The War of the Worlds (1953)

Director:

Byron Haskin

Writers:

H.G. Wells (novel)
Barré Lyndon (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 August 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Amazing! terrifying! The most savage spectacle of all time!

Plot:

The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

Plot Keywords:

United States Capitol Building | Based On Radio Show | Religious Overtones | Nest | Farmhouse

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gene Barry	...	Dr. Clayton Forrester
Ann Robinson	...	Sylvia Van Buren
Les Tremayne	...	Maj. Gen. Mann
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Dr. Pryor (as Bob Cornthwaite)
Sandro Giglio	...	Dr. Bilderbeck
Lewis Martin	...	Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins
Houseley Stevenson Jr.	...	Gen. Mann's aide
Paul Frees	...	Second Radio Reporter / Opening Announcer
William Phipps	...	Wash Perry (as Bill Phipps)
Vernon Rich	...	Col. Ralph Heffner
Henry Brandon	...	Cop at Crash Site
Jack Kruschen	...	Salvatore
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Commentary (voice) (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cliff Clark	...	Australian Policeman (scenes deleted)
Rudy Lee	...	Boy (scenes deleted)
Peter Adams	...	Pine Summit Fire Watcher (uncredited)
Eric Alden	...	Man (uncredited)
Hugh Allen	...	Brigadier General (uncredited)
Ruth Barnell	...	Mother (uncredited)
Edgar Barrier	...	Prof. McPherson (uncredited)
Russ Bender	...	Dr. Carmichael (uncredited)
Paul Birch	...	Alonzo Hogue (uncredited)
Hazel Boyne	...	Screaming Woman (uncredited)
Tony Butala	...	One of 3 boys in final church scene (uncredited)
Mushy Callahan	...	Burning Soldier at Pit (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Dr. Duprey (uncredited)
Edward Colmans	...	Spanish Priest (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Man at Pacific Institute of Science and Technology (uncredited)
Russ Conway	...	Rev. Bethany (uncredited)
Martin Coulter	...	Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
Vittorio Cramer	...	First Radio Reporter (uncredited)
Pierre Cressoy	...	Man (uncredited)
Jim Davies	...	Marine Commanding Officer (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Woman in Church (uncredited)
Ralph Dumke	...	Buck Monahan (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Civil Defense Official (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Police Chief (uncredited)
Dick Fortune	...	Marine Captain (uncredited)
Alex Frazer	...	Dr. James (uncredited)
Frank Freeman Jr.	...	Bum #2 listening to radio (uncredited)
Charles Gemora	...	Martian (uncredited)
Ned Glass	...	Well-Dressed Looter (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Looter (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Looter (uncredited)
Nancy Hale	...	Young Wife (uncredited)
Virginia Hall	...	Girl (uncredited)
Ted Hecht	...	KGEB Reporter (uncredited)
Douglas Henderson	...	Staff Sergeant (uncredited)
Gertrude Hoffman	...	Elderly Woman News Vendor (uncredited)
Patricia Iannone	...	Girl (uncredited)
Jerry James	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Don Kohler	...	Colonel (uncredited)
Frank Kreig	...	Fiddler Hawkins (uncredited)
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Dr. Gratzman (uncredited)
Freeman Lusk	...	Secretary of Defense (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton	...	Chief of Staff (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Traffic Cop (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Young Man (uncredited)
John Mansfield	...	Man (uncredited)
Joel Marston	...	MP in Jeep (uncredited)
Sydney Mason	...	Fire Chief, Crew #3 (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Matthew McCue	...	Man in Church (uncredited)
David McMahon	...	Minister, First Church (uncredited)
Bill Meader	...	P.E. Official (uncredited)
Lee Miller	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Los Angeles Red Cross official (uncredited)
Alvy Moore	...	Zippy (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	...	Injured Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)
Stanley Orr	...	Marine Major (uncredited)
George Pal	...	Bum #1 listening to radio (uncredited)
Walter Richards	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Rockwell	...	Forest Ranger at Crash Site (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Sheriff Bogany (uncredited)
James Seay	...	Air Force Bomber Pilot (uncredited)
Cora Shannon	...	Old Woman (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	Looter (uncredited)
Teru Shimada	...	Japanese Diplomat (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Man in Church (uncredited)
Charles Stewart	...	Marine Captain (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Looter (uncredited)
Gus Taillon	...	Elderly Man (uncredited)
Morton C. Thompson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Looter (uncredited)
Dorothy Vernon	...	Elderly Woman (uncredited)
Edward Wahrman	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Anthony Warde	...	Military Police Driver (uncredited)
Waldon Williams	...	Boy (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Rescuing Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	...	Marine Lieutenant (uncredited)

