today, drawing connections that illuminate both the past and present of the medium. For anyone who watches a movie and immediately wants to discuss the director's choices, the cultural impact, or the hidden details in the script, this podcast provides that thoughtful, engaging dialogue. Listen in for analysis that treats film with the seriousness and enthusiasm it deserves, transforming the way you see the stories on screen. The Cine-Files is built for the curious viewer who believes every great film has more to say long after the credits roll.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Cine-Files
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