Doctor Clayton Forrester (The War of the Worlds)

rdf:langString Doctor Clayton Forrester (The War of the Worlds)

rdf:langString Doctor Clayton Forrester is a fictional character in George Pal's 1953 science fiction film The War of the Worlds, the first film adaptation of the H. G. Wells 1898 novel of the same name. The Forrester character is played by actor Gene Barry. The film takes several liberties with the novel's source material. Rather than taking place in early 20th century England, the film is set in mid-20th century southern California. Dr. Clayton Forrester is the film's main character, taking up the role assumed by two (unnamed) brothers in Wells' original novel. Forrester is an astro and nuclear physicist on a fishing vacation with friends when he gets caught up in an invasion from Mars, as well as falling in love with Ann Robinson's Sylvia Van Buren character. As the Martians attempt to wipe out humanity and take over the world for themselves, Forrester is one of the few scientists who attempts to find a biological weakness in the aliens. When he fails, and mankind faces extinction, the Martians succumb to common Earthly microorganisms, against which they have no defense, as in Wells' novel. Both Gene Barry and Ann Robinson have a cameo in Steven Spielberg's 2005 remake, as a homage to the original George Pal 1953 film.