Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

A_Different_Drummer Every time somebody somewhere publishes one of their 100 BEST FILMS OF ALL TIME, I look hopefully to see if this film made the list - finally? -- and have been disappointed so often that I no longer try. The good news? The production team took an HG WELLS classic -- a very tricky writer to bring to the screen, if you consider how many times they have fumbled his time machine story -- and nailed it the very first time. Yes, I know, it is Black and White, and the Special Effects are the best you can do for 1931, and the only real "name" is Richardson's, but PSHAW I say. These criticisms are trivial. The script, the adaption, is nothing short of brilliant. The direction is brilliant, bringing a sort of friendly whimsy to a story which on its surface more properly belongs in an AGENT OF SHIELD episode. After all, this is about a normal everyday man granted ABSOLUTE POWER. The acting is superb, Roland Young fit the bill perfectly. He was known for playing meek characters and through his career the only other major role that cinephiles remember him for is Topper. In case you have NOT seen this, I don't want to spoil it for you other than to say that this may be be the only chance you will ever get to enjoy this wonderfully presented morality tale in its purest form. The reason for this caution is that, to the best of my information, the Wells family has, over the years, consistently refused to sell the rights, no matter how much money was thrown at them. It appears they belong to the school of thought which suggests, if something is done right first time, there is no need to do it again. The scene in particular where Young's character becomes so befuddled dealing with the quirks of the world's leaders that he literally stops the planet from spinning is priceless and unforgettable. And BTW the way Young's character deals with his secret crush (Joan Gardner playing Ada Price) would be as irksome to the fairer sex today as it no doubt was then. The only difference is that, today, it is easier to voice your complaints. One of the best films ever done of one of the best stories ever written.

bkoganbing The Man Who Could Work Miracles has its start in the heavens where some Greek God like creatures are roaming among the stars, one of them played by an as yet unknown George Sanders. Apparently H.G. Wells's idea of a Deity was closer to the Greeks and Romans than Christianity. In any event these three creatures discuss the happenings on planet earth where a group of puny creatures dominate, but who might start getting into their realm in the heavens in a few generations.Let's see what they can do if one of them is granted our powers, creation with a mere thought. And with a random selection of a celestial finger it lands on meek little Roland Young as he's entering his local pub.It takes time for Young to grasp the significance of his gift and this is Wells's most telling comment on the film, the sheer pettiness of the average man. From parlor tricks to trying to improve his love life, Young just can't seem to get it into his head what he can do.Of course they're others who do think about these things more deeply than young. But I believe what H.G. Wells was trying to say is that even those who see a bigger picture than Young and attempt to use him only see it from a narrow perspective. The former colonel Ralph Richardson thinks of conquest, Edward Chapman thinks in terms of business and commerce, Ernest Thesiger is a dreamy Utopian with a theological background. Even Young sees the flaws in each of their versions of Utopia.H.G. Wells in his other film that came out around the same time provided the answer by his lights. It was the scientists who should establish the benevolent despotism of the age, they alone have the wisdom to rule all of us. Wells said as much in Things To Come, though I never saw any evidence in the film and in real life that scientists are any better qualified than anyone else. Still that was his view.The subject of humans being given the Godlike power of creation has been done many times. In a more serious version it was the subject of a classic Star Trek episode with Gary Lockwood being given just that power and in a half hour Twilight Zone episode, a hapless Burgess Meredith was a subject of a similar experiment. Meredith made Young's character look hip and appealing.Though some might argue that Cosmo Topper was his career screen role, I would hold out that Everyman George William Fotheringay, selected by the Gods to be The Man Who Could Work Miracles is Roland Young's best part. He's such a hapless slob that each and every one of us can identify with. You might think you would know what to do given his power, but when you examine yourself a bit further......................

ccthemovieman-1 "Disappointing" is the word for this story, based on an H.G. Wells book, which had an interesting premise but the film was way too talky which made it difficult to maintain interest. It also was too secular in nature, but that is not surprising knowing Wells' lack of spirituality.Roland Young is always fun to watch (see "Topper") but there isn't much humor in this....and there should and all of the advice Young received (yak, yak, yak) on how to use his new-found powers was pretty sad. Almost all of it was for monetary gain, which is not surprising. That's the world for you.Only one person seemed to advise him t use his powers for healing. This story has an supernatural/spiritual base to it yet God is never mentioned as someone who has given the man his powers, or given thanks for giving him them, nor consulted on how best to use them. In other words, it's a typical "religious story" written by people who are clueless or have no use for religion.At any rate, there were some special-effects scenes that were fun to watch, such as a clothing store being cleaned up in seconds and a tree suddenly sprouting in the street.This movie COULD have been so good, it's a shame how it wound up.

Terry Austin I saw this movie a couple of years ago when I couldn't get to sleep. I stuck the TV on and this film was just starting.It's about a guy who gets the power to do whatever he wants, except change peoples feelings or minds.Think Bruce Almighty made in the 1930's.I would give this movie a 10, but nothings perfect and the fact that it wouldn't appeal to a mass audience today has forced me to put an 8.Please watch this film if you ever get the chance. HG wells does a brilliant job on writing this one, most of his stories were way before their time, and this is no different.This film really captured my heart, and I really hope it gets a DVD release.