World Without End (1956)

Director:

Edward Bernds

Writers:

Edward Bernds (story)
Edward Bernds (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 March 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

CinemaScope's First Science-Fiction Thriller Hurls You into the Year 2508!

Plot:

Four astronauts returning from mankind's first mission to Mars enter a time warp and crash on a 26th Century Earth devastated by atomic war...

Plot Keywords:

Giant Spider | Mutant | 26th Century | Astronaut | Mars

Cast

Hugh Marlowe	...	John Borden
Nancy Gates	...	Garnet
Nelson Leigh	...	Dr. Eldon Galbraithe
Rod Taylor	...	Herbert Ellis
Shirley Patterson	...	Elaine (as Shawn Smith)
Lisa Montell	...	Deena
Christopher Dark	...	Henry 'Hank' Jaffe
Booth Colman	...	Mories
Everett Glass	...	Timmek
Stanley Fraser	...	Elda

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording) | Perspecta Stereo

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #17704) | USA:Unrated (video release)

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

This film was produced directly by Allied Artists (formerly Monogram). It was made in hopes of shedding their "poverty row" image. It was given a larger budget and shot in color and Cinemascope and ran a full reel longer than their usual 60-70 minute fare. Allied Artists was able to book it under percentage contracts rather than flat rates.

Goofs:

Factual errors: A revolver is shown that has a blown barrel due to what was said to be lack of strength in the metal as well as too strong a propellant powder. If the metal in the gun was weak, the part to fail would have been in the cylinder and frame area, not the barrel. The most likely cause of the damage that was shown would have been an obstruction in the barrel.

Quotes:

Deena: Naga! Oomay mah luke!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Queen of Outer Space (1958)

Planet of the Apes meets The Time Machine

I recently watched this movie for the first time and found it a cross between Planet of the Apes and The Time Machine, complete with Rod Taylor.

Four astronauts returning from a space mission go through a time warp and end up on earth thousands of years into the future after a nuclear war. They encounter rubber giant spiders, mutant cavemen and hostile survivors who have survived the war and are living underground. At first they don't believe how the astronauts got there but they do eventually and they help them to destroy the mutants and start afresh and live without the fear of these unfriendly cavemen. Two of the astronauts fall in love with two of the local women.

As well as The Time Machine's Rod Taylor, the film also stars Hugh Marlowe (The Day The Earth Stood Still) and Nancy Gates. The acting is good from all.

I found this movie enjoyable and is beautifully shot in colour, despite the low budget. The giant spiders look cheap though. A must for sci-fi fans.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.