Five (1951 film)
Encyclopedia
Five is a post-apocalyptic
science fiction film
produced, directed and written by Arch Oboler
. The title refers to the number of survivors of an atomic bomb disaster that wipes out the rest of the human race. According to Robert Osborne
of Turner Classic Movies
, this film is the first to depict the aftermath of such a catastrophe.
) trudges from place to place, searching for another living human being. A newspaper headline reports a scientist's warning that detonating of a new type of atomic bomb may cause humanity's extinction.
She eventually makes her way her aunt's isolated hillside house and faints when she finds Michael (William Phipps
) already living there. At first too numb to speak, she is slow to recover. She resists Michael's attempt to become intimate, revealing that she is married and pregnant.
Two more survivors arrive, attracted by the smoking chimney. Oliver P. Barnstaple (Earl Lee) is an elderly bank clerk who is in denial; he believes he is simply on vacation. He has been taken care of by Charles (Charles Lampkin), a good-natured African American. They survived because they were accidentally locked in a bank vault when the disaster occurred. Roseanne was in a hospital's lead-lined X-ray room, while Michael was in an elevator in the Empire State Building
.
Barnstaple sickens, but seems to recover and insists on going to the beach. There, they drag a man out of the water. Eric (James Anderson), a mountain climber, was stranded on Mount Everest
by a blizzard during the disaster. He was flying back to America when his plane ran out of gas just short of land. Meanwhile, Barnstaple dies peacefully.
The newcomer brings discord to the little community. Eric theorizes that they lived because they were somehow immune to the radiation. He wants to find and gather together other survivors. However, Michael is skeptical and warns that the radiation is the most intense in the cities Eric wants to search.
Eric reveals himself to be a racist; he can barely stand living with Charles. When Charles objects, they fight, stopping only when Roseanne goes into labor. She gives birth to a boy, delivered by Michael. Afterwards, while the others work to make a better life, Eric goes off by himself. Eric deliberately drives their jeep
through the group's cultivated field, destroying part of their crops. Michael orders Eric to leave, but Eric shows he has a pistol and announces that he will leave when he is ready to.
One night, Eric tells Roseanne that he is going to the city. Needing to discover her husband's fate, Roseanne agrees to go with him, as he had hoped. Eric insists that she not tell Michael. However, after stealing supplies, Eric is stopped by a suspicious Charles. As they struggle, Eric stabs Charles in the back, killing him.
Once they reach the city, he begins looting, while she goes to her husband's office, then to the hospital waiting room. There she discovers her husband's skeleton. When Rosanne wants to return to the group, Eric refuses to let her go. They struggle and his shirt is torn open, revealing radiation poisoning. In despair, he runs away.
She begins the long walk back, but her baby dies along the way. Michael finds her and takes her home. When he starts farming, she joins him.
and owned by Arch Oboler.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
produced, directed and written by Arch Oboler
Arch Oboler
Arch Oboler was an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, and director who was active in radio, films, theater, and television. He generated much attention with his radio scripts, particularly the horror series Lights Out, and his work in radio remains the outstanding period...
. The title refers to the number of survivors of an atomic bomb disaster that wipes out the rest of the human race. According to Robert Osborne
Robert Osborne
Robert Jolin Osborne is an American actor and film historian best known as the primary host for Turner Classic Movies, and previously a host of The Movie Channel.-Life and career:...
of Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
, this film is the first to depict the aftermath of such a catastrophe.
Plot
Roseanne Rogers (Susan Douglas RubesSusan Douglas Rubes
Susan Douglas Rubes is an Austrian-born actress and producer.She was born Zuzka Zenta in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of Alfred and Charlotte Burstein. When she was young, her parents moved to a ranch in central Bohemia, Czechoslovakia...
) trudges from place to place, searching for another living human being. A newspaper headline reports a scientist's warning that detonating of a new type of atomic bomb may cause humanity's extinction.
She eventually makes her way her aunt's isolated hillside house and faints when she finds Michael (William Phipps
William Phipps
William Edward "Bill" Phipps is a retired American actor and producer, perhaps best known for his roles in dozens of classic sci-fi and westerns, both film and television, from the late 1940s through the mid 1960s. From then, until his retirement in 2000, his work was mainly in...
) already living there. At first too numb to speak, she is slow to recover. She resists Michael's attempt to become intimate, revealing that she is married and pregnant.
Two more survivors arrive, attracted by the smoking chimney. Oliver P. Barnstaple (Earl Lee) is an elderly bank clerk who is in denial; he believes he is simply on vacation. He has been taken care of by Charles (Charles Lampkin), a good-natured African American. They survived because they were accidentally locked in a bank vault when the disaster occurred. Roseanne was in a hospital's lead-lined X-ray room, while Michael was in an elevator in the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
.
Barnstaple sickens, but seems to recover and insists on going to the beach. There, they drag a man out of the water. Eric (James Anderson), a mountain climber, was stranded on Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
by a blizzard during the disaster. He was flying back to America when his plane ran out of gas just short of land. Meanwhile, Barnstaple dies peacefully.
The newcomer brings discord to the little community. Eric theorizes that they lived because they were somehow immune to the radiation. He wants to find and gather together other survivors. However, Michael is skeptical and warns that the radiation is the most intense in the cities Eric wants to search.
Eric reveals himself to be a racist; he can barely stand living with Charles. When Charles objects, they fight, stopping only when Roseanne goes into labor. She gives birth to a boy, delivered by Michael. Afterwards, while the others work to make a better life, Eric goes off by himself. Eric deliberately drives their jeep
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
through the group's cultivated field, destroying part of their crops. Michael orders Eric to leave, but Eric shows he has a pistol and announces that he will leave when he is ready to.
One night, Eric tells Roseanne that he is going to the city. Needing to discover her husband's fate, Roseanne agrees to go with him, as he had hoped. Eric insists that she not tell Michael. However, after stealing supplies, Eric is stopped by a suspicious Charles. As they struggle, Eric stabs Charles in the back, killing him.
Once they reach the city, he begins looting, while she goes to her husband's office, then to the hospital waiting room. There she discovers her husband's skeleton. When Rosanne wants to return to the group, Eric refuses to let her go. They struggle and his shirt is torn open, revealing radiation poisoning. In despair, he runs away.
She begins the long walk back, but her baby dies along the way. Michael finds her and takes her home. When he starts farming, she joins him.
Cast
- William PhippsWilliam PhippsWilliam Edward "Bill" Phipps is a retired American actor and producer, perhaps best known for his roles in dozens of classic sci-fi and westerns, both film and television, from the late 1940s through the mid 1960s. From then, until his retirement in 2000, his work was mainly in...
as Michael Rogin - Susan Douglas RubesSusan Douglas RubesSusan Douglas Rubes is an Austrian-born actress and producer.She was born Zuzka Zenta in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of Alfred and Charlotte Burstein. When she was young, her parents moved to a ranch in central Bohemia, Czechoslovakia...
as Roseanne Rogers - James Anderson as Eric
- Charles Lampkin as Charles
- Earl Lee as Oliver P. Barnstaple
Production
The unusual house that is the setting for most of the film was designed by Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and owned by Arch Oboler.