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Things to Come

Things to Come

1936

NR

Director

William Cameron Menzies

Runtime

100 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.5/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film lacks any depiction of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy. Social structures remain strictly heteronormative, reflecting the cinematic standards of the 1930s.

Gender Representation

Limited

The hierarchy is predominantly patriarchal, focusing on male scientists and political leaders. Women occupy supporting roles that reinforce traditional gendered spheres rather than challenging masculine leadership.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

Character portrayals are largely homogeneous and white-dominated. The film presents a globalized future that remains visually and culturally anchored in a Eurocentric aesthetic.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The narrative excels at deconstructing traditional Western institutions. It prioritizes scientific rationalism and a technocratic society over religious or traditionalist structures to promote human progress.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities used as central plot devices or character arcs.

Strengths

  • Challenges traditionalist political frameworks and religious authority.
  • Promotes a secular, scientific vision of human progress.
  • Critiques the destructive nature of nationalism and unmanaged capitalism.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks racial and ethnic diversity in positions of agency.
  • Maintains a predominantly patriarchal social hierarchy.
  • Provides no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative characters.

AI Analysis

Things to Come is a historical specimen of technocratic progressivism. While it fails modern metrics of identity-based representation, it offers a radical reimagining of social organization. The film's strength lies in its systemic critique rather than demographic inclusion. The narrative disrupts the concept of the heroic individual, favoring scientific evolution over the sanctity of the nation-state. It challenges religious authority by presenting a secular, intellectual meritocracy as the solution to global anarchy. However, the vision of the future remains culturally narrow. The lack of racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ diversity keeps the film's progressive reach limited to its philosophical and political frameworks.

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