Master of the World (1961)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

William Witney

Writers:

Richard Matheson (writer) and
Jules Verne (novels)

Release Date:

May 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Adventure

Tagline:

The fabulous adventures of the man who conquered the earth to save it!

Plot:

The world in the late 19th century: A scientist and his team are held as "guests" of Robur on his airship...

Plot Keywords:

19th Century | Foreign Language Adaptation | Ultimatum | Inventor | Flying Machine

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Robur
Charles Bronson	...	John Strock
Henry Hull	...	Prudent
Mary Webster	...	Dorothy Prudent
David Frankham	...	Philip Evans
Richard Harrison	...	Alistair, the helmsman
Vito Scotti	...	Topage, the cook (as Vitto Scotti)
Wally Campo	...	First Mate Turner
Peter Besbas	...	Wilson, a crewman
Steve Masino	...	Weaver, a crewman
Gordon Jones	...	Talkative Morgantown Townsman
Ken Terrell	...	Shanks, a crewman

Runtime:

102 min | USA:99 min (including prologue)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (StereoSonic Sound)

Certification:

West Germany:6 (nf) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

American International had planned on doing a sequel to this film. Concept drawings and even concept models were reportedly made. The sequel was not produced.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Robur's ship flies over a battle being waged in the African desert. When he looks through his scope, African scenery appears. But out the front window of the aircraft, the scenery is from what looks like the California mountains.

Quotes:

Robur: This is the father of all ironies!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

Soundtrack:

Master of the World

A fun adventure film...with a touch of Vincent Price darkness.

Matheson's script took two Verne novels ("Robur the Conqueror" and "Master of the World"), and added touches of irony in the characters. (The "gentleman" Mr. Evans, when he sees his girl turning towards government agent Strock, tries to kill Strock at every chance.) William Witney, a famed second unit director, used every trick he ever learned in Republic serials to make the movie look slick on a low budget. (I've never seen such continuous use of a rear projection screen in any other movie.) But the real delight is Vincent Price's Robur, a man of good will but with some severe personality problems. I think he'd be a suitable children's introduction to the antihero and the character with a tragic flaw. For me, the romantic theme music by Les Baxter, especially over the end credits, makes the movie. (Fortunately, they didn't use the maudlin lyrics version in the film!) The recent video release of the film restores the theatrical prologue of "wacky" flying machines from silent movies.