Unamuno and H. G. Wells went to the cinema together: unpublished letter confirms it 90 years on

A previously unknown letter written by the renowned Spanish philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno has surfaced, providing definitive proof of a historic meeting between him and the British science-fiction pioneer H. G. Wells. Discovered within the archives of the Unamuno House-Museum at the University of Salamanca, the document dates back to March 2, 1936. It details a private evening in London where the two literary giants shared dinner and subsequently attended a cinema screening together, marking a significant intersection of European intellectual history during the interwar period.

The correspondence, sent by Unamuno to his children, explicitly mentions the outing: "Wells took me to see his film." The film in question was 'Things to Come', a cinematic adaptation of Wells' own work, which they viewed at the Leicester Square Theatre. This confirmation follows years of academic speculation, as researchers had previously relied on circumstantial evidence, including a poem by Unamuno and a contemporary report from the newspaper 'El Sol'. The discovery of a handwritten invitation from Wells, found in 2025, had already suggested the meeting occurred, but this new letter serves as the final, primary-source verification of the event.

Historically, the encounter took place while Unamuno was visiting the United Kingdom to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford. The meeting highlights the deep intellectual curiosity that defined Unamuno's later years, as he sought to engage with the most prominent scientific and literary minds of the 20th century. Before this discovery, the relationship between the two men was largely inferred through their thematic overlaps, particularly regarding the future of civilization and the role of science in society, which were central to both authors' expansive bodies of work.

The ramifications of this discovery extend beyond mere biographical trivia, as it offers scholars a clearer window into the cross-pollination of ideas between Spanish and British intellectuals in the months leading up to the Spanish Civil War. The fact that Unamuno, a figure deeply concerned with the existential crises of his time, sought out the company of Wells—a man obsessed with technological progress and the trajectory of humanity—underscores the urgency of the intellectual discourse of the 1930s. Historians argue that this meeting likely influenced Unamuno's final reflections on the intersection of human spirit and scientific advancement.

Looking ahead, the original letter will be featured in the upcoming exhibition "Let them invent it. Miguel de Unamuno and science" in Bilbao, running from September 29 to October 30. This exhibition aims to contextualize Unamuno's engagement with figures like Albert Einstein and Marie Curie, positioning him as a polymath who bridged the gap between humanities and the hard sciences. As researchers continue to digitize the Unamuno archives, further revelations regarding his international network are expected, potentially reshaping our understanding of his global influence and the intellectual alliances he forged during his final, tumultuous years.