Things to Come
| Things to Come | |
|---|---|
UK poster for the premiere run of the film
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| Directed by | William Cameron Menzies |
| Produced by | Alexander Korda |
| Written by | H. G. Wells |
| Based on |
The Shape of Things to Come 1933 novel by H. G. Wells |
| Starring |
Raymond Massey Ralph Richardson Cedric Hardwicke Pearl Argyle Margaretta Scott |
| Music by | Arthur Bliss |
| Cinematography | Georges Périnal |
| Edited by |
Charles Crichton Francis D. Lyon |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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108m 41s (see below) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £260,000 |
Things to Come (also known in promotional material as H. G. Wells' Things to Come) is a 1936 British black-and-white science fiction film from United Artists, produced by Alexander Korda, directed by William Cameron Menzies, and written by H. G. Wells. The film stars Raymond Massey, Ralph Richardson, Cedric Hardwicke, Pearl Argyle, and Margaretta Scott.
The dialogue and plot were devised by H. G. Wells as "a new story" meant to display the "social and political forces and possibilities" that he had outlined in his 1933 story The Shape of Things to Come, a work he considered less a novel than a "discussion" in fictional form that presented itself as the notes of a 22nd-century diplomat. The film was also influenced by previous works, including his 1897 story "A Story of the Days to Come" and his 1931 work on society and economics, The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind; speculating on the future had been a stock-in-trade for Wells ever since The Time Machine (1895). The cultural historian Christopher Frayling called Things to Come "a landmark in cinematic design".
In the British city of "Everytown", businessman John Cabal (Raymond Massey) cannot enjoy Christmas Day, 1940, with the news everywhere of possible war. His guest, Harding (Maurice Braddell), shares his worries, while his other friend, the over-optimistic Pippa Passworthy (Edward Chapman), believes it will not come to pass, but if it does, it will accelerate technological progress. An aerial bombing raid on the city that night results in general mobilisation and then global war.
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Wikipedia