The Story of Mankind (film)
The Story of Mankind | |
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Directed by | Irwin Allen |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | The Story of Mankind 1921 novel by Hendrik Willem van Loon |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Nicholas Musuraca |
Edited by | |
Music by | Paul Sawtell |
Production company | Cambridge Productions |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Story of Mankind is a 1957 American
In the film, the fate of humanity is decided in a
Plot
Scientists have developed a weapon called the Super
Scratch and the Spirit of Man are allowed to take the tribunal to any period of time to present evidence for mankind's salvation or damnation. They take the tribunal from prehistory through Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment and modern times, looking at historical figures.
Ultimately the tribunal is asked to rule. The high judge, facing Mr. Scratch and the Spirit with a large assemblage of peoples in their native costumes behind them, declares that the good and evil of mankind are too finely balanced. A decision is suspended until they return. When they return, they expect to see a resolution of humanity's age-old struggle with itself.
Cast
- Ronald Colman as The Spirit of Man
- Vincent Price as Mr. Scratch
- Hedy Lamarr as Joan of Arc
- Groucho Marx as Peter Minuit
- Harpo Marx as Sir Isaac Newton
- Chico Marx as Monk
- Virginia Mayo as Cleopatra
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Peter Lorre as Nero
- Charles Coburn as Hippocrates
- Sir Cedric Hardwicke as High Judge
- Cesar Romero as Spanish Envoy
- John Carradine as Khufu
- Napoleon Bonaparte
- Marie Wilson as Marie Antoinette
- Helmut Dantine as Mark Antony
- Edward Everett Horton as Sir Walter Raleigh
- Reginald Gardiner as William Shakespeare
- Marie Windsor as Joséphine de Beauharnais
- George E. Stone as Waiter
- Cathy O'Donnell as Early Christian Woman
- Franklin Pangborn as Marquis de Varennes
- Melville Cooper as Major Domo
- Henry Daniell as Bishop Cauchon
- Francis X. Bushman as Moses
- Jim Ameche as Alexander Graham Bell
- Austin Green as Abraham Lincoln
- Bobby Watson as Adolf Hitler
Production
The film was former publicist Irwin Allen's first attempt at directing live actors after his award-winning documentaries The Sea Around Us and The Animal World. In May 1955, Allen announced he would write, produce and direct a film based on the book,[3] and Warner Bros. agreed to distribute the film.[4] Jack Warner announced that 42 nations would be represented.[5] Allen said securing the rights was "very complicated."[6]
In March 1956, Allen said the film had been in preproduction for a year and that filming would start in June. The original intention was for only two actors to appear in the film, a man and a woman representing mankind through the ages. The film would take over two years to shoot in 18 countries, and Warner Bros. invited several prominent theologians, historians and philosophers to an advisory board for the production.[7] This plan was soon jettisoned. Allen finished a script with Charles Bennett by August 1956.
Casting
Allen wanted an all-star cast to play various people in history. This casting strategy had recently proved very popular in Around the World in 80 Days.[8]
"Where we can't do justice to a time and place we won't just brush them off summarily," said Allen, "We just won't use them. There have been 400 or more giants of history in all our fields. Our big problem has been to bring them down to about 50, asking about each: was what he or she did lasting - and how long did it last? Telling history on the screen can be like telling a bad joke twice. You first have to find a handle, a gimmick."[6]
The first four names cast were
Screenwriter Charles Bennett recalled that Allen paid each of the stars $2,000, though Greer Garson turned down the role of Queen Elizabeth I.[13]
Shooting
Filming started on November 12, 1956. As with Allen's two previous films, The Story of Mankind features vast amounts of
This was the last film to feature the three Marx Brothers, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx (and their only film in Technicolor), although they appear in separate scenes and do not act together. Chico became ill and later died on October 11, 1961,[14] this was also the last film of star Ronald Colman and character actor Franklin Pangborn, and the last American film of Hedy Lamarr.
Reception and legacy
According to The New York Times, The Story of Mankind was "a protracted and tedious lesson in history that is lacking in punch, sophistication and a consistent point of view."[15] The film was listed in the 1978 book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time.[16]
Home media
Comic book adaptation
- Dell Four Color #851 (January 1958)[17][18]
See also
- List of American films of 1957
- The Tragedy of Man, a Hungarian play from 1861 with a similar premise
References
- ISBN 978-1-5960-5956-6.
- ^ "The Story of Mankind". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ^ "Van Loon for Screen". The Christian Science Monitor. 14 May 1955. p. 10.
- ^ "Warner Bros. to Launch Spring Picture Releases: Exhibitors and Representatives of Press to View First Films in Special Showing". Los Angeles Times. 12 March 1956. p. 38.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (21 March 1956). "Drama: 'Story of Mankind' Put on Full-Scale Footing; Big Civil War Epic Set". Los Angeles Times. p. 27.
- ^ a b Scheuer, Philip K. (18 November 1956). "A Town Called Hollywood: 'Mankind' to Tour History of Humans in Three Hours". Los Angeles Times. p. E2.
- ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (21 March 1956). "Jack Benny Gets Film Role Offer: Comedian Sought as Star of 'The Phony' – Producer and Writer Is Charles Martin". The New York Times. p. 34. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (29 August 1956). "Gene Barry Gets Top '27th Day' Billing; Lunt, Fontanne Deal Hinted". Los Angeles Times. p. A11.
- ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (17 October 1956). "4 Signed for Film of Van Loon Book: Hardwicke and Price Among Many Stars to Appear in 'The Story of Mankind' Health Cultists in Film". The New York Times. p. 41. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (26 October 1956). "German Outlines Film Censorship: Director of Industry Agency Says 45% of All Movies Are Barred to Children Consists of Three Boards Of Local Origin". The New York Times. p. 33.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (9 November 1956). "Groucho, Cesar Romero Aid 'Story of Mankind;' Machiko Kyo Recalled". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
- ^ Hopper, Hedda (12 November 1956). "Palance to Be Twins in 'House of Numbers'". Los Angeles Times. p. C14.
- ^ p. 17 Charles Bennett Interview in Words into Images: Screenwriters on the Studio System Univ. Press of Mississippi
- ^ Deming, Mark. "The Story of Mankind (1957) - Irwin Allen - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- ^ "'Story of Mankind' Unravels at Paramount". The New York Times. 9 November 1957. Page 0, columns 2-3. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ISBN 978-7-0273-5805-5.
- ^ "Dell Four Color #851". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ Dell Four Color #851 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)