Things to Come (1936)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

William Cameron Menzies

Writers:

H.G. Wells (novel)
H.G. Wells (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 March 1936 (Denmark)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

What will the next hundred years bring to mankind?

Plot:

A story of 100 years: a decades-long second world war leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and tries space travel.

Plot Keywords:

Plague | Progress | 1940s | Aviation | Utopia Quest

Cast

Raymond Massey	...	John Cabal / Oswald Cabal
Edward Chapman	...	Pippa Passworthy / Raymond Passworthy
Ralph Richardson	...	Rudolph - The Boss
Margaretta Scott	...	Roxana / Rowena (as Margueretta Scott)
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Theotocopulos
Maurice Braddell	...	Dr. Harding
Sophie Stewart	...	Mrs. Cabal
Derrick De Marney	...	Richard Gordon (as Derrick de Marney)
Ann Todd	...	Mary Gordon
Pearl Argyle	...	Catherine Cabal
Kenneth Villiers	...	Maurice Passworthy
Ivan Brandt	...	Morden Mitani
Anne McLaren	...	The Child
Patricia Hilliard	...	Janet Gordon
Charles Carson	...	Great Grandfather

Also Known As:

H.G. Wells' Things to Come (UK) (complete title)
The Hundred Years to Come (UK) (working title)
The Shape of Things to Come (UK) (working title)
Whither Mankind (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

100 min | UK:117 min | Canada:91 min (VHS version) | UK:108 min (premiere cut) | UK:113 min (original version) | USA:92 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

Music recorded at The Scala Theatre, Charlotte Street, London, England UK

Goofs:

Continuity: During the bombing of Everytown, a man in a top hat follows several people across the hood of a car in an attempt to escape. There are footprints clearly all over the hood. A later scene shows more people using the same car, But this time the hood is clean.

Quotes:

Raymond Passworthy: Oh, God, is there ever to be any age of happiness? Is there never to be any rest?
Oswald Cabal: Rest enough for the individual man - too much, and too soon - and we call it death. But for Man, no rest and no ending. He must go on, conquest beyond conquest. First this little planet with its winds and ways, and then all the laws of mind and matter that restrain him. Then the planets about him and at last out across immensity to the stars. And when he has conquered all the deeps of space and all the mysteries of time, still he will be beginning.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in War Stories (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

March

Classic of the British science fiction genre with magnificent sets

The picture is an adaptation of the novel titled ¨The shape of things to come¨by H.G.Wells. The film narrates like after a lengthly war among nations and continuing with plagues,rampages and starvation the world is destroyed. A country ruled by a tyrant(Ralph Richardson) fights against an airplanes confederation(leading Raymond Massey). As utilizing technology ,wisemen and scientists try rebuild the future world creating a peaceable society.

The motion picture is agreeable and very interesting though when the protagonists speak philosophical speeches is a little boring. Raymond Massey interprets two roles on different generations,at the future world plays a ruler, builder a sidereal rocket, in opposition of Cedric Hardwicke who is facing the progress. The excellent cast is completed with habitual actors of the British theater and with important cinematographic careers, thus: Ralph Richardson(Greystoke and four feathers),Anne Todd(the Paradine case)Derrick De Mornay(Young and innocent),Raymond Massey(Lincoln in Ilinois) and Sir Cedric Hardwicke(Ten commandments). The cinematography is good although in black and white and was realized by George Perinal(Thief of Bagdag and Colonel Blimp).

Arthur Bliss music score is atmospheric and conducted by usual orchestra director of the classics British films : Muir Matheson. Production Design by Vincent Korda is fine and spectacular, he's considered the greatest British designer of the epoch. His brother Alexander Korda was the principal English producer . The film is well directed by William Cameron Menzies. Rating: Good. Above average.