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Greetings, and welcome to VIEWING THE CLASSICS. Here you'll find capsule reviews of vintage movies from the early days of cinema through the 1970s, with a special emphasis on sci-fi, horror, and mystery movies. Be sure to check out the Pages links, where you can find a Film Index of all my reviews, links to the reviews organized by cast members, directors, and other contributors, and links to my reviews of the films of talented young director Joshua Kennedy.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Things To Come (1936)

Starring Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Ralph Richardson, Margaretta Scott, Cedric Hardwicke
Directed by William Cameron Menzies
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

When war breaks out in 1940, the world is decimated by the conflict, but a visionary has a plan to build a new and better Earth.

Author H.G. Wells contributed to the screenplay for the adaptation of his novel, "The Shape Of Things To Come," which is wonderfully realized visually by director William Cameron Menzies, convincingly creating an "Everytown" in three drastically different periods, including a spectacular world of the future.  The art direction and special effects are first-rate, and actor Raymond Massey makes a fine anchor for the century-long story, with Ralph Richardson and Cedric Hardwicke giving memorable turns as well.  Although the film is a bit talky, it may be the most visually impressive production ever to come out of Britain.

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