Master of the World

1961
U
1h 42m

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

3.6K

YOUR RATING

Vincent Price, Henry Hull, and Mary Webster in Master of the World (1961)

Play trailer2:29

2 Videos

61 Photos

Steampunk Adventure Sci-Fi

In 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.In 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.In 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.

Director
- William Witney
Writers
- Richard Matheson
- Jules Verne
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

3.6K

YOUR RATING

Director
- William Witney
Writers
- Richard Matheson
- Jules Verne
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Topage
(as Vitto Scotti)

Wally Campo

Turner

Don Ames

Man at Balloon Society Meeting
(uncredited)

Peter Besbas

Wilson
(uncredited)

Jimmie Booth

Man at Balloon Society Meeting
(uncredited)

Al Haskell

Man at Balloon Society Meeting
(uncredited)

Michael Jeffers

Man at Balloon Society Meeting
(uncredited)

Gordon Jones

Talkative Morgantown Townsman
(uncredited)

Ray Jones

Man at Balloon Society Meeting
(uncredited)

Steve Masino

Weaver
(uncredited)

Loretta Nicholson

Morgantown Townswoman
(uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

Prudent's Butler
(uncredited)

Director
- William Witney
Writers
- Richard Matheson
- Jules Verne
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
American-International Pictures had planned on doing a sequel to this film. Concept drawings and even concept models were reportedly made. The sequel was not produced.

Goofs
The film is set in the 1800s, though as the Albatross flies over London, Robur looks through the scope and sees Elizabethan London, including Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The shot is stock footage from Henry V (1944). Soon after, more recent London footage appears, including the 19th century Tower Bridge. The aerial view of Paris is definitely 20th century.

Quotes
Prudent: You, sir, are mad! Quite, quite mad!
Robur: How like the reasoning of your kind, Mr. Prudent. All well and sane to be the owner of factories, that products of which cause the violent deaths of millions in wartime and in peace. But to kill hundreds or even thousands with the aim of ending such deaths for all time? This is "madness."
Prudent: And do you, sir, consider the man who makes a weapon responsible for the action of the man who buys it?
Robur: Yes, I do, sir! All men are responsible to all other men.

Crazy credits
Closing credits: "I take my dream with me. But it will not be lost to humanity. It will belong to you the day the world is educated enough to profit by it and wise enough not to abuse it" From Jules Verne's MASTER OF THE WORLD

Alternate versions
The U.S. 16mm television syndication prints remove the prologue (showing man's early attempt at flight) and the exit music. This brought the running time down to what could be shown in a typical two-hour time frame with little or no editing to the main body of the film.

Connections
Edited from The Four Feathers (1939)

Soundtracks
Master of the World
Music by Les Baxter
Lyrics by Lenny Adelson (as Lenny Addelson)
Sung by Darryl Stevens

User reviews66

Review

Featured review

7/10

Uneven but enjoyable

I saw Master of the World mainly because of Vincent Price who is one of my favourite actors. It is far from perfect, but is fun and deserves better credit. The effects are not great where you can tell that they are low-budget, while the stock footage of other costume epics looks rather clumsy, the Globe theatre suddenly appearing in Victorian London also happens to be anachronistic. And Vito Scotti overacts to the verge of embarrassment. However, the costume and set designs are nice to look at and Master of the World is at least well photographed. The music score manages to be both rousing and bombastic, the script while talky is intelligent and humorous and the story is fun. Charles Bronson has been better but he is at least appealing, while Henry Hull is amusing. Stealing the film though is none other than Vincent Price, who commands every frame with his ever effortless suavity and panache, and he is also deliciously sinister when needed. All in all, an enjoyable film with a great Price but at the same time it could have been more. 7/10 Bethany Cox