Film Snail

The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds

6.8

The War of the Worlds

G·1953·85m

Summary

The residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills, until they discover it is the first of many transport devices from Mars bringing an army of invaders invincible to any man-made weapon, even the atomic bomb.

Cast

Gene Barry

Gene Barry

Dr. Clayton Forrester

Ann Robinson

Ann Robinson

Sylvia Van Buren

Lewis Martin

Lewis Martin

Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins

Les Tremayne

Les Tremayne

Maj. Gen. Mann

Frank Kreig

Frank Kreig

Fiddler Hawkins (uncredited)

Vernon Rich

Vernon Rich

Col. Ralph Heffner

Sandro Giglio

Sandro Giglio

Dr. Bilderbeck

Ann Codee

Ann Codee

Dr. Duprey (uncredited)

Robert Cornthwaite

Robert Cornthwaite

Dr. Pryor (as Bob Cornthwaite)

Cedric Hardwicke

Cedric Hardwicke

Commentary (voice) (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)

Houseley Stevenson Jr.

Gen. Mann's Aide (as Housely Stevenson Jr.)

William Phipps

William Phipps

Wash Perry (as Bill Phipps)

Jack Kruschen

Jack Kruschen

Salvatore

Paul Birch

Paul Birch

Alonzo Hogue (uncredited)

Paul Frees

Paul Frees

Second Radio Reporter / Opening Announcer

Henry Brandon

Henry Brandon

Cop at Crash Site

Peter Adams

Pine Summit Fire Watcher (uncredited)

Eric Alden

Eric Alden

Man (uncredited)

Hugh Allen

Brigadier General (uncredited)

Ruth Barnell

Mother (uncredited)

Edgar Barrier

Edgar Barrier

Prof. McPherson (uncredited)

Russ Bender

Russ Bender

Dr. Carmichael (uncredited)

Oscar Blank

Man in Church (uncredited)

Hazel Boyne

Screaming Woman (uncredited)

Chet Brandenburg

Chet Brandenburg

Man in Church (uncredited)

George Bruggeman

Soldier (uncredited)

Nora Bush

Woman in Church (uncredited)

Tony Butala

Boy in Final Church (uncredited)

Mushy Callahan

Burning Soldier at Pit (uncredited)

Dick Cherney

Looter (uncredited)

Edward Colmans

Edward Colmans

Spanish Priest (uncredited)

James Conaty

Man at Pacific Institute of Science and Technology (uncredited)

Russ Conway

Russ Conway

Rev. Bethany (uncredited)

Martin Coulter

Marine Sergeant (uncredited)

Vittorio Cramer

First Radio Reporter (uncredited)

Pierre Cressoy

Pierre Cressoy

Frenchman (uncredited)

Oliver Cross

Scientist (uncredited)

Jane Crowley

Woman in Church (uncredited)

Jim Davies

Marine Commanding Officer (uncredited)

Helen Dickson

Woman in Church (uncredited)

Ralph Dumke

Ralph Dumke

Buck Monahan (uncredited)

Jimmie Dundee

Civil Defense Official (uncredited)

Al Ferguson

Al Ferguson

Police Chief (uncredited)

Dick Fortune

Marine Captain (uncredited)

Alex Frazer

Dr. James (uncredited)

Frank Freeman Jr.

Bum #2 Listening to Radio (uncredited)

Slim Gaut

Radio Listener (uncredited)

Charles Gemora

Charles Gemora

Martian (uncredited)

Ned Glass

Ned Glass

Well-Dressed Looter (uncredited)

Jack Gordon

Man in Church (uncredited)

Fred Graham

Fred Graham

Looter (uncredited)

Joe Gray

Looter (uncredited)

Herman Hack

Herman Hack

Worker Listening to Radio (uncredited)

Nancy Hale

Nancy Hale

Young Wife (uncredited)

Virginia Hall

Girl (uncredited)

Ted Hecht

Ted Hecht

KGEB Reporter (uncredited)

Douglas Henderson

Douglas Henderson

Staff Sergeant (uncredited)

Gertrude Hoffmann

Gertrude Hoffmann

Elderly News Vendor (uncredited)

Tex Holden

Man in Church (uncredited)

Jimmie Horan

Party Guest (uncredited)

Patricia Iannone

Girl (uncredited)

Jerry James

Reporter (uncredited)

Michael Jeffers

Michael Jeffers

Worker Listening to Radio (uncredited)

Dick Johnstone

Dick Johnstone

Man in Church (uncredited)

Carolyn Jones

Carolyn Jones

Blonde Party Guest (uncredited)

Don Kohler

Colonel (uncredited)

Ivan Lebedeff

Ivan Lebedeff

Dr. Gratzman (uncredited)

Freeman Lusk

Freeman Lusk

Secretary of Defense (uncredited)

Herbert Lytton

Herbert Lytton

Chief of Staff (uncredited)

