mark.waltz Movie fanatics will spend hours pondering the many messages of this H.G. Wells story about a mild mannered typical Englishman (Roland Young) who suddenly discovers he has the gift of "miracle giving". Basically, most of it is magic (i.e. turning lamps upside down, raising beds off the floor, erasing freckles off of a co-worker), but as he realizes the consequences of the power he has (having sent a British policeman "off to blazes", then to San Francisco, which alerts the world to something afoot), he begins to get a bit carried away. He finds he can't make the girl he loves fall in love with him, but he can turn whiskey into temperance water and weaponry into agricultural gear. As more people find out about his "gift", he begins to go off to places like a real-life Austrian gentleman was doing over in Germany....Three mystics (wearing more glossy foundation than Tammy Fay Baker) are the ones responsible, revealing that H.G. Wells had some interesting theories about the world outside of our own and some ideas that may not have pleased Christians. Having worked with London films on "Things to Come", Wells is certainly a great storyteller of the supernatural. Young, best known for his role as Cosmo Topper in three films, gives an excellent performance as the man gifted beyond reason. Ralph Ricardson is also outstanding as the military man whose booze is tampered with. George Sanders is instantly recognizable as one of the three mystics. This film has many comedy elements, but is a serious look of humanity and what kinds of harm human failing can bring on if power falls into the wrong hands. Can you imagine the impact this could have if updated towards today? With all the advancements (particularly in technology) the world has seen in the past 75 years since this was made (not "bit by bit" as the immortals think it should be), there is a great message and warning that could be told if the film were to be made correctly with the author's intentions.

MartinHafer This is a nice little film that I'd never heard about but should have, as it's a nice little film. In many ways it's a lot like the "Twilight Zone" episode with Burgess Meredith where aliens give him extraordinary strength as an experiment. Here, however, angelic beings are talking in the heavens and one of them decides to pick a random person on Earth and give them practically limitless power--to see what effect this would have on the person and planet.Ordinary Roland Young (sporting a toupee) is the guy chosen for this gift. However, unlike what you'd expect, he is slow to exploit this power and only does mostly simple tricks with it at the beginning. However, when it comes to making bigger changes in his life and to the planet, he's hesitant and seeks out advice from respected members of the community on what to do with his powers. One, a vicar, wants Young to do good with the power--but what, exactly, should this be and what are the repercussion? Another, played wonderfully by Ralph Richardson, is a pompous caricature of an English "gentleman" and wants Young to use his powers to kick butt! Others have various ideas and ultimately Young gets in well over his head.Overall, the film is quite funny (particular in Richardson's scenes) as well as thought-provoking--an interesting combination. It makes you wonder what you might do if given god-like powers. An interesting portrait of human nature and our obvious foibles.

JeremyKay-1 Jeremy Kay's "MIRACLE MAN" Introduction to a New Screenplay based on H.G. Wells' 1936 Movie: MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES. & The Man who Could Work Miracles (the 1895 Book)MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1936 Movie) and THINGS TO COME (1935 Movie) have long been stepchildren in studies of H.G. Wells. The Films have never been examined significantly beyond occasional plot summaries and production information. MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (the 1895 Book) has been out-of-print for decades and evaded scholarly attention to a surprising degree.Who wrote the Screenplay? Film Credits state "scenario and Decalogue by H.G. Wells"; the Book is subtitled A Film by H.G. Wells. Film production reference works mention that Wells was assisted by Lajos Biro (1880-1948), a Hungarian / Hollywood Scriptwriter who served as scenarist for producer Alexander Korda. Wells never mentioned Biro in print, although he did referred contemptuously to William Cameron Menzies and Lothar Mendes, directors of his Films. MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES was released shortly after THINGS TO COME. "It was directed by Lothar Mendes, a far worse director even than Menzies, dull beyond words" (H.G. Wells 213). Korda's associates argued that the Script of MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES was really not Wells' work: but was "Scripted by Lajos Biro, and that H.G. Wells interfered little with the development of the story" (167). Biographer, Karol Kulik, went further: "Since Wells's presence throughout the former Film's production (THINGS TO COME) had demanded constant patience, conciliation, and accommodation from the Film-maker, Korda kept Wells away from the Film as much as possible. Although Wells received sole screen credit for the Script, Lajos Biro was the responsible party." As with the earlier THINGS TO COME, there was a basic disagreement between Korda and Wells, although their personal relationship seems to have been cordial. In MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES, Korda was interested in comic situations, special effects and theater. It is significant that his working title for the Film was "The Miracle Maker". Wells was interested in social and political ideas "which weigh the Film down". Wells, had less influence on MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES than on THINGS TO COME (despite his thorough dissatisfaction), but he did try to make his presence felt, in spite of the attempts to bypass him: "...I shall go back to do MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES cut and clean it up - for most of it is shot already. I'm a little disillusioned about Films (industry). They could be magnificent Art, but has to be learned..."A second question, What is the text? The two versions, Film and Book, differ considerably. The Book contains much material omitted from the Film; and many changes of Scenes were shifted in place. So, was the Book closer to Wells's intention and the Film Script was Biro's? Although Stover tries to force a theme between the original Short Story, "THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES" (1898) and the Movie, MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (1937), ~ it is obvious the Short Story and the Script are enormously different in theme.The Short Story was what Wells called a "single sitting" story. "It seems reasonable that the important "little possibility" in the Short Story was the Cataclysm resulting when the rotation of the world was stopped for an instant, with a little satire on religion. The Book's title can be interpreted as indicating the new direction which Wells attempted to remake an old story. The Short-Story title calls attention to the actions of an individual in the Past. It might be restated as "The Man Who Was Able To Work Miracles and What He Did," with some emphasis on the protagonist. Restated again: "Mankind Could Work Miracles If It Really Tried." This is fortified by the optimistic last words of the Player, when the Elemental Powers argue about the Future of Mankind: "Come back here in an age or so and you shall see..." No one has ever questioned that Wells' Elemental Powers at the Prologue are four, not three: the Master, the Observer, Indifference and the Player. Why are the "elemental powers" nude males, and why do they ride horses? Is this a theatrical image of Biro's making? What exactly did Wells mean by "Elemental"? Is he suggesting the traditional elements or occult elemental forces? Is there any principle behind the differences between the two texts, Film and Novel, beyond brevity? There are so many major things wrong with this bad Book that it may seem nitpicking to call attention to minor examples of carelessness, but they should not be ignored: Wells, was not "in control of two Films". It is curious that in 2004 three major Hollywood Production companies announced their proposed re-make of this very unsuccessful project. Copies of the out-of-print 1895 Book are available free on the Internet. Films are available on DVD.

bob the moo The gods sit in the stars looking down at the humans and wonder at their patheticness. To see what will happen they give one man the power to work miracles. When Mr Fotheringay finds his has this gift he first treats it like a novelty only to be exploited by those seeking to make money from his gift before he finally finds his power corrupting.A mix between an English comedy and a morality tale, this doesn't always work but has interesting bits in both camps. The story follows the development of the hapless Mr Fotheringay as he discovers his powers and reveals the hearts of him and others along the way. The point being that humans aren't ready for such power and are too selfish to use it. It manages to raise a few smiles along the way, but gets far too heavy towards the end.Young is good as Mr Fotheringay and handles the gradual shift in his character really well. The rest of the cast are average, ranging from comedy policemen to the usual range of pretty girls. The effects are really good considering the age of the film, and they still look pretty good today. However the moralising of the film doesn't always work and it takes away from the comedy value of the piece (especially towards the end). It's downbeat message means it'll never be up there with `It's a Wonderful Life' but it still makes an interesting case.Overall it's interesting but neither it's comedy or it's messages are strong enough to make it a classic - but it's good nevertheless.