Now, I have not seen this movie since the first time I saw it in 1960. I was eleven. My dear Uncle Charles, who died last year on November 11th, would take one of my brothers and I to the movies frequently. He is responsible for my love of the cinema. He was also my Godfather. May he rest in peace.
But, yesterday, a friend of mine in Germany reminded me of this film, The Time Machine. She, too, saw it as a child and was affected by it. Despite its limitations, the movie, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, seemed prophetic to those of us growing up practicing nuclear war drills in schools, which, by the way, in tornado alley, was just one more drill among many.
Now, the point of the movie, and the novel, is that mankind destroyed most of the world, with the help of the nuclear winter, and only two groups evolved-the predators, called the Morlocks, who raise and eat the Eloi, the peter pans. The Eloi have become rather stupid, apathetic, docile and fearful creatures. But, they finally rise up with the help of the Time Traveler, and defeat the Worlocks.
When I saw it, the Cold War was at its height. We were aware of both apathetic and stupid nations as well as predator nations. I was intrigued that a man from Victorian England had to put "gumption", as we say in the Midwest, back into Eloi in order for them to defend themselves.
I especially liked the
I shall leave the extrapolations to you, dear readers....