Wilbur Mack

Wilbur Mack

Official (uncredited)

George Magrill

George Magrill

Traffic Cop (uncredited)

Mike Mahoney

Townsman (uncredited)

John Mansfield

Man (uncredited)

Joel Marston

Joel Marston

Military Policeman in Jeep (uncredited)

Sydney Mason

Fire Chief, Crew #3 (uncredited)

John Maxwell

John Maxwell

Doctor (uncredited)

Mathew McCue

Man in Church (uncredited)

David McMahon

David McMahon

Minister, First Church (uncredited)

William Meader

P.E. Official (uncredited)

Lee Miller

Lee Miller

Reporter (uncredited)

Ralph Montgomery

Los Angeles Red Cross Official (uncredited)

Alvy Moore

Alvy Moore

Zippy (uncredited)

Bob Morgan

Bob Morgan

Injured Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)

Charles Morton

Charles Morton

Worker Listening to Radio (uncredited)

George Nardelli

George Nardelli

Military Officer (uncredited)

Stanley Orr

Marine Major (uncredited)

George Pal

George Pal

Bum #1 Listening to Radio (uncredited)

Walter Richards

Reporter (uncredited)

Robert Rockwell

Robert Rockwell

Forest Ranger at Crash Site (uncredited)

Walter Sande

Walter Sande

Sheriff Bogany (uncredited)

James Seay

James Seay

Air Force Bomber Pilot (uncredited)

Allen D. Sewall

Man in Church (uncredited)

Lucile Sewall

Woman in Church (uncredited)

Cora Shannon

Old Woman (uncredited)

David Sharpe

David Sharpe

Looter (uncredited)

Teru Shimada

Teru Shimada

Japanese Diplomat (uncredited)

Reginald Lal Singh

Military Officer (uncredited)

Bobby Somers

Deputy at Crash Site (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Man in Church (uncredited)

Charles Stewart

Marine Captain (uncredited)

Jack Stoney

Jack Stoney

Looter (uncredited)

Gus Taillon

Elderly Man (uncredited)

Morton C. Thompson

Reporter (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Arthur Tovey

Party Guest (uncredited)

Dale Van Sickel

Dale Van Sickel

Looter (uncredited)

Dorothy Vernon

Dorothy Vernon

Elderly Woman at Square Dance (uncredited)

Anthony Warde

Anthony Warde

Military Police Driver (uncredited)

Bob Whitney

Military Officer (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

Worker Listening to Radio (uncredited)

Waldon Williams

Boy (uncredited)

Bud Wolfe

Rescuing Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)

Fred Zendar

Marine Lieutenant (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Byron Haskin

Novel

H.G. Wells

Screenplay

Barré Lyndon

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

September 6, 2014

7

Smashing sci-fi film that is a landmark for special effects.

Martians invade Earth with total destructive powers, seemingly unstoppable, mankind must find a way to beat them before all is Lost.

In spite of the uproar and considerable success of Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of the H.G Wells novel, War Of The Worlds was a topic that directors were staying well away from. Such high esteemed men like as Cecil B. DeMille & Alfred Hitchcock were mooted to be interested but it always came down to a worry that the special effects needed for the story were too much of a headache. Enter producer George Pal, noted for puppetoon shorts, he managed to sway the big wigs at Paramount that it could indeed be done, and thus the chain of big colour spaceships blasting, sci-fi creatures lurking and blockbuster bums on seats movies began.

Directed by Byron Haskin, this version of the source moves the location from Edwardian England to 20th Century America, and this works a treat because the watching American public were genuinely unnerved at the sight of contemporary America being reduced to rubble by an invading force. The makers further our sense of dread by only letting us glimpse the aliens once in a wonderful scene (respectfully homaged in Stephen Spielberg's 2005 version of the source), other than that scene we are subjected to attack after attack from shiny flying saucers, slick and ground breaking effects working their magic on an impressionable audience.

Outside of those known to hardcore sci-fi fans, the cast doesn't contain any stars of note, probably due to all the money being used on the effects? And for sure many of them come across as wooden beyond compare (though the lovely Ann Robinson lights up every scene she is in), while if I'm to be over critical: then the romantic thread in the film is tiresome and the religious overtone is tardily done. But War Of The Worlds 1953 still stands proud as a brave and hugely enjoyable picture thats importance has never been (nor should it be) understated, and even allowing for nostalgic fervour from this particular viewer, I heartily recommend this film to anyone interested in template movies for the sci-fi genre. 7/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$2,000,000.00

Revenue:

$2,000,000.00

Keywords

laser gun
based on novel or book
dystopia
mountain village
street riots
space invasion
radioactivity
martian
religion
los angeles, california
alien invasion
technicolor
scientist hero
martian invasion
mass evacuation
meteor space ship
wedge maneuver
impenetrable force field
martian aircraft
three-lensed eye
h.g. wells