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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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Thursday, October 15, 2020

When Worlds Collide (1951)

Starring Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt, Larry Keating
Directed by Rudolph Mate

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)


An astronomer warns the world's governments that the Earth is due for destruction by an approaching star and planet, but when they scoff at his claims, he sets out to build a rocketship to save some of humanity at least. 


Another science fiction epic from producer George Pal, it's special effects are impressive for the era, and has a quality cast, with character actor Larry Keating a strong anchor for the impetus to race against time.  There's a love triangle with Derr, Rush, and Hansen as a backdrop, and John Hoyt is memorable as a stodgy old millionaire who funds his wealth into the construction of the rocket but wants a seat aboard it and the power to select who else goes.  Naturally, there's characters to root for as the passengers are chosen for the rocket flight, and other difficulties along the way to contend with.  W. Howard Greene & John F. Seitz's color photography is very vibrant, particularly during scenes of destruction, and Leith Stevens' score is well-suited to the dramatics.  

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