History Film / FlashOfGenius

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Kearns did not represent himself in his suit against Ford, nor were any damages awarded; Ford made an undisclosed offer believed to be around $10 million, which Kearns accepted.

* BlatantLies: Everything Ford executives say about Robert Kearns not being the inventor of the intermittent wiper is considered this.
* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represented himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Creator/AlanAlda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a whole team of lawyers, and actually got a settlement from Ford. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, receiving $18.7 million in damages. It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

* Determinator: Kearns tried for over a ''decade'' to get Ford in court after being obsessed with proving them Ford.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Kearns is awarded $10.1 million in damages against Ford in 1980. The epilogue reveals he sued Chrysler in 1992 and was awarded $18.7 million. Why Chrysler paid more is never explained. Kearns actually took an undisclosed out-of-court settlement believed to be around $10 million in the suit against Ford, while Chrysler lost and was ordered to pay damages, hence the higher amount. Also not mentioned is General Motors, who was imune from lawsuit because they designed their own intermittent wiper that did not infringe on Kearns' patents.

* BittersweetEnding: Kearns wins and Ford must admit they stole his design, but his family leaves him long before the trial.
* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Creator/AlanAlda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, receiving $18.7 million in damages. It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

'''''Flash of Genius''''' (2008) is the story of Robert Kearns (Creator/GregKinnear), who develops and patents the intermittent windshield wiper. When he displays it to Ford Motor Company executives, he makes a deal to manufacture it himself and sell it to them.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Creator/AlanAlda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, receiving $18.7 million in damages. It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Kearns is awarded $10.1 million in damages against Ford in 1980. The epilogue reveals he sued Chrysler in 1992 and was awarded $18.7 million. Why Chrysler paid more is never explained. Kearns actually took an undisclosed out-of-court settlement believed to be around $10 million in the suit against Ford, while Chrysler lost and was ordered to pay damages, hence the higher amount. Also not mentioned is General Motors, who was imune from lawsuit because they designed their own intermittent wiper that did not infringe on Kearns' patents.

* WhereAreTheyNow: The closing credits mention that Kearns was awarded $18.7 million in a lawsuit against Chrysler Corp. in 1992, and that he died in 2005.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Kearns is awarded $10.1 million in damages against Ford in 1980. The epilogue reveals he sued Chrysler in 1992 and was awarded $18.7 million. Why Chrysler paid more is never explained. Kearns actually took an undisclosed out-of-court settlement believed to be around $10 million in the suit against Ford, while Chrysler lost and was ordered to pay damages, hence the higher amount. Also not mentioned is General Motors, who couldn't be sued because they designed their own intermittent wiper that did not infringe on Kearns' patents.

* AdaptationExplanationExtrication: Kearns is awarded $10.1 million in damages against Ford in 1980. The epilogue reveals he sued Chrysler in 1992 and was awarded $18.7 million. Why Chrysler paid more is never explained. Kearns actually took an undisclosed out-of-court settlement believed to be around $10 million in the suit against Ford, while Chrysler lost and was ordered to pay damages, hence the higher amount. Also not mentioned is General Motors, who couldn't be sued because they designed their own intermittent wiper that did not infringe on Kearns' patents).

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Creator/AlanAlda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[note]] It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part, another is that they infringed his patent longer than Ford. His case against Ford also set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.[[/note]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

* OffOnATechnicality: General Motors couldn't be sued because they designed their own intermittant wiper that did not infringe on Kearns' pattents.

* WhereAreTheyNow: The closing credits mention that Kearns was awarded $18.7 million in a lawsuit against Chrysler Corp. in 1992, and that he died in 2005.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Creator/AlanAlda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[note]] It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part, another is that they infringed his patent longer than Ford. His case against Ford also set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.[[/note]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

''Flash of Genius'' (2008) is the story of Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear), who develops and patents the intermittent windshield wiper. When he displays it to Ford Motor Company executives, he makes a deal to manufacture it himself and sell it to them.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[note]] It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part, another is that they infringed his patent longer than Ford. His case against Ford also set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.[[/note]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

* WhereAreTheyNow: The closing credits mention he was awarded $18.7 million in a lawsuit against Chrysler Corp. in 1992.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part, another is that they infringed his patent longer than Ford. His case against Ford also set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement with no admission of wrongdoing. He rejects this, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million. In RealLife, he subverts this, as he was actually trying to obtain exclusive manufacturing rights (today, over 145 million cars use his design), not for any moral reasons.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers, and actually settled with Ford for the $10 million. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part. His case against Ford set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw, and Kearns was in fact represented by a team of lawyers. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part. His case against Ford set a precedent, making his suit against Chrysler far simpler. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson (Alan Alda), withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw and represented Kearns. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittent windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]] It's possible this was done so as to have a scene where Kearns examines himself in homage to an episode of ''KingOfTheHill''.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement with no admission of wrongdoing. He rejects this, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement, with no admission of wrongdoing. He rejects this, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement, with no admission of wrongdoing, which he rejects, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement, with no acknowledgement of wrongdoing, which he rejects, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million.

* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Ford offers Kearns a $30 million settlement, with no acknoledgment of wrongdoing, which he rejects, instead going to court, where he's awarded $10.1 million.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happens regarding Kearns' vandalism of some random person's brand new Cadillac.

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson, withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw and represented Kearns. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment on AMC's part. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittant windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]]

* AFoolForAClient: Kearns represents himself against Ford in 1980, after his attorney, Gregory Lawson, withdraws from the case, and is awarded $10.1 million in damages. In RealLife, Lawson did not withdraw and represented Kearns. Kearns did, however, represent himself against Chrysler in 1992, winning $18.7 million.[[hottip:*: It's not entirely clear why Chrysler paid almost double what Ford did, but one theory is that because they bought up American Motors in 1987, they took responsibility for any infringment AMC did. General Motors, however, did not get sued because they designed their own intermittant windshield wiper which did not infringe on Kearns' patent.]]