Before Irwin Allen was nicknamed "Master of Disaster" in the 1970's, he produced and directed this history lesson, based on Hendrik Van Loon's book.
The plot is that man has discovered the "Super H Bomb" sixty years ahead of schedule. A court convenes in Outer Space as The Spirit of Man (Ronald Colman), Mr. Scratch (Vincent Price) and his apprentice (Nick Cravat) argue whether man should be saved or allowed to blow themselves up. A parade of characters from history, good and evil, appear to make various points. With the exception of Bobby Watson, who plays Hitler and brings a note of unwelcome reality to the movie after ninety minutes of comic book history, the "bad" characters get most of the good lines and laughs. The "good" characters, with two exceptions, get the dreary lines and slow down an entertaining show; in some cases, they bring the movie to a screeching halt.
Vincent Price was inspired casting, and he carries off the role with admirable sarcasm, irony, and the occasional sneer. Nick Cravat acts with his eyebrows, and adds to the fun. Groucho Marx is a funny Peter Minuit, and Harpo Marx has maybe the best bit in the movie, as a harp playing Isaac Newton. Virginia Mayo's Cleopatra is amusing for the wrong reasons; she sounds like she came to Egypt by way of Atlanta. Agnes Moorehead, as Elizabeth I, roars and overacts her way through a badly written scene. Peter Lorre is a memorable Nero. In the three minutes allotted her scene, Marie Wilson sketches a brainless Marie Antoinette. John Carradine, as the pharaoh Khufu, cannot keep a straight face and grins at the camera in his first scene.
In his last film, Ronald Colman as The Spirit of Man gets the dreary lines and seems to think he's in a Serious Film. Hedy Lamarr is a Viennese sounding Joan of Arc. Charles Coburn as Hippocrates lectures the camera. Cathy O'Donnell stops the film as an early martyr. Chico Marx got star billing, but I couldn't spot him in the film.
This is a moderately fun watch if you are into "so bad it's good".
The plot is that man has discovered the "Super H Bomb" sixty years ahead of schedule. A court convenes in Outer Space as The Spirit of Man (Ronald Colman), Mr. Scratch (Vincent Price) and his apprentice (Nick Cravat) argue whether man should be saved or allowed to blow themselves up. A parade of characters from history, good and evil, appear to make various points. With the exception of Bobby Watson, who plays Hitler and brings a note of unwelcome reality to the movie after ninety minutes of comic book history, the "bad" characters get most of the good lines and laughs. The "good" characters, with two exceptions, get the dreary lines and slow down an entertaining show; in some cases, they bring the movie to a screeching halt.
Vincent Price was inspired casting, and he carries off the role with admirable sarcasm, irony, and the occasional sneer. Nick Cravat acts with his eyebrows, and adds to the fun. Groucho Marx is a funny Peter Minuit, and Harpo Marx has maybe the best bit in the movie, as a harp playing Isaac Newton. Virginia Mayo's Cleopatra is amusing for the wrong reasons; she sounds like she came to Egypt by way of Atlanta. Agnes Moorehead, as Elizabeth I, roars and overacts her way through a badly written scene. Peter Lorre is a memorable Nero. In the three minutes allotted her scene, Marie Wilson sketches a brainless Marie Antoinette. John Carradine, as the pharaoh Khufu, cannot keep a straight face and grins at the camera in his first scene.
In his last film, Ronald Colman as The Spirit of Man gets the dreary lines and seems to think he's in a Serious Film. Hedy Lamarr is a Viennese sounding Joan of Arc. Charles Coburn as Hippocrates lectures the camera. Cathy O'Donnell stops the film as an early martyr. Chico Marx got star billing, but I couldn't spot him in the film.
This is a moderately fun watch if you are into "so bad it's good".