Howard Hawks produced this exciting picture in that genre of sci-fi which developed in the late forties and continued through the 1950s. Directed by Christian Nyby with an atmospheric score from Dimitri Tiomkin, this is about as much fun as you can have at the movies. Charles Lederer was credited with the script, but pals of Hawks, Ben Hecht and William Faulkner have been rumored over the years to have worked on it in collaboration with Hawks himself. The constant UFO sightings which enveloped not only America, but the entire globe after the atomic bomb was unleashed is deftly played upon in fine style, with a reminder to always be vigilant in watching the skies!

When something crashes into the Arctic ice, Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) and his crew are sent by the US Air Force to help the scientific research team already stationed there. Before he can have too much 1950s innocent fun with Nikki (Margaret Sheridan) he’s convinced what has landed may be more than just a plane. Their flight reveals a large circular object like nothing on earth, and Hendry’s reporter pal, Scotty (Douglas Spencer), knows he has the biggest story of all time. Getting clearance to send it might be another thing, however, as the saucer explodes, revealing a survivor.

The thrill of such a discovery makes for exciting viewing, and once they bring the visitor back to the research station in a block of ice, things only get better. A misplaced electric blanket, a severed arm that it is more vegetable than human, and that one pompous scientific nitwit who thinks studying their discovery is more important than their own survival ratchets up the fun. Hendry gets orders from above more in line with science than common sense and knows they’ve got to destroy it to stay alive.

Along the way there’s a little romance, some suspense during calls too close for comfort, and finally a real plan which might work. Strangely enough, being bait for an 8-foot tall vegetable man who would look like Matt Dillon if they could get close enough, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The windy cold and snowy Arctic weather are used to good effect and it all adds up to great fun for the viewer. The final scene is especially enjoyable. Curling up on the couch with your wife or sweetheart and a big bowl of popcorn is highly recommended. A real classic, miles better than the blood and gore modern re-make. ( )

An alien spaceship crashes in the arctic.

Very cool. It's more like Alien than Carpenter's Thing - if Alien had been a Howard Hawks movie. There's a level of intelligence and detail to the dialog that does a lot for the suspense - the scenario has some weight to it, rather than just being an excuse for a monster.

Concept: A
Story: B
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: C
Music: B

Enjoyment: A

GPA: 2.9/4

(May 2012) ( )