Arch Oboler's apocalyptic earth-shaker still packs a mighty punch. Searing at times, this thoughtful, loquacious drama follows the struggles of a poet, a pregnant woman, a banker, his bank teller and a mountain climber, as they search for safety, viands, and a new beginning. You have to hear the mountain climber's roundabout explanation on how he survived. It defies logic. They all surface at the director's home, a "Frank Lloyd Wright" creation embedded into the mountainside. Oboler, I believe, intentionally mixes disparate influences into the narrative: European Neo-Realism, art house/independent film fair and 50's-style television/anthology convictions. No fooling around. And it all comes together in the end. The death and destruction of society is handled with little commotion. The special effects are limited but effective. The director simply scatters some skeletons here and there and topples over some vehicles. The metropolis is lifeless and intact. It's coldly effective. I like how the older banker is given more dimensions than usual: his money worthless, he wishes only to see the ocean one last time. Wistful. He is an empathetic character. The black man is the saint here. He is hardworking, quick-minded and a decent man who doesn't deserve his fate. The foreigner is a lost cause, a traveler who doesn't wish to plant any roots. Not in this limited colony, anyway. He is smart--but evil. At all costs, stay far away from him. The poet is the avid reader and philosopher. He sees himself as the best choice for leader. He clashes (often) with the adventurer. The pregnant woman is mankind's final hope; the "Eve" to the poet's "Adam." The child she is carrying is you-know-who. It all ties together in one smooth swath of cloth. Or does it?
Review of Five
