No Blade of Grass (1970)

Director:

Cornel Wilde

Writers:

Sean Forestal (screenplay) and
Cornel Wilde (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 October 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The creeping terror drifted towards them stamping out all civilization in its eerie path!

Plot:

When a deadly virus strikes London, John Custane takes his family to hoped-for safety in Scotland.

Plot Keywords:

Virus | Attack | England | Chaos | Biker

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nigel Davenport	...	John Custance
Jean Wallace	...	Ann Custance
John Hamill	...	Roger Burnham
Lynne Frederick	...	Mary Custance
Patrick Holt	...	David Custance
Ruth Kettlewell	...	Fat Woman
M.J. Matthews	...	George
Michael Percival	...	Police Constable
Tex Fuller	...	Mr. Beaseley
Simon Merrick	...	T.V. Interviewer (Fred Gray)
Anthony Sharp	...	Sir Charles Brenner
George Coulouris	...	Mr. Sturdevant
Anthony May	...	Pirrie
Wendy Richard	...	Clara
Max Hartnell	...	Lieutenant
John Lewis	...	Corporal
Norman Atkyns	...	Dr. Cassop
Nigel Rathbone	...	Davey
Christopher Lofthouse	...	Spooks
John Avison	...	Yorkshire Sergeant
Jimmy Winston	...	1st. Hun
Richard Penny	...	2nd. Hun
R.C. Driscoll	...	3rd. Hun
Geoffrey Hooper	...	Tweed Jacket
Christopher Wilson	...	Farmer
William Duffy	...	Murdered Farmer
Mervyn Cumming	...	Joe Ashton (as Mervyn Patrick)
Denise Mockler	...	Emily Ashton
Ross Allan	...	Alf Parsons
Karen Terry	...	Parson's Daughter
Joan Ward	...	Mrs. Parsons
Brian Crabtree	...	Joe Harris
Susan Sydney	...	Liz Harris
Michael Landy	...	Jess Arkwright
Louise Kay	...	Susan Arkwright
Bruce Myers	...	Bill Riggs
Margaret Chapman	...	Prudence Riggs
Christopher Neame	...	Locke
Bridget Brice	...	Jill Locke
Reg Staniford	...	Mr. Blennit
Maureen Rutter	...	Mrs. Blennit
Derek Keller	...	Scott
Suzanne Pinkstone	...	Mrs. Scott
Surgit Sood	...	Surgit
Dick Offord	...	Joe
Joanna Annin	...	Joe's Wife
John Buckley	...	Captain
Malcolm Toes	...	Sgt. Major
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cornel Wilde	...	Radio voice (voice)
James Payne	...	Man in Food Queue (uncredited)

Directed by
Cornel Wilde

Writing credits
Sean Forestal		(screenplay) and
Cornel Wilde		(screenplay) (as Jefferson Pascal)
John Christopher		(novel)

Produced by
Cornel Wilde	....	producer

Original Music by
Burnell Whibley

Cinematography by
H.A.R. Thomson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Eric Boyd-Perkins
Frank Clarke

Art Direction by
Elliot Scott

Costume Design by
Tony Armstrong

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup artist
Biddy Chrystal	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Terence A. Clegg	....	unit manager
Sydney Streeter	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Stoneman	....	assistant director
Raymond Becket	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Jenkins	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	sound editor
Ken Barker	....	dubbing editor
Cyril Swern	....	sound recordist
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Terry Witherington	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Wally Byatt	....	camera operator (as Walter Byatt)
Dennis Fraser	....	grip
Derek Gattrell	....	best boy (uncredited)
Frank Wardale	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Edwards	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Burnell Whibley	....	conductor
Burnell Whibley	....	music arranger

Other crew
Kay Rawlings	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Theodora Productions

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1971) | France:-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cumberland, England, UK

Company:

Theodora Productions

Trivia:

First film of Lynne Frederick.

Quotes:

Clara:Here, how long are we gonna be up there on this farm?
Pirrie:Hell do I know? Why?
Clara:[Sarcastically] Well, we're gonna have a smashin' time up there, arn't we?
Pirrie:You forget the smashin' time. just keep your legs crossed.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 42nd Street Forever, Volume 4: Cooled by Refrigeration (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

No Blade Of Grass

On-the-cheap film of a minor sci-fi classic

I read the novel when I was a lad but was never able to lay hands on the film until recently. The movie is far worse than I had imagined it could be. The acting is very bad - the female lead, played by producer-writer-director Cornel Wilde's wife - is among the worst actresses I've ever seen. She's right up there with Mrs. Tom Laughlin in the horrendous "Billy Jack" movies. The rest of the film is also poorly cast - though it was fun to see one or two familiar faces pop up, among them a prominent actor from "Citizen Kane." The film seems to have been so badly under financed that Wilde was forced to pad the film with stock footage of belching smokestacks, polluted rivers and dead animals. The garishly colored flash forwards are a miserable idea, as is Wilde's narrowing of the frame in scenes of childbirth and particularly gruesome animal carcasses.