A bit late, but I had some time to watch the 21st Century "The Time Machine" to consider its placement. (It's a bit too all over the place for me, but I might understand if someone says that's what they like about it. It does displace the '70s TV adaptation as my second-favorite "The Time Machine" movie.)

My favorite still remains "The Man Who Could Work Miracles." It's from the 1930s, and from England, which could be two strikes against it, but which make it twice as charming. Much of that is Roland Young, who I can watch in anything. He's Topper in the movie "Topper"; in "The Man Who Could Work Miracles," he's... the man who could work miracles, and so plodding and unassuming that I've forgotten his name.

It was made about the same time as Wells' "Things to Come," with some of the same talent in front of and behind the camera. I don't know if before, as a proof of concept, after, as a thank-you, or just as an economical use of resources while available (around the time of filming of the original "King Kong," "The Most Dangerous Game" was filmed using the jungle set and background paintings, and some of the cast and crew). The IMDb entry for it mentions the special effects crew were assembled and trained to raise the standards of British movie effects. The climactic effects are astonishing, magical, and perfect for the miracles presented.

--
-Jack

On Monday, May 10, 2021 at 10:59:39 AM UTC-6, jack....@gmail.com wrote:
> I don't know if before, as a proof of concept, after, as a thank-you, or just as an
> economical use of resources while available (around the time of filming of the
> original "King Kong," "The Most Dangerous Game" was filmed using the jungle
> set and background paintings, and some of the cast and crew).

The release date of Things to Come was February 20, 1936, and that of
The Man Who Could Work Miracles was February 8, 1937.

John Savard