Expert: Jim Kason - 1/12/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jim. I'm trying to find out the name of an old British film I nearly saw! I arrived home almost 20 years ago just in time to see the final scene of a film my wife was watching. All I can remember is there are the heads of three gods looking down on earth. They had bestowed powers on some man I think and he must have made a mess of things. One of the gods says something like look what happens when you give mortals too much power. I remember another of the gods replying "yesterday they were but apes" or something similar. I've asked my wife a few times and she can't even remember watching the film so I have no chance having only saw about 30 seconds of it! It looked like it was made in 40's or 50's and I have given up any cahance of ever seeing the movie being shown again.

ANSWER: Hi Chris,

Although that one scene you describe sounds familiar, I can't come up with a film title from the 40's or 50's.  ( It may suddenly pop up sometime in the near future.)

The closest I can come is the 1981 film, "Clash Of The Titans" starring Harry Hamlin, and Laurence Olivier as one of the Gods.
Check out :  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clash_of_the_Titans     to see if this comes close.

Sincerely,
Jim Kason

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the quick reply Jim. Yes I remember "Clash of the Titans", one of my favourite films as a kid I still rate the special effects as amongst the best of its time. The much older film I want to find I'm certain is b&w. If I could recall a face or name or even more words I might be able to get somewhere but alas I am very vague. If I had to guess on a timescale I would say around 1940. I will watch "Clash of the Titans" again though just to remove all doubt that I have confused myself :)
Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi again Chris,

After thinking about it some more, I suddenly had a "heavenly" flash!!

Could the film have been a British film from 1937, starring Roland Young as "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" ?

I should have thought of it right away, because I do recall seeing it on TV as a kid, and being impressed with it.  (Yes, it had a trio of Gods looking down.)

Sincerely

Jim Kason