Until I actually watched it, I had never heard of "The World Goes On". The name of director John Ford was what called my attention, although I was already familiar with its stars, Madeleine Carroll and Franchot Tone, because I had watched both in 1935 films, respectively "The 39 Steps" and "Mutiny on the Bounty".
The story is about two families that are partners in the cotton business. It all starts in 1825, when Richard Girard (Tone) becomes partner of Mary Warburton's (Carroll) husband, but falls for her. She comes back to England and never sees him again, but it comes that, 89 years later, their great-grandchildren, with their same names, get to know each other and fall in love. Mary leaves an almost-groom and marries Robert during the war, in which he participates as a soldier in France's Foreign Legion. What comes is the many changes the business faces during and after the war, with its owners, like Richard's cousins, each in one different country.
Almost all the film is a regular historical drama, but near the end it becomes unforgettable, because it perfectly predicts World War II. Talking about a war after it happened is very easy, but mentioning it before it starts is the cleverest thing movies could have done. The sequence of images even shows some of the countries who were later involved in the conflict, like Germany, Italy, England and Japan. If WWII hasn't happened, this end would be a huge flaw and would be deleted in further releases. But it happened, and being able to foresee it in 1934 is, at least, amazing.
Of course, no one can pass without noticing Dixie (Stepin Fetchit) and the horrible black stereotype. It was certainly a funny character in the 30s and it would also be today, considering his messes, if he wasn't shown as a feeble-minded. This is a sin not only John Ford committed in that time, but maybe we can forgive him of it and let ourselves be touched by the final image of this surprising film.
The story is about two families that are partners in the cotton business. It all starts in 1825, when Richard Girard (Tone) becomes partner of Mary Warburton's (Carroll) husband, but falls for her. She comes back to England and never sees him again, but it comes that, 89 years later, their great-grandchildren, with their same names, get to know each other and fall in love. Mary leaves an almost-groom and marries Robert during the war, in which he participates as a soldier in France's Foreign Legion. What comes is the many changes the business faces during and after the war, with its owners, like Richard's cousins, each in one different country.
Almost all the film is a regular historical drama, but near the end it becomes unforgettable, because it perfectly predicts World War II. Talking about a war after it happened is very easy, but mentioning it before it starts is the cleverest thing movies could have done. The sequence of images even shows some of the countries who were later involved in the conflict, like Germany, Italy, England and Japan. If WWII hasn't happened, this end would be a huge flaw and would be deleted in further releases. But it happened, and being able to foresee it in 1934 is, at least, amazing.
Of course, no one can pass without noticing Dixie (Stepin Fetchit) and the horrible black stereotype. It was certainly a funny character in the 30s and it would also be today, considering his messes, if he wasn't shown as a feeble-minded. This is a sin not only John Ford committed in that time, but maybe we can forgive him of it and let ourselves be touched by the final image of this surprising film.