Just saw this for the first time on Turner Classic Movies. This was quite a good movie, in fact, I would say, it was a bold and courageous move by Irwin Allen considering the time period.
Today the history as touted by Mr. Snatch (a great performance by Vincent Price) would not appear anything radical or new. However, we're talking about over a half-century ago when bluntly pointing out how Native American Nations were massacred trying to defend their land and homes instead of them being portrayed as savages attacking poor and noble pioneers who sought no gain other than leading a great country westward - that was sac-religious back then in the days of John Wayne- type history (sorry about that, Duke). Or bringing out (and not being denied by Man, played equally as great by Ronald Coleman) the manipulation and exploitation associated with events otherwise looked upon as noble in an age that fostered the Committee on Un-American Activities, conformity, repression of free speech, blacklisting and the ruining of so many people's lives - it was just about unheard of back then.
Of course, most of the supporting cast performances were more campy than dramatic (the expression on Heddy Lamar's face playing Joan when first hearing her calling had me in stitches and reminded me of Bill Cosby's early-career Noah routine, when, as the Lord called upon him to build an arch, Noah replied "yeah, right.... who is this really? Am I on Candid Camera or something?"
Again, if that film came out today it wouldn't be much, but for it to come out back then, I found that amazing.
Today the history as touted by Mr. Snatch (a great performance by Vincent Price) would not appear anything radical or new. However, we're talking about over a half-century ago when bluntly pointing out how Native American Nations were massacred trying to defend their land and homes instead of them being portrayed as savages attacking poor and noble pioneers who sought no gain other than leading a great country westward - that was sac-religious back then in the days of John Wayne- type history (sorry about that, Duke). Or bringing out (and not being denied by Man, played equally as great by Ronald Coleman) the manipulation and exploitation associated with events otherwise looked upon as noble in an age that fostered the Committee on Un-American Activities, conformity, repression of free speech, blacklisting and the ruining of so many people's lives - it was just about unheard of back then.
Of course, most of the supporting cast performances were more campy than dramatic (the expression on Heddy Lamar's face playing Joan when first hearing her calling had me in stitches and reminded me of Bill Cosby's early-career Noah routine, when, as the Lord called upon him to build an arch, Noah replied "yeah, right.... who is this really? Am I on Candid Camera or something?"
Again, if that film came out today it wouldn't be much, but for it to come out back then, I found that amazing.