When Worlds Collide

When astronomers determine that a star is on a collision course with Earth, they warn that the planet travelling with it will pass close enough to cause devastation before the star itself arrives. Their findings are initially dismissed, but once the calculations are confirmed, the threat can no longer be denied. With no way to prevent the disaster and limited time remaining, a rocket is built so that a small number of selected people can leave Earth and begin again on another world. A wealthy industrialist funds the project, while a pilot and a scientist are charged with carrying it out. As the end approaches, those chosen to go and those left behind confront the question of who will survive.

The film was directed by Rudolph Maté, the second of the films he directed, following The Dark Past and preceding Paula. Sydney Boehm wrote the screenplay, and George Pal produced. Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt, Larry Keating and Rachel Ames appear among the twenty credited cast members.

Released by Paramount in September 1951, the science-fiction drama runs 83 minutes. It took in about 2 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.6 from roughly 10,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.4 from 212 votes. A critics' rating of 6.4 from 26 reviews places it close to the audience scores, suggesting a broadly similar level of regard.