Directed by
Byron Haskin

Writing credits
H.G. Wells		(novel)
Barré Lyndon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Frank Freeman Jr.	....	associate producer
George Pal	....	producer
Cecil B. DeMille	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leith Stevens

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Everett Douglas

Art Direction by
Albert Nozaki
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Emile Kuri

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Frank Caffey	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael D. Moore	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chesley Bonestell	....	astronomical art
Romaine Birkmeyer	....	props (uncredited)
Ivyl Burks	....	props (uncredited)
Gordon Cole	....	property master (uncredited)
Charles Davies	....	props (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Milt Olson	....	props (uncredited)
Lee Vasque	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gene Garvin	....	sound recordist
Harry Lindgren	....	sound recordist
Howard Beals	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Dan Johnson	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Tommy Middleton	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Lovell Norman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Walter Oberst	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ivyl Burks	....	special photographic effects
Jan Domela	....	special photographic effects
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects
W. Wallace Kelley	....	special photographic effects (as Wallace Kelley)
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects (as Paul Lerpae)
Irmin Roberts	....	special photographic effects
Chester Pate	....	special effects (uncredited)
Bob Springfield	....	special effects (uncredited)
A. Edward Sutherland	....	special effects (uncredited)
Barney Wolff	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ivyl Burks	....	special visual effects (uncredited)
Jack Caldwell	....	special optical effects (uncredited)
Marcel Delgado	....	miniatures (uncredited)
Jan Domela	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Jan Domela	....	special visual effects (uncredited)
Walter Hoffman	....	special visual effects: a-bomb sequence (uncredited)
Gordon Jennings	....	special visual effects (uncredited)
W. Wallace Kelley	....	special visual effects (uncredited)
Aubrey Law	....	special optical effects (uncredited)
Irmin Roberts	....	special visual effects (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	visual effects camera operator: Technicolor (uncredited)

Stunts
Mushy Callahan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer (uncredited)
Soldier Graham	....	chief gaffer (uncredited)
Murray Young	....	key grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Gemora	....	costume maker: Martian costumes (uncredited)
Diana Gemora	....	costume maker: Martian costume (uncredited)
Edith Head	....	costumes (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Monroe W. Burbank	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Music Department
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Chesley Bonestell	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Gae Griffith	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Dr. Robert S. Richardson	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1997) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) S.L. (2005) (Spain) (DVD)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Multi-Track Magnetic Stereophonic) (35 mm magnetic prints) | Mono (Western Electric Recording) (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Germany:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16011) (original rating) | Netherlands:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Spain:T | USA:G (re-rating) (1977) | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1954) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | West Germany:12 | Canada:G

Filming Locations:

City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

By way of acknowledging the part that Cecil B. DeMille had played in bringing the story to the screen, George Pal wanted him to narrate the film, but DeMille suggested Sir Cedric Hardwicke instead. Pal also paid tribute to DeMille in the film by having his film Samson and Delilah (1949) listed on the theater marquee early in the film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where the wild horses are running down a steep embankment, in the final seconds of the scene you can see men on horseback following the wild horses, raising their arms and causing the horses to stampede.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Radio Reporter: [voiceover] In the First World War, and for the first time in the history of man, nations combined to fight against nations using the crude weapons of those days. The Second World War involved every continent on the globe, and men turned to science for new devices of warfare, which reached an unparalleled peak in their capacity for destruction. And now, fought with the terrible weapons of super-science, menacing all mankind and every creature on the Earth comes the War of the Worlds.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

An Effective Sci-Fi Thriller

To be an effective thriller, a sci-fi film absolutely must impart to the viewer a sense of --- coldness, either the physical coldness of outer space or other worlds, or the emotional coldness of science.

Cedric Hardwicke's opening narrative in "The War Of The Worlds" is brutally cold, and the added images uninviting. The martian machines, vaguely resembling "legless swans", are both beautiful and terrifying. They move slowly, in a graceful but calculating manner. They warn of their approach with an eerie, unearthly "pinging" sound.

In the scene where the priest walks toward one of the "swans", the aliens do not impulsively open fire. Instead, they wait. The cruel "eye" peers down on the priest, studying him, in a foreboding prelude to his inevitable annihilation.

Other scenes in the first half also convey this needed sense of alien coldness. We can, therefore, forgive the film for its somewhat corny plot.

The film's second half is weaker because the aliens have to compete for screen time with Los Angeles mob scenes, a showy and irksome display of American military hardware, and dry narration of military war tactics. But even in this second half, suspense filters through, as we watch the heartless "swans" eject their heat rays on a helpless Los Angeles.

For sci-fi films made before "2001: A Space Odyssey", "The War Of The Worlds" is one of my three favorites, along with "Robinson Crusoe On Mars" and "Forbidden Planet".