Village of the Damned

Film: Village of the Damned

Year: 1960

Director: Wolf Rilla

Writer: Stirling Silliphant, Wolf Rilla and Ronald Kinnoch

Starring: George Sanders, Barbara Shelley and Michael Gwynn

Review:

This is another movie that I actually watched the remake long before I got around to this one. I know my mother spoke very highly of it as this is an era from when she was growing up and loves these older films. It is also one that I’ve been intrigued to check out as I’ve heard it is superior. This was originally covered on the podcast as a Journey through the Aughts watch. I’ve come back to it, getting to see it at the Gateway Film Center.

Synopsis: in the English village of Midwich, the blonde-haired, glowing-eyed children of uncertain paternity prove to have frightening powers.

We started getting to know this idyllic town. We have Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders) trying to reach his brother-in-law Major Alan Bernard (Michael Gwynn) via telephone. Alan is coming up for the weekend, but Gordon falls asleep. This causes concern as Alan tries to figure out what happened. The operator can’t get through, causing him to go to his superiors.

They soon learn that everyone in this village has fallen asleep. This goes on for hours and a military operation takes place to figure out what is happening. It is odd since there’s a defined perimeter that anyone who enters it also passes out. They even figure out that it reaches into the air when an airplane they’re using to scout crashes. Just as mysterious as everyone falling asleep, everyone wakes up.

Things seem to go back to normal, aside from they’re all cold. Another side effect manifests later. Every woman of maturity to have children is now pregnant. Gordon and his wife, Anthea (Barbara Shelley), are elated. Others not so much. There is one man who is returning from a yearlong tour in the military to find his wife is pregnant. We also have Evelyn Harrington (Sarah Long) who is only 17 and a virgin. Some don’t believe that they were conceived immaculately. The local vicar, played by Bernard Archard, helps Dr. Willers (Laurence Naismith) and Gordon, confirm who is pregnant through confessions made. Plus, confirming their virtue.

The people in the village become even more scared when all of the children are given birth within hours of each other. They all look the same with blonde hair and strange eyes. More odd things happen, including Gordon discovering they think in a hive mind, where if you teach one of them something, the rest know. He tests this theory with a Chinese puzzle box with his own ‘son’ David (Martin Stephens). He then goes around to others and they also solve it quickly.

This isn’t just happening here though. The military learns of a few other areas where children were born from similar incidents. What is even more terrifying is that these children harbor a strange power. Their eyes glow and they make people do things. They also can read minds. Gordon is convinced that this could be something good for science to teach and then learn from them, but what they are capable of is even more frightening to society and the world.

That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start is that the premise is compelling, especially now that I have children. I recently learned it's based on the novel ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’. The title's connection to real cuckoo birds—which lay eggs in other nests, with their hatchlings outcompeting and killing "siblings"—creates a powerful allegory for the children's impact on the village. Though the children only kill in self-defense, a concern arises: what stops them from eliminating others once their usefulness ends, even as children?

The film's setting during the "Red Scare" is significant, especially with two groups of children born in the Soviet Union. Given the well-documented fear of the Soviets and communism in the United States, this context remains relevant. This fear likely extended to other democracies and republics, including the United Kingdom. It seems the government permits Gordon's experiment when they discover a village is studying their surviving children, likely to prevent the Soviets from gaining an advantage. This could be seen as another competition, similar to the space or arms race. The fate of the other group is also noteworthy.

We also never really learn what the cause here is as well. It is thought to be aliens. Gordon tries to figure out and they’re much too smart as to what he’s doing. This is a tense scene which in normal cases you wouldn’t expect from them. What we’ve seen these children force others to do though already, including when Anthea accidentally gave a bottle of milk that is too hot. These children are just creepy with how put together they always are, how they dress similarly and just so polite. It is that notion that humanity would lose itself in an idea or community different from our own. Together it adds just a feeling that is eerie.

Something that I wanted to explore before moving from the story is the idea that the villains are children. There is that subversion of innocence. The concept here is that children are irrational due to now having their conscious development. Just thinking of my own, they push buttons to test boundaries. What would happen if they had powers to punish when they’re unhappy is a terrifying idea. This also looks at how much of nature can be affected by nurture. Gordon wants to teach the children and they show the capability. Do they have the capacity for humanity and emotion though, that becomes the snag.

I’ll then take this to discuss the acting performances. Sanders's voice work, particularly as Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, is a standout, making his character unique in his desire to study the children while others, including the town, fear them. Shelley delivers a solid performance, showcasing her maternal instincts toward David. Gwynn is effective as the dissenting military man. Stephens is good as David, the creepy leader of the children. The other children, though unrelated, add to the eerie atmosphere with their similar appearances and the rest of the cast performs adequately.

All that is left then is filmmaking aspects. The cinematography and framing effectively capture the small village, a strategic setting for the creatures' takeover. Effects are minimal, fitting the era. The best is the children's glowing eyes when using their power, a chilling visual that was reportedly too frightening for an early UK 'A' classification. Other effects include a car accident and the implied punishment of Anthea, both effective despite being off-screen. The ending's miniature charm is appreciated despite its appearance. The soundtrack is largely unremarkable, but the sound design for the children's power use stands out. The uncomfortable tone, reminiscent of vibrating bee wings, brings back the idea of a hive mind and adds to the concept, making the audience question if the sound is also heard by the villagers.

In conclusion, this delivers a compelling and eerie experience, further enhanced by a second viewing and the immersive theater setting. Its timely allegories, chilling performances and effective filmmaking aspects solidify its status as a classic. The film masterfully subverts the innocence of children, presenting villains who are both intellectually advanced and terrifyingly devoid of human emotion. While the cause of their arrival remains ambiguous, the film's lasting impact lies in its exploration of fear, control, and the unsettling possibilities of an alien presence within a seemingly idyllic human society.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10