MEGA-CAST PICTURES have been a phenomenon that has periodically surfaced throughout the history of the motion picture. One only has to look at such as the super-spectacular T'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD to see what we mean. To a lesser degree, there's A GUIDE FOR THED MARRIED MAN and even Mel Brooks' SLENT MOVIE; which also fit the mold.
AS FOR TODAY'S honored feature, THE STORY OF MANKND takes the idea perhaps a step further by making this multi-faceted cast thing the central tenet of the film; rather than having its being a mere single, featured novelty. Hence, what would have been played as a series of comical bars is transformed into the thing that we focus on.
WHY THIS STORY was ever considered for adaptation to the screen, silver or otherwise, remains a puzzle to us to this very day. This is a question which has plagued us for the over forty years that has transpired since we viewed it on the CBS Late Night movie.
FIRST OF ALL the film has an unstable and shaky foundation; being based on the novel THE STORY OF MANKIND. Dutch-born American writer and road show Einstein, Henrik Van Loon. Mr. Van Loon must have been an incurable egomaniac and a Deity-wannabe to even undertake such a project.
WHAT EMERGED WAS a strange mixture of the Almighty-friendly fantasy in the mold of HERE COMES MR. JORDON or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE being blended in with a PERRY MASON EPISODE-type courtroom drama. Mankind, itself, is being put on trial; with all of its rose petals and thorns being weighed by the Judge. In this case, it's Sir Cedric Hardwicke.
BEING THAT THIS is an American film from an equally American novel, both sides are allowed the benefit of counsel. The Devil (Vincent Price) prosecutes and 'The Spirit of Man' (Ronald Coleman acts as the defense. (Schultz says that was really some "modest little name!")
WHAT FOLLOWS IS seemingly dead, serious drama interspersed with short vignettes of stories throughout history. Present to give life to the chosen historical figures are the likes of: Hedy Lamarr (Joan of Arc), Groucho, Chico & Harpo Marx (as Peter Minuit, a Monk and Sir Isaac Newton respectively), Viorginia Mayo (Cleopatra), Agnes Morehead (Queen Elizabeth I), Peter Lorre (Nero).
OTHERS ROUNDING OUT the players include, in some equally miscast roles are: Caesar Romero, John Carradine, Charles Coburn, Dennis Hopper, Marie Wilson, Helmut Dantine, Edward Everett Horton, Reginald Gardinier, Henry Daniell, Marie Windsor, Franklin Pangborn, Cathy O'Donnell, Melville Cooper, Francis X. Bushman an d Jim Ameche.*
THE RESULTING PRODUCT would be acceptable if it were done in the spirit of a movie such as Mel Brooks' A HISTORY OF THE WORLD: PART ONE**; but it was not a farce. It was, I fact, dead serious.
WRITING SOMETHING LIKE "THE CONCISE GUIDE TO CREATION" would be a great companion piece. Why didn't Mr. Irwin Allen try that?
NOTE: * Interesting that actor Jim Ameche was cast as Alexander Graham Bell as his better known brother, Don Ameche had done this title role in THE STORY OF Alexander GRAHAM BELL.
NOTE ** This has got us wondering if this THE STORY OF MANKIND wasn't the inspiration for Mr. Brooks' HISTORY OF THE WORLD?
AS FOR TODAY'S honored feature, THE STORY OF MANKND takes the idea perhaps a step further by making this multi-faceted cast thing the central tenet of the film; rather than having its being a mere single, featured novelty. Hence, what would have been played as a series of comical bars is transformed into the thing that we focus on.
WHY THIS STORY was ever considered for adaptation to the screen, silver or otherwise, remains a puzzle to us to this very day. This is a question which has plagued us for the over forty years that has transpired since we viewed it on the CBS Late Night movie.
FIRST OF ALL the film has an unstable and shaky foundation; being based on the novel THE STORY OF MANKIND. Dutch-born American writer and road show Einstein, Henrik Van Loon. Mr. Van Loon must have been an incurable egomaniac and a Deity-wannabe to even undertake such a project.
WHAT EMERGED WAS a strange mixture of the Almighty-friendly fantasy in the mold of HERE COMES MR. JORDON or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE being blended in with a PERRY MASON EPISODE-type courtroom drama. Mankind, itself, is being put on trial; with all of its rose petals and thorns being weighed by the Judge. In this case, it's Sir Cedric Hardwicke.
BEING THAT THIS is an American film from an equally American novel, both sides are allowed the benefit of counsel. The Devil (Vincent Price) prosecutes and 'The Spirit of Man' (Ronald Coleman acts as the defense. (Schultz says that was really some "modest little name!")
WHAT FOLLOWS IS seemingly dead, serious drama interspersed with short vignettes of stories throughout history. Present to give life to the chosen historical figures are the likes of: Hedy Lamarr (Joan of Arc), Groucho, Chico & Harpo Marx (as Peter Minuit, a Monk and Sir Isaac Newton respectively), Viorginia Mayo (Cleopatra), Agnes Morehead (Queen Elizabeth I), Peter Lorre (Nero).
OTHERS ROUNDING OUT the players include, in some equally miscast roles are: Caesar Romero, John Carradine, Charles Coburn, Dennis Hopper, Marie Wilson, Helmut Dantine, Edward Everett Horton, Reginald Gardinier, Henry Daniell, Marie Windsor, Franklin Pangborn, Cathy O'Donnell, Melville Cooper, Francis X. Bushman an d Jim Ameche.*
THE RESULTING PRODUCT would be acceptable if it were done in the spirit of a movie such as Mel Brooks' A HISTORY OF THE WORLD: PART ONE**; but it was not a farce. It was, I fact, dead serious.
WRITING SOMETHING LIKE "THE CONCISE GUIDE TO CREATION" would be a great companion piece. Why didn't Mr. Irwin Allen try that?
NOTE: * Interesting that actor Jim Ameche was cast as Alexander Graham Bell as his better known brother, Don Ameche had done this title role in THE STORY OF Alexander GRAHAM BELL.
NOTE ** This has got us wondering if this THE STORY OF MANKIND wasn't the inspiration for Mr. Brooks' HISTORY OF THE WORLD?