This apocalyptic drama from actor-turned-director Cornel Wilde is a powerful experience despite some flaws. The apocalyptic scenario works because it is compelling without ever lapsing into phony sentimentality and never cops out on the serious, dark sensibility that it establishes at the beginning. A few story developments seem rushed or glossed-over -- most notably the scenes involving the daughter's ultimate choice of boyfriend -- but the film is never at a loss for compelling incidents and maintains dramatic tension throughout. Wilde's aggressive style of direction fits this narrative, going for a fractured story-telling style that jumps back and forth in the midst of its main narrative. The flashbacks work well and are often orchestrated with devastating effect (the best is a sequence that intercuts two scenes of childbirth, one happy and the other tragic). Unfortunately, the flash-forwards give away too much story information upfront and 'spoil' a number of key plot developments. That said, Wilde's commitment to his material shines through and he does a fantastic job of conveying both the physical and psychological rigors of the protagonists' journey as they are forced to sacrifice their ideals for the sake of survival. Performances are also quite good throughout: Nigel Davenport affects a cool style as the ex-military man leader who plays his cards close to the vest while Jean Knight brings some warmth to the story as his caring wife and Anthony May adds enough ambiguity to his tough-guy character to keep him intriguingly unpredictable. To sum up, No Blade Of Grass is an intense, often brutal affair but it offers plenty to ponder for the science fiction fans who can handle its rough-and-tumble style.