THE TIME MACHINE (1960, U.S.)

The Time Machine

(1960, U.S.) color 103 minutes
MGM / Galaxy Film
Story: H.G. Wells (from his novel)
Screenplay: David Duncan
Produced by George Pal
Music: Russell Garcia
Cinematography: Paul Vogel
Editing: George Tomasini
Art Directors: George W. Davis, William Ferrari
Special Effects: Wah Chang, Gene Warren
Produced by George Pal
Directed by George Pal

With: Rod Taylor (H. George Wells), Alan Young (David Filby), Yvette Mimieux (Weena), Sebastian Cabot (Dr. Philip Hillyer), Tom Helmore (Anthony Bridewell), Whit Bissell (Walter Kemp)

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In 1960, fantasy and sci-fi film maker George Pal created a movie version of H.G. Wells’ most famous, and philosophical tale, The Time Machine. The story opens in the home of a scientist/inventor in London, England at the turn of the century. Four prominent gentlemen (Whit Bissell and Sebastian Cabot) and a local store keeper David Filby (Alan Young) are waiting impatiently for their friend to come home. Their scientist friend George (Rod Taylor) has invited them to dinner that night but he late for dinner.

When George's housekeeper finds a note that her employer has left on his desk telling his guests that he is unable to show up that they should start the meal without him. Annoyed the five men are about ready to leave until they hear the housekeeper scream as the bloodied and disheveled figure of a man staggers into the dining room. The men discover that the injured person is George as they give him some spirits and medical aide he tells them of his fantastic journey which began some time ago.

On the night of New Year's Eve, 1899 George demonstrates a small model of his latest invention: A Time Machine. Despite the demonstration the four men are skeptical of this device and leave to celebrate the holiday. Only David Filby remains he believes in George's invention but he fears that to tamper with time and man's fate is wrong and he asks his friend to destroy the machine before it destroys you.

Despite Filby's warnings the young inventor decides to test the device after Filby leaves and his housekeeper has gone to bed George changes into his sports jacket and after locking the door to his workshop. He sets the controls of his Time Machine and he slowly travels to the era of WWI, the atomic age of the late 1960's where he barely escapes being killed during an nuclear blast and finally his machine stops in the era of 30,000 A.D. Here he finds a beautiful land filled with lush fruits and clear water he also meets the lazy and uninspiring Elios, a race of people who only want to eat drink, play and not do anything constructive.

Angered by the indolence of this sloth like race George prepares to return to his own time until he finds out that his time machine is gone. He asks the Elios what has happened to his device none of them know or even seem to care until George meets a beautiful young woman named Weena who tells him of the talking rings which can explain to him about the evolution of the Elios Taking him to the great hall George picks up one of the rings(the voice of the talking ring is performed by Paul Frees) he finds out to his horror that the people on the surface have been attacked during the atomic wars of the late 1960's and their faces, bodies and minds have been badly scared.

Known as the Morlocks the breed the Elios for cannibalistic purposes and the Elios are controlled to respond to an air raid siren to come into the temple (The home of The Morlocks) prior to being eaten. At that moment The air raid siren is heard and Weena along with the rest of her people are placed into a trance as they begin to walk into the temple.

George follows them and he tries to stop The Morlocks from killing them when he discovers that these murderous fiends are weakened by fire. He creates a makeshift torch and after creating extra touches for the Elios they joined George in defeating the sadistic creatures. George saves The Elios but he is injured during the battle and as he soon as finds his time machine he sets the controls and returns to his own time. The four men are still unimpressed with George's fantastic tale and they leave undaunted George goes to his private library and takes four books and then resetting the controls of the device he returns to the future to help The Elios create a new and better society.

It isn't long before the housekeeper and Filby find out that their friend is gone for good. They're both puzzled by the fact that George left without any means of help that futuristic race develop themselves with a plan? The housekeeper notices that the only things that her former employer took with him are four books. She is concerned for his welfare and that of the Elios but Filby gives a hopeful smile and says only, “What books do you think that he took with him?”

The Time Machine was not appreciated by the critics but the kids liked it and it has since become a popular film at Saturday matinees. The movie became even more popular on TV and at movie theater releases during the 1970's and 80's and it has also become a popular movie on the home video market, becoming a popular vehicle with SF and special effects buffs who love the stop motion effects that are used during Taylor's early trek thru time. In the 1980's both Taylor and Young recalled their experiences working on the movie for the documentary, The Fantastic Film Worlds Of George Pal, narrated by Paul Frees.

- Kevin S. Butler