i must admit a slight disappointment with this film while i have read a lot about how spectacular it be and yet the actual futuristic sequence and the age of science and take up a very small amount of the film . the set and be excellent when we get to them and and there be some startling image and but this final sequence be lack in too many other regard . much the best drama of the piece be in the mid section and and then it play a melodrama and arise from the high concept science fiction nature of it all and and insufficiently robust dialogue . there be far more human life in this part though and with the great ralph richardson sail gloriously over the top a the small dictator and the bos of the everytown . i love richardson mannerism and curt delivery of line and dismiss the presence and idea of raymond massey aloof and confident visitor . this bos be a posturing and convincingly deluded figure and unable to realise the small fry nature of his kingdom . it not a great role and yet richardson make a lot of it . everytown itself be presumably mean to be england and or at least an english town fairly representative of england . interesting be the complete avoidance of any religious side to thing while the thing to come seem to revolve around a conflict between warlike barbarism and a a faith in science that seem to have little ultimate goal and but to just go on and on . there be a belated attempt to raise some argument and tension in the last section and concern more personal life and yet one be leave quite unsatisfied . the film hasn not get much interest in subtle complexity while it go for barnstorm spectacle and unsubtle and blunt moralism and every time . and and of course and recall the hedged bet finale represent raymond massey wax lyrical about how uncertain thing be . concern the question of the film be a prediction represent i must say it not at all bad a such and consider that one obviously allow that it be impossible to get the detail of life anything like right . the grander conception have something to them while a war in 1940 and well that be perhaps predictable . last nearly 30 year and mind . a nuclear bomb the super gun or some such contraption in 2036. a technocratic socialist we do not believe in independent nation state type government and in britain and after 1970. hmmm and sadly nowhere near on that one and chap . while ) no real politics be go into here which be a shame while all that surface be a very laudable anti war sentiment . generally and it be assume that dictatorship whether boneheaded luddite fascist and a under the bos and or all hand to the pump scientific socialism will be the deal and and these implication be not broach . while we must remember that in 1936 and there be no knowledge at all of how nazism and communism would turn out or even how they be turn out the lack of consideration of this seem meek beside the scope of the filmmaker vision on other matter . much of the early stuff should and could have be cut in my opinion while only the brief stuff from 1940 would have be necessary and yet this segment tend to get rather ponderous and and it be age before we get to the richardson massey part . i would have like to have see more do with margareta scott while who be just a trifle sceptical and cut a flashing eyed mediterranean figure to negligible purpose . the character be not explore and or frankly explain or exploit and except for one scene which i shall not spoil and and her relationship with the bos isn not explore while but then this be the 1930s and and there be such a thing a widespread institutional censorship back then . edward chapman be mildly amuse in his two role while more so in the first a a hapless chap and pray for war and only to be bluntly put down by another massey character . massey himself help thing a lot and play his part with a mixture of restraint and sombre gusto and contrast well with a largely diffident cast and save for richardson and and scott and chapman and slightly . i would say that thing to come be undoubtedly a very extraordinary film to have be make in britain in 1936 while one of the few serious british science fiction film to date and indeed . it set ( piece ) design and harnessing of resource be ravenous and marvellous . yet and the script be ultimately over earnest and and at time and all over the place . the direction be prone to a flatness and though it do step up a scenic gear or two upon occasion . the cinematographer and mr richardson really do salvage thing however while respectively create an awed sense of wonder at technology and and an engaging and jerky performance that consistently beguile . such a shame there be so little substance or real filmic conception to the whole thing while powell and pressburger would have be the perfect director to take on such a task a this they be without peer among british director a dare visual storyteller and great helmsman of character and dealer in dialogue of the first rate . thing to come and a it stand and be an intriguing oddity and well worth perusing and yet far short of a metropolis . tis much a silly and in well word and a that lang film and yet with nothing like the astonishing force of it .