Things To Come

On Sunday 4th August, Talking Pictures TV showed one of my all-time favourite films, THINGS TO COME. The film was produced in 1936 by Alexander Korda for London Films and was written by H G Wells, who based the idea behind the film on his own 1933 book, THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME. The film's memorable soundtrack was written by Sir Arthur Bliss.

The film had a cast that included many stars of the British cinema, such as Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Sir Raiph Richardson, Margaretta Scott, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Maurice Braddell, Sophie Stewart, Derrick De Marney, and Ann Todd.

The first part of the film starts in 1940 and events take place in Everytown.

International tensions are rising and the country (it is unnamed but is very obviously Britain) is threatened by a foreign power. Without a warning, an air attack is made of on Everytown and this leads to immediate mobilisation. A full-scale World War breaks out and fighting soon reaches a stalemate. The war drags on for many years and by the 1960s, no one seems to be able to remember why they are fighting ... but the state of war has become part of normal life. (Prophetic shades of Orwell's continual state of war between the three great super states in his book 1984, perhaps?)

The fighting gradually peters out when a pandemic called the 'Wandering Sickness' breaks out. It isn't clear what caused the illness, but it is suggested that it is the result of some form of germ warfare that got out of control. The illness is very infectious, and can only be stopped by killing off anyone who is infected. In Everytown, a local warlord called Rudolf (AKA 'The Boss') ...

...imposes some sort of order.by doing this, and gradually the vestiges of 'civilisation' return.

Although some technology has survived – mostly military technology such as the ability to manufacture small arms and ammunition – society is almost medieval. There are some aircraft but there is no petrol for the engines, and 'T'he Boss decides to rectify the situation by seizing the coal and shale mines owned by the Hill People ... who one assumes are the Welsh. The coal and shale can then be processed into petrol, thus giving him a military advantage over his potential enemies.

The attack on the Hill People is successful ...

... and it was this scenario that I wargamed in 2010. However, before 'The Boss' can exploit this advantage, his regime is overthrown by an international organisation – Wings across the World – that is devoted to rebuilding a united and peaceful world society.

(I even went as far as to produce a short video about the scenario I used, and looking back at it, it wasn't a bad early attempt at creating a YouTube video. That said, the timing of the various sections of the video are a bit too quick for the watcher to read the captions and I really ought to try to remake it at some time.)

I first saw this film when I was a child, and it had a profound effect on me, and since then I have watched it many times. It was my first exposure to the idea of a dystopian future, and every since I have enjoyed reading books and watching films that fall into that genre.