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Did George Tell Filby He Was Fated To Die In WWI?

posted 11 years ago by joeparkson
5 replies | jump to latest

And if Filby knew that, would he volunteer in a different service to avoid that fate?

Absurdity: A Statement or belief inconsistent with my opinion.

[–] Big G-2 11 years ago

In 1993, PBS did a special on George Pal and THE TIME MACHINE and brought back actors Rod Taylor and Alan Young to reprise their roles for a small segment (I believe that piece is included as one of the special features in the DVD).

As I recall, it is around 1917 and Filby, in George's lab, is saying goodbye as he is about go off to the front lines. Suddenly George reapears with his time machine and the two fondly greet each other. It seems George came back to 1917 to try to stop Filby from going off to war, even though he knew of his own fate. George reminds him of what is going to happen, but to no avail. David Filby still goes. It ends with George saying there is another way out (which of course, we never got to see).

[–] Johnny_Shannow 11 years ago

In the special 'Time Machine: The Journey Back', which was written by David Duncan who wrote the script for the original movie too, he makes it clear that George never did tell Filby about his death, there's a part when the older Filby asks the older George about his own future, asking him jokingly if he'll become future Prime minster. Now even though this is asked in a lighthearted fashion, I seriously doubt that would be his attitude if he really knew about his own impending death. George does try to stop Filby from going off to war, but he still never tells him what the eventual outcome will be. So at least according to the mini sequel and the original screenwriter Filby didn't know.

[–] Kutanamar 10 years ago

If you think about it, he did tell him. Remember, the entire movie was a flashback. He was telling everyone the story at dinner on January 5th, 1900. This would include the part where Filby Jr. tells him that his Father died on the war front.

[–] PKLarkins 10 years ago

That's right. He told all of them at dinner that night.

[–] steely3000 9 years ago

I have another question: suppose Filby was told (and I think he was, as other posters had said), and Filby decided to avoid action in WWI to save his own life? Could that have changed the outcome of WWI? I know it's just one man dying, but Filby could have saved other lives, who saved other lives, etc. You know how that stuff works, you change one thing in the future and it affects other things.