[] Quite unexpectedly so, I found myself 25 minutes into watching the film, finding myself in need to witness this film to its conclusion whatever it maybe.
First, I must confess being of a skeptical mind, I expected a happy go lucky, feel good film, that would end with Gregory Peck saving the world, 'ya know' the stereotypical tripe that 'unholingly' [sorry for my own coined word] born from Hollywood.
I expected that the war would be the proverbial "elephant in the room which no one talks about" throughout the entire film. Then this 'bomb' was dropped by the guilt riddled, self hating scientist, Julian Osbourne, played impeccably by Fred Astaire, (which was the first time I have ever seen him in a film).
Small details made this film great. The fact that barely anyone in Australia drove their cars, resorting to bikes and horses, due to the obvious 'petrol' shortage now that OPEC would have been obliterated in the war; The false alarm regarding the San Diego telegraph; The use of cyanide pills for suicide; the inevitable ending.
Each character is a complex, real human with his or her own ambiguous flaws, who honestly and realistically reacted in their own manner to this nightmare worst case scenario.
A FAR MORE DARK, COMPLEX AND WORTHWHILE FILM TO WATCH AND OWN ON DVD.
First, I must confess being of a skeptical mind, I expected a happy go lucky, feel good film, that would end with Gregory Peck saving the world, 'ya know' the stereotypical tripe that 'unholingly' [sorry for my own coined word] born from Hollywood.
I expected that the war would be the proverbial "elephant in the room which no one talks about" throughout the entire film. Then this 'bomb' was dropped by the guilt riddled, self hating scientist, Julian Osbourne, played impeccably by Fred Astaire, (which was the first time I have ever seen him in a film).
Small details made this film great. The fact that barely anyone in Australia drove their cars, resorting to bikes and horses, due to the obvious 'petrol' shortage now that OPEC would have been obliterated in the war; The false alarm regarding the San Diego telegraph; The use of cyanide pills for suicide; the inevitable ending.
Each character is a complex, real human with his or her own ambiguous flaws, who honestly and realistically reacted in their own manner to this nightmare worst case scenario.
A FAR MORE DARK, COMPLEX AND WORTHWHILE FILM TO WATCH AND OWN ON DVD.
