When Worlds Collide was George Pal's second sci-fi film after the success of his previous Destination Moon. It's also one of the earliest depictions of "the end-of-the-world" scenario since it was based on a 1932 novel. While the premise was interesting and there were some cool effects for a '50s Technicolor movie, there's the formula "girl has to choose between two men" that seemed par for the course in many of these genre flicks. The best performance was that of John Hoyt as the billionaire who finances the rocket move after the government turns scientist Larry Keating down. Richard Derr and Barbara Rush are the adequately compelling leads. Besides Keating who was the fourth Harry Morton on Burns and Allen, other familiar faces from later TV series include Hayden Rorke from I Dream of Jeanne (though it took a while before I recognized him since he wore a beard here) and Frank Cady from Petticoat Junction and Green Acres (though again he wasn't easily spotted without his mustache or gravelly voice). If you're a sci-fi fan of Pal, this film is worth a look. Just don't expect too much in the way of logic.

I am partial to older movies such as "When Worlds Collide,"

because the acting and limited technology were more crucial to

making an interesting movie. You have to try to place yourself in

the movie's time period and in the characters' environment before

making judgment.

Having done so, I believe this movie is a "thumbs-up" for carrying

out a lengthy story line in just 86 minutes. The actors all made up

for the absence of modern, computer-generated graphics and

second-class props, by today's standards. And they did a good job

of bringing to life the human problems and issues that would arise

in similar situations if their predicament happened today.

I first saw this movie in 1960 at the age of six. It blew me away

then. And today, I still enjoy watching it, but I have to remind myself

about my previous comments and put myself back in the movie's

time zone.

This is a good Sci-fi movie for its time. Sit back, grab a bucket of

popcorn and a soda, and go back to the early 1950s if you can.

Then let the movie do the rest.

Hayden Rorke and his team of astronomers in Johannesburg, South Africa discover a star and an accompanying orbiting planet are on a direct course for our solar system. In a year they will hit earth. Rorke dispatches Richard Derr to his colleague Larry Keating in the USA for confirmation. It's true the worlds will collide in about a year on August 12.

When Worlds Collide is the story of a few scientists and their efforts to save mankind by taking a few over to that orbiting planet Zaira which will pass close before the star itself overwhelms earth with heat before the collision itself. It is mentioned that other countries are undertaking rocket building, but When Worlds Collide concentrates on the USA where the claims are met with derision by the scientific community so Keating and colleagues go out on their own. The main financial sponsor is multi-millionaire John Hoyt who believes his millions entitle him to some special consideration. The conflict between Keating and Hoyt is what drive the film.

Below that there is a subplot involving Richard Derr and Keating's daughter Barbara Rush. He breaks in and steals her away from Peter Hansen who also works with Keating.

The lack of name players gives a bit of realism to When Worlds Collide although these character actors are a pretty familiar lot. When Worlds Collide has come down to us via its reputation for its special effects because of the deserved Oscar it won. But director Rudolph Mate got good performances from his cast.

It never ceases to amaze me how the invention of the computer is never factored in and it certainly was thought about and invented very shortly although those early machines were big. Among the necessary items thought for survival were books, the Bible, Principia Mathematica and the Encyclopedia Britannica. These of course would all be on discs now. This is the third science fiction film from roughly the same era and none of them imagined that one.

Although the concepts are dated and the science fiction a bit flawed, When Worlds Collide still has great entertainment value.