When Scott Carey begins to shrink because of exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide, medical science is powerless to help him.When Scott Carey begins to shrink because of exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide, medical science is powerless to help him.When Scott Carey begins to shrink because of exposure to a combination of radiation and insecticide, medical science is powerless to help him.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination
- Barker
- (as Frank Scannell)
- Balloon Vendor
- (uncredited)
- KIRL TV Newscaster
- (uncredited)
- Joe
- (uncredited)
- Doctor
- (uncredited)
- Giant
- (uncredited)
- Butch the Cat
- (uncredited)
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
- Spieler
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRichard Matheson's book was written as a series of flashbacks so that you got into the cellar with Scott quickly. Universal insisted on a linear story. They also vetoed key sequences, such as Scott spending the night with the female midget, a drunk homosexual who abuses Scott, a gang of teenagers who terrorize him, and Scott becoming a Peeping Tom secretly spying on a teenage girl baby-sitter. These were rejected as too risqué for 1957.
- GoofsEven though the spider in this film is clearly a tarantula, the spider is shown sitting in a standard type spider web. Tarantulas do not build webs like that. They live in burrows or holes.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Scott Carey: I was continuing to shrink, to become... what? The infinitesimal? What was I? Still a human being? Or was I the man of the future? If there were other bursts of radiation, other clouds drifting across seas and continents, would other beings follow me into this vast new world? So close - the infinitesimal and the infinite. But suddenly, I knew they were really the two ends of the same concept. The unbelievably small and the unbelievably vast eventually meet - like the closing of a gigantic circle. I looked up, as if somehow I would grasp the heavens. The universe, worlds beyond number, God's silver tapestry spread across the night. And in that moment, I knew the answer to the riddle of the infinite. I had thought in terms of man's own limited dimension. I had presumed upon nature. That existence begins and ends is man's conception, not nature's. And I felt my body dwindling, melting, becoming nothing. My fears melted away. And in their place came acceptance. All this vast majesty of creation, it had to mean something. And then I meant something, too. Yes, smaller than the smallest, I meant something, too. To God, there is no zero. I still exist!
- Alternate versionsWhen originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'A' rating. All cuts were waived in 2006 when the film was re-rated with a 'PG' certificate for home video. Note: The running time on the BBFC website for the 1957 theatrical release mentions a run time of 91 minutes 48 seconds with an indication this is the submitted run time prior to any cuts. It is not clear if this was a longer version of the film which is widely known to run just 81 minutes (77 minutes on PAL media).
- ConnectionsEdited into Attack of the 50 Foot Monster Mania (1999)
- SoundtracksThe Incredible Shrinking Man Theme
Written by Foster Carling and Earl E. Lawrence
Played by Ray Anthony
The only sour note (besides the special effects, which may seem primitive by today's digital standards, but which I, as an 8-year-old in 1957, seeing this for the first time, thought were astounding) is the scene with the Little People. The metaphor of "you are as big as you feel" is laid on pretty thick, and that particular set of special effects (especially that big coffee cup Clarice drinks out of) didn't fool me, even as an 8-year-old. Incidentally, up until recently, TV showings of this movie usually cut that scene out, although the names of the actors who played the Little People were left in the end of movie credits.
However, the point is well taken, and Scott realizes that as his physical size decreases, his mental and spiritual powers are increasing. The final scenes are a testament to Transcendentalism. For example, Scott says in the narration that he no longer hates the spider who has been threatening him during his imprisonment in the cellar. He understands that it has as much right to survive as he has. In Transcendental terms, he is saying that existence is neither good nor evil, it simply "is." (Do people in California really have tarantulas in their cellars?) The wonderful last scene, where Scott (the absolutely gorgeous Grant Williams), bruised, battered, exhausted, looks up at the heavens and is no longer afraid, is one of the most empowering scenes in all cinema. This man has been so beaten down by fate that he is literally disappearing, and yet he affirms existence, and resolutely continues to move forward to whatever that next plane of existence may be. This ending is a far cry from the usual finales of sci/fi films of the 50s, where destruction is generally the resolution of the crisis. Here, there is no destruction, only transcendence. I never get tired of this film.
- LomzaLady
- Oct 19, 2005
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Die unglaubliche Geschichte des Mr. C
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $750,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $2,580
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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