When Worlds Collide (1951)

As a new star and planet hurtle toward a doomed Earth, a small group of survivalists frantically work to complete the rocket which will take them to their new home.

Director:

Rudolph Maté

Writers:

Sydney Boehm (screenplay), Edwin Balmer (novel)

Stars:

Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Derr	...	David Randall
Barbara Rush	...	Joyce Hendron
Peter Hansen	...	Dr. Tony Drake
John Hoyt	...	Sydney Stanton
Larry Keating	...	Dr. Cole Hendron
Rachel Ames	...	Julie Cummings (as Judith Ames)
Stephen Chase	...	Dr. George Frye
Frank Cady	...	Harold Ferris
Hayden Rorke	...	Dr. Emery Bronson
Sandro Giglio	...	Dr. Ottinger

Storyline

South African bush pilot and carefree ladies man Dave Randall finds he has been let in on the greatest and most terrible secret in the world when an eminent astronomer pays him to deliver some mysterious photos from to an equally prominent colleague in the U.S. The recipient, Dr. Hendron, confirms the awful findings of the sender: the star Bellus will collide with Earth, destroying our planet. Despite widespread disbelief, Marston and Spiro, a pair of millionaire philanthropists, give Dr. Hendron all their assets to begin construction on a huge rocket ship that will, at least theoretically, transport a nucleus of survivors to Zyra, a planet which orbiting Bellus that may or may not be habitable. The funds aren't enough to complete the spaceship, and Dr. Hendron solicits a contribution from elderly wheelchair-bound tycoon Sydney Stanton, a wheelchair-bound old man who, unlike the selfless Marston and Spiro, demands a place on the rocket, even though space and weight will be too ...

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Plot Keywords:

planet | astronomer | cab | radio | radiogram | 

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Taglines:

SEE New York City completely inundated!

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Portuguese Spanish

Release Date:

15 November 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cuando los mundos chocan

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$936,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Roy Thinnes makes an appearance after the first planet passes. He comes in and asks "is there anymore for the helicopter"

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Goofs

On the new world there are ruins of a building on the left with rectangular openings which would indicate intelligent life that no one appears to notice which would be an important finding. There also 2 pyramids, the same size, next to each other located on the backdrop of the new world.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: [spoken over a shot of outer space] Needles in a heavenly haystack. There are more stars in the heavens than there are human beings on Earth. Through telescopes men of science constantly search the infinitesimal corners of our solar system seeking new discoveries, hoping to better understand the laws of the Universe. Observatories dedicated to the study of astronomy are set in high and remote places, but there is none more remote than Mt. Kenna Observatory in this part of South ...

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Alternate Versions

In the German dub, the observatory from the beginning of the film is located in southern Germany and is named the Kepler Observatory.

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Connections

Featured in The Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981)

User Reviews

Good Despite its Flaws

When I was younger, this was one science fiction film that definitely made an impression on me. This was one of those where I actually was scared that one day my world would come to an end. However, as I got older I realized that this was just a movie, but still it is one of the best genre films of its era. Sure, it has its flaws (especially the painted background at the end), but still it is a film that was a product of its time and it will always be one of my favorites.