The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936)

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1. 

   Cippenham

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1iHe42UCCo 11 years ago
2. 

   Siskoid

   The Man Who Could Work Miracles is like many H.G. Wells stories (and in this case, he actually worked on the screenplay), just a touch too didactic to really work as a drama. There is a point where, even if I sympathize with his sentiments about humanity, things get bogged down in speeches, philosophy, and so on. But the film still opens on a cracker, with gigantic cosmic beings discussing Earth and the possibility of giving humans god-like power. As an experiment, the less cynical "angel" gives one man wish fulfillment (without impugning free will, well done) to see what happens. What follows is something of an indictment of humanity, but one laced with hope. Thanks to the lead having little imagination, he gets counsel from many (which is part of the didactic mold), so we variably see how absolute power would be used for selfish things and for grandiose selfless projects, but mostly how the forces of social progress are fated to be stymied by a status quo that feeds on inequity. No surprise, the bankers and businessmen and warmongers argue against a utopia where basic need has been eliminated. The Golden Age will just have to wait, but Wells does suggest it WILL come. If the drama is second to the message, the cool 1930s effects do give an extra reason to watch. 3 years 11 months ago

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