Things to Come (1936)
1h 40m | PG-13
The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.
Director: William Cameron Menzies
Studio: London Films Productions
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction
Video: 720p
Cast
Raymond Massey
as John Cabal / Oswald Cabal
Edward Chapman
as Pippa Passworthy / Raymond Passworthy
Ralph Richardson
as The Boss
Margaretta Scott
as Roxana / Rowena
Cedric Hardwicke
as Theotocopulos
Maurice Braddell
as Dr. Harding
Reviews
This is a rather fanciful adaptation of the HG Wells tale. Mankind is all but obliterated by war; reduced to tribal existences - under the overly theatrical leadership of Ralph Richardson and Margaretta Scott - fighting plague, tyranny and the elements. Then they encounter Daniel Massey ("John Cabal") who helps reconcile and rebuild society to an almost Utopian level. It manages to intertwine megalomania with human aspiration; an overpoweringly rousing score and some truly Shakesperian style soliloquy. It comes to force a future upon us that is eerily portentous of an Orwellian style dictatorship; of interstellar exploration to spread our plague of self-destructive ambition to other worlds - and all, broadly speaking with the consent of the masses. Sadly, i saw a colourised version which robbed this film of almost every element of potency; indeed it rendered it little better than a very poor cartoon. It's still just about worth watching; but Massey is no Olivier and I found it all rather preposterous.