The acting
And another post to pay tribute to the effectiveness of the cast of World Without End. Actors in sci-fi films of the 50s were often sloughed over by critics in judging their performances; the fact that they were in such films was usually seen as an indication that their careers were somewhere below those of the Hollywood elite, and their performances were often ignored or not taken seriously.
But despite the usual contemporary neglect, in fact a lot of these actors gave very good performances, and in re-watching WWE it strikes me just how good all the actors were in their roles. Hugh Marlowe was never a performer of great range but here he was extremely good as Borden, matched by the underrated Rod Taylor -- an exceptionally good actor who did well but should have gone further. I'm particularly intrigued by the surprisingly low-key and nuanced performance of Christopher Dark (as Jaffee), a quite good turn as a man beset by sadness but earnest in his desire to see the world saved. Booth Colman as the evil Mories is a great heavy, while the ubiquitous Everett Glass has one of his biggest and best roles as Timmek and does very well by it. And veteran (at 30!) Nancy Gates is natural and understated -- never acted better, and never looked more beautiful. Everyone else also played their roles with conviction and effectiveness -- the key in making such a tale work.
Thanks to its dedicated cast, World Without End is an even better film than it would have been in less capable, and serious, hands.