The World, the Flesh and the Devil
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64% Critic Match

The World, the Flesh and the Devil

The Most Unusual Story Ever Told!

6.4 / 10 1959 1h 35mNR English
DramaScience FictionRomance

Storyline

Ralph Burton is a miner who is trapped for several days as a result of a cave-in. When he finally manages to dig himself out, he realizes that all of mankind seems to have been destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. He travels to New York City only to find it deserted. Making a life for himself there, he is flabbergasted to eventually find Sarah Crandall, who also managed to survive. Together, they form a close friendship until the arrival of Benson Thacker who has managed to pilot his small boat into the city's harbor. At this point, tensions rise between the three, particularly between Thacker, who is white, and Burton, who is black.

Cast & Crew

Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte

Ralph Burton

Lead
Inger Stevens

Inger Stevens

Sarah Crandall

Mel Ferrer

Mel Ferrer

Benson Thacker

What People Are Saying

4.0
A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Ranald MacDougall's vision lands with breathtaking precision.
Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
3.0
Every frame feels alive. The World, the Flesh and the Devil is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker