Hayden Rorke and his team of astronomers in Johannesburg, South Africa discover a star and an accompanying orbiting planet are on a direct course for our solar system. In a year they will hit earth. Rorke dispatches Richard Derr to his colleague Larry Keating in the USA for confirmation. It's true the worlds will collide in about a year on August 12.
When Worlds Collide is the story of a few scientists and their efforts to save mankind by taking a few over to that orbiting planet Zaira which will pass close before the star itself overwhelms earth with heat before the collision itself. It is mentioned that other countries are undertaking rocket building, but When Worlds Collide concentrates on the USA where the claims are met with derision by the scientific community so Keating and colleagues go out on their own. The main financial sponsor is multi-millionaire John Hoyt who believes his millions entitle him to some special consideration. The conflict between Keating and Hoyt is what drive the film.
Below that there is a subplot involving Richard Derr and Keating's daughter Barbara Rush. He breaks in and steals her away from Peter Hansen who also works with Keating.
The lack of name players gives a bit of realism to When Worlds Collide although these character actors are a pretty familiar lot. When Worlds Collide has come down to us via its reputation for its special effects because of the deserved Oscar it won. But director Rudolph Mate got good performances from his cast.
It never ceases to amaze me how the invention of the computer is never factored in and it certainly was thought about and invented very shortly although those early machines were big. Among the necessary items thought for survival were books, the Bible, Principia Mathematica and the Encyclopedia Britannica. These of course would all be on discs now. This is the third science fiction film from roughly the same era and none of them imagined that one.
Although the concepts are dated and the science fiction a bit flawed, When Worlds Collide still has great entertainment value.
When Worlds Collide is the story of a few scientists and their efforts to save mankind by taking a few over to that orbiting planet Zaira which will pass close before the star itself overwhelms earth with heat before the collision itself. It is mentioned that other countries are undertaking rocket building, but When Worlds Collide concentrates on the USA where the claims are met with derision by the scientific community so Keating and colleagues go out on their own. The main financial sponsor is multi-millionaire John Hoyt who believes his millions entitle him to some special consideration. The conflict between Keating and Hoyt is what drive the film.
Below that there is a subplot involving Richard Derr and Keating's daughter Barbara Rush. He breaks in and steals her away from Peter Hansen who also works with Keating.
The lack of name players gives a bit of realism to When Worlds Collide although these character actors are a pretty familiar lot. When Worlds Collide has come down to us via its reputation for its special effects because of the deserved Oscar it won. But director Rudolph Mate got good performances from his cast.
It never ceases to amaze me how the invention of the computer is never factored in and it certainly was thought about and invented very shortly although those early machines were big. Among the necessary items thought for survival were books, the Bible, Principia Mathematica and the Encyclopedia Britannica. These of course would all be on discs now. This is the third science fiction film from roughly the same era and none of them imagined that one.
Although the concepts are dated and the science fiction a bit flawed, When Worlds Collide still has great entertainment value.