FIVE

US, 1951, 89 Minutes, Black and white.
William Phipps, Susan Douglas, James Anderson, Charles Lampkin.
Directed by Arch Oboler.

Five is an interesting small-budget nuclear holocaust science fiction film from the early 50s. Science fiction was not so respectable in those days and only small budgets were given to such films. This was made by Arch Oboler, an experimental writer-producer-director who was to make the first 3-D film, Bwana Devil. In the 60s he was to make the experimental film The Bubble.

Five does not have a star cast but is an effective small thriller about the repercussions of nuclear destruction and the interaction for survival by five people. This was to become a popular theme in the late 50s with The World, the Flesh and the Devil and On The Beach. It was to become more of a vidid reality with the nuclear scare films of the 60s ranging from Fail Safe to Dr. Strangelove. This type of material is now taken for granted and Five seems much more relevant now than it did.

1. The impact on audiences of nuclear holocaust stories? This film reflecting the views and fears of the early 50s? How did the attitudes towards nuclear destruction develop during the 50s, the 60s? The relevance of this theme and these apprehensions in later decades?

2. The status of science fiction in the 50s? 'B-budget' films? Brevity? Lacking reputation as serious films? Their rediscovery by later decades? Their relevance now and the quality Of the films as seen in retrospect?

3. The poetic tone given to the opening of the film with the winds of nuclear destruction moving across Europe to America? The use of images of winds of destruction? The use of scripture, the Book of Revelation for the ending? The poetic appreciation of such devastation coupled with the facts of disaster, the horror of so many deaths, the wind of radio-active air and its power to kill? The irony of such few survivors? The presentation of good and bad surviving, their interaction for death, power struggle, greed, new birth, hope and love? The film as a small moral fable and a warning about nuclear destruction as well as about human nature?

4. The quality of the film as a human interaction melodrama? The unknown actors? The small cast? The authentic sets and the atmosphere of post nuclear America? The importance of the locations, the dead cities? The special effects? How plausible, authentic and convincing?

5. The film starting with the world being destroyed? The build-up to America itself? The introduction to Roseanne as the first survivor? The effect of the destruction as seen in her bewilderment? An ordinary person, the choice of a woman for the first survivor, a pregnant woman? Her wandering, loneliness? Seeing the cities and their destruction through her eyes? The sounds, the fears, the need for some other human being? The preparation for the themes by this early wandering of Roseanne?

6.The finding of Michael and its suddenness? Her fearful interaction? Michael as a strong type, his work, his explanation of himself, his attempts to rehabilitate her? His telling his story? Her sharing the work with hint? The importance of the introduction of the sexual theme and his frustration, her fear? His apologies? His turning into a reliable hero? His care for Roseanne and her pregnancy? Helping them to survive? His care for the old man and Charles? The inevitable confrontation when Eric arrived? His wisdom, his ability to lead people? His being hurt by Roseanne's leaving? Finding her and the possibility of building a future? The Adam character, Roseanne as Eve?

7. The old man and his survival, his yearnings, his holiday, being one with the sea and the visualising of his death? His dying and the baby being born? The world's balance of death and birth?

8. Charles and his survival, the introduction of the racial theme? As a person, sympathy and care, achievement, his hopes to be a teacher, his work on the farm? His care for Roseanne and the baby? The build-up of hatred and Eric's clash with him? is standing his ground? The victim of Eric and his fascism? Representing the murdered victims in the old world and the new?

9. The introduction of Eric - his background of climbing mountains and finding himself and achievement? His sounding like a neo-Nazi? His potential for being a hero like Michael? His viciousness and his various destructive actions? His clash with Michael, Roseanne? His persuading her to go away to search for her husband? His murder? His robbing and pillaging, the punishment of his becoming ill and dying? The self-destructive seeds of the arrogant fascist?

10.Roseanne and the necessity of seeing whether her husband was alive or not? Taking her baby with her to the city, the build-up to the discovery of her husband? Her accepting this? Discovering the truth about Eric? The irony of the two wandering in the rain and meeting? Hopes for a new world?

11.The plausibility of the plot, the presentation of the recognised world and its destruction, its capacity for rebuilding? Themes of exploring the nature of mankind, survival, conflicts, men-women relationships, the nobility of human nature, its baseness? The five as a credible microcosm of human behaviour?