FORGOTTEN FILM: MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961)

 Based on Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Master of the World and Robur the Conqueror, this is the tale of  a fantastic submarine airship piloted by the mad Captain Nemo Robur (Vincent Price).

Robur hates war and he is willing to kill whole armies to prove his point.  He has kidnapped four people to go along with him and his crew for the ride -- Prudent of Philadelphia (Henry Hull), an arms manufacturer; his daughter Dorothy (Mary Webster, who looks good in tight trousers); her uptight fiance Philip Evans (David Frankham), and American agent John Strock (Charles Bronson).  In the flick, Vincent Price plays Vincent Price, Charles Bronson plays Charles Bronson, and the special effects are laughable - after all, this movie was from AIP, which explains a lot.  Also along for the ride is Vito Scotti as the comic relief French chef Topage, Wally Campo as the ship's first mate Turner, and a forever shirtless Richard Harrison as crew member Alistair.  In one scene we have stock footage of three different armies (probably four)  -- African natives on foot, Arabs on horseback, somebody on camels, and somebody else on foot charging each other to portray the foolishness of war, as Robur drops puny bombs to indicate that he has destroyed all of them.  Eventually, Robur's madness and the efforts of the four Americans destroy the ship -- the threat is gone and (Thankfully) wars can continue apace.

The director was William Witney, who has 140 film and tlevision credits from 1937 to 1982 on IMDb, including Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion, Nyoka and the Lost Secrets of Hippocrates, and Trigger, Jr.  

The script was written by Richard Matheson, who deserved better.

The budget for Master of the World was estimated to be $1,000,000.  My theory is that most of that went to craft services.

I cannot help but wonder what Matheson's script would have produced in more capable hands.

Nevertheless, there are far worse ways to spent an hour and forty-two minutes.  Sadly, the YouTube link below is loaded with commercials about every ten minmutes.  You have been warned.  Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrvaUDJ8nzU&t=1336s