Robert Kearns – Inventor
Flash of Genius is a biographical film released in 2008. The story based on 1993 New Yorker Article by John Seabrook. Robert Kearns was an inventor of intermittent windshield wiper. The invention idea came from when he was driving his Ford Galaxie through a light rain. The constant movement of the wiper blades irritated his troubled vision. A champagne cork accidentaly tossed aside to his left eye during his wedding night and caused the trouble for his left eye. The incident inspired him to create a wiper blade mechanism modeled on the human eye, which blinks every few seconds rather than continuously.
With the help of Gil Privick, Kearns carried out his idea and made the prototype. He then patented his invention and demonstrated it to Ford researchers who had been working on a similar project without success. As Kearns wouldn’t explain how it worked until he got a deal with the corporation, the Ford executive Macklin Tyler asked him to prepare a business plan.
Kearns prepared his business plan by himself while he was waiting for the Ford response. Time passed by and there was no response at all. He became frustrated when he finally found out the latest model of Mustang using his intermittent windshield wiper without giving him credit or payment for it.
Being in a deep frustation, Kearns then treated for a nervous breakdown in a mental hospital. After several months, Kearns then being released by the doctor. He finally went home and started a legal battle to suit Ford Motor Company. Nobody supported him at all because It seems impossible to defeat a powerful giant company. Even Gil Privick who knew the idea from the start didn’t want to give his testimony in the court. Kearns’ wife, Phyllis then decided to separate with him. She brought their six children with her. But, during his difficult times, Robert Kearns never gave up. He tried years to get support from her children. The company offered him some money to shut down the case, many times, but Kearns rejected. For him, claimed to be the inventor is everything. He just want to be recognized as the inventor of intermittent winshield wiper which used in thousand cars produced by Ford.
The story of this movie is very similar with The Pursuit of Happiness. After the difficult times there’s always be a hope and finally come happiness, as long as we make every endeavor for it. Flash of Genius is a happy ending movie which has slow and long plot. It makes us who aren’t used to watch a movie like this become bored somehow. But for me, It’s a worth watched movie. This movie told us not to give up in everything we believe It’s right. Like Kearns who never give up to fight his right even seems to be impossible. All the good things we worked will eventually led us to victory.
