When Worlds Collide is a film about a cataclysmic doomsday scenario, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent the end of the world.
This film opens with a quote from scripture. These ominous overtones are a perfect fit for a doomsday film! The story is simple. A rogue star named Bellus is on a collision course with Earth. Yes that is correct, an entire star is heading for Earth. The people of Earth have less than one year to prepare for their doom, when Bellus will utterly destroy planet Earth.
It was only days later that somebody cleaned the bird crap off the telescope lens.
Bellus looms closer...
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After a short exposition about the delivery of this disastrous information, the United Nations are assembled and told of this impending doomsday scenario. Many of the nation leaders scoff at the news, citing their own astronomers determined these celestial object will pass by harmlessly. Bellus, coincidentally, has an orbiting planet called Zyra. Dr Cole Hendron recommends each country build a rocket ship to send people to colonise the passing planet Zyra, before it's host star consumes the Earth.
In case you missed it, we are talking about space arks. Animals included. Let me say that again. Space Arks.
Predicting the end of the world is an annual crackpot event in our society in an attempt to corner the newspaper headline.
Predictably these Space Arks can only carry a limited number of people, forty or so. We don't know how many countries are building Space Arks, nor do we see them building or launching any. We only know that the wise American people heeded the warning and constructed a Space Ark.
This is where we sit, and this here is the confectionery trolley. There is no lavatory, so go before we launch.
Martial law is declared when the deadline looms closer, and a lottery is drawn to decide who will get a seat on the Space Ark. There is no clever decision making here. Granted the pool of people are engineers, doctors, and farmers, who are helping construct the Space Ark. With the human race at stake, you'd expect the best distribution of skills to be a priority. This luck of the draw might work if several hundred people are chosen, but forty? I don't believe it.
D5... hit! D6... hit! I sunk your battleship and I win! That's five for five, Jones. Pay up!
There is a love story shoe-horned in here as well. It revolves around pilot for hire David Randall, who was paid to courier the secret documents detailing this discovery. We are introduced to David as he pilots his Spartan Executive, although not much piloting is taking place. Even though the craft can carry four passengers, his fare is practically sitting on his lap. David is a smooth-talking player.
Let's make out while I fly this thing.
Using his charm he gets close to Joyce, daughter of Dr Hendron. David has no skills useful for colonisation, but is nonetheless manoeuvred into a seat on the life-saving Space Ark. Dr Tony Drake is in a relationship with Joyce, and was planning to propose to her.
You should see my other plane...
The doctor was happy to just step aside and let David into the picture. This was a very odd change of pace. The story had all the elements of the classic love triangle, but it falls flat on its face. This results in no conflict, no passionate plea, and no fun to watch.
You're not going to kiss me too, are you?
Attention everyone! Bellus growing larger, getting closer every hour, and with every hour the time left to us gets shorter! So hurry! More welders are needed by number three construction crew. Please rush!
When planet Zyra passes near Earth, volcanic eruptions, flooding and earthquakes rock Earth. The Space Ark is completed, and shortly before Earth is engulfed by the star Bellus, the Space Ark is launched. The passengers fall unconscious from the g-force effects, and they miss witnessing the destruction of Earth. This conveniently saved production costs by not having to bother producing such a final, crucial and climactic scene.
These controls are easy, even for a pilot like me. Taking off is no sweat...
I just don't know how to land this thing!
The passengers, the last of the human race in existence, awaken and brace themselves as their fuel runs out. David, being the outstanding pilot he is, glides the Space Ark into a safe landing on Zyra.
Opening the hatch, everyone steps out of the rocket shipt, into a lush, habitable and painfully faux superimposed matte landscape, courtesy of movie magic.
This is incredible... This planet looks just like a painting!
Hey wait! Don't open the outer door until we've tested the atmosphere. We'll get a sample through the airlock. Never mind. Good air or bad, it's the only place we can go!
The End
When Worlds Collide is a silly film that has some fun moments. You might get a couple of laughs out of the pretend love story, or the cheesy acting, or the plot with more holes than a box of donuts 🍩
Did You Know?
The 1998 film Deep Impact originated as a combination of a remake of When Worlds Collide and an adaptation of the 1993 Arthur C. Clarke novel The Hammer of God. (Wikipedia)
The matte painting at the end of the film was a placeholder for the sneak previews. The producer planned to replace these with more realistic miniatures, but Paramount decided to rush the film into theatres before this could be completed. (TCM notes and trivia)
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