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.Alright, let us acknowledge that this is a bit silly. Rather than a comet or meteor heading towards earth (as in "Armageddon") we have a star heading for a collision course. That is some nonsense! And then, rather than any sensible approach, the solution is to send a rocket -- off of a ramp -- to go to a new planet. Exactly when this film is set I do not know, but in the real world we had not even made it to the moon yet! But if we ignore the science flaws, this is sort of a fun film of imminent danger and a split between the doubters and those who want to carry on the human race. And over the top of it is sort of a Biblical message... exactly how that message works may be interpreted differently by different viewers. Generally speaking, I liked it.

With all of its shortcomings I love this excellent little film, always have. I first saw it on UK ITV when a kid in the late 1960's - during one of the ad breaks an announcer had to advise viewers not to panic as it was only a coincidence (apparently) that its given date of August 12th Doomsday was also the date it was being screened. And that the film was entirely fictitious. I've always found it incredible that some people could still be so credulous in the '60's and that it appears the opposite is usually true nowadays.Two rogue planets are discovered to be on a close pass/collision course with Earth, dedicated scientist-brains lead dedicated teams to plan and build rocket to hopefully transport and save a few lucky surviving humans to the new world. Laid out in a typical Hollywood soap opus style with an icky love story and oodles of self-sacrifice in the face of impending hideous mass death it still grips - it's open simplicity saves it from being either a cornfest or boring. Although it's been dated for over 40 years it's still interesting for its procession of stereotypical people and emotions and the range of allegorical situations presented. With but a single moralisation stemming from the two jealous love rivals, boxes of urgent medical supplies are flown to a stranded group of people that everyone including us know are all going to be incinerated in a few days. But overall dog eat dog after all. I always hope classy heroine Barbara Rush will scream in horror directly at the camera as she did later in It Came From Outer Space but no such luck in here. Hunky hero Richard Derr never looked more like Danny Kaye. I think the special effects won an Oscar in 1951 ... um, time has taken its usual toll – however it's still an essential sci-fi film to watch, especially if you're into the (history of the) genre.

Though the great space race between America and the U.S.S.R. was still a number of years away, the fact that space travel was a real possibility fuelled audiences desire for sci-fi that was rooted in scientific theory. I emphasise the word theory as the science behind the Golden Age of sci-fi was generally rather loopy, though the films were happy to make heroes of scientists. They were no more self-isolated lunatics cooking up destructive experiments or digging up corpses to make a monster, but wise, goateed intellectuals, or square-jawed protégées capable of saving humanity from any potential threats. Of course, the 1950's mainly gave us rubber-suited aliens or giant, mutated monsters, but there were a few directors and producers that were aiming to give the audience a more satisfying, thoughtful experience, such as Rudolph Mate's When Worlds Collide.After scientists discover that there are a pair of rogue planets hurtling towards Earth, pilot David Randall (Richard Derr) is given the task of delivering the information to New York for further research. When Dr. Cole Hendron (Larry Keating) confirms the fear, the news is brought to the attention of the United Nations, where they are laughed out as crackpots. It is believed that the first planet will pass so close to the Earth, it will cause devastating damage, only return from its orbit of the Sun to destroy Earth completely. With the help of Sydney Stanton (John Hoyt), who provides the funds, Hendron and his colleagues begin work on a spacecraft that will transport a small band of survivors to the second planet, which they believe is habitable and will remain on a stable orbit.Rather than giving us special-effects filled set-pieces or killer aliens, When Worlds Collide entirely focuses on humanity's reaction to potential catastrophe. The story is an obvious parable of Noah's Ark, with God venting his fury upon the Earth he saw as fallen into sin, and this theme comes to fruition near towards the end as a lottery-system is drafted to choose who stays and who goes, with the inevitable violent rebellion of those facing death. This harsh depiction of the human race was the most intriguing idea the film had, which makes it sad that the film-makers failed to capitalise on it, instead focuses on a dull love story between Randall, Hendron's daughter Joyce (Barbara Rush) and Dr. Tony Drake (Peter Hansen).The film was successful and went to be hugely influential in the genre, but it is held back from being anything great by some gaping plot-holes, lazy plot devices, and some erratic special effects. It took home to Academy Awards for Special Effects, but the new world reveal at the climax is a rather hastily painted backdrop, ruining any sense of wonder the ending may have provided. There is plenty of fun to be had with When Worlds Collide and gave many future writers and directors to think about, but producer George Pal funded better and more satisfying sci-fi in The War of the Worlds (1953) and The Time Machine (1960).www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

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.