The Flying Saucer (1950)

Both the CIA and KGB investigate UFOs in Alaska: friend or foe?

Director:

Mikel Conrad

Writers:

Mikel Conrad (screenplay), Mikel Conrad (story),

Stars:

Mikel Conrad, Pat Garrison, Hantz von Teuffen

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Mikel Conrad	...	Mike Trent
Pat Garrison	...	Vee Langley
Hantz von Teuffen	...	Hans
Earle Lyon	...	Alex Muller (as Erl Lyon)
Lester Sharpe	...	Col. Marikoff
Russell Hicks	...	Hank Thorn
Frank Darien	...	Matt Mitchell
Denver Pyle	...	Turner
Roy