A comet, passing by Earth, causes rioting, social unrest, and major disasters that destroy the world.A comet, passing by Earth, causes rioting, social unrest, and major disasters that destroy the world.A comet, passing by Earth, causes rioting, social unrest, and major disasters that destroy the world.
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Featured review
As with "A Trip to Mars," visually this is remarkable for a film from the early days. The special effects are good. But that's about where it stops. Both this film and the former are basically religious allegory. And they are also full of silly actions by their characters. The thing begins in a mining town, where two sisters live and have romances with local guys. One is true blue to her sailor man. The other betrays her miner boyfriend for a rich man who sweeps her off her feet at a dance. She runs off with him and joins him in the lap of luxury. Her old boyfriend is ticked. Anyway, this fellow is a wheeler dealer on the stock exchange. He is already loaded but wants more. When scientist discover that comet is going to enter earth's orbit and cause wholesale destruction (the end of the world, basically), he buys up all the stock, then gets his newspaper editor to announce that there is no danger. Now he can sell the stock at par value and add to his empire. The most ludicrous event of all is that he returns with his wife to the mining town. They have a big house there and it has a secret passage into the mines. He is going to take her down there and emerge when the catastrophe is over (but why did he need the money?). Then the most idiotic thing of all. He invites all his rich friends to a party instead of going into the mine and protecting himself and his wife. The miners revolt and attack the party. He didn't even bother to take supplies underground or gas masks. Also, there is a shootout. The conclusion is also about as moronic as can be with a trip back to Genesis. It's a curiosity and nothing more.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough this film was known in most countries as The End of the World, the British exhibitors decided to change the title to The Flaming Sword, even though the story contained no swords, flaming or otherwise. Possibly the original title was deemed inappropriate for a film coming out in the middle of WW1. Nordisk Films announced previews in Kinematograph Weekly for press and trade, week commencing 8 May 1916. These were screened at the Nordisk "private showrooms" in Wardour Street, London. Also ran in London at the Brixton Palladium from 20 November 1916.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Starfilm (2017)
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- The End of the World
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- Runtime1 hour 17 minutes
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- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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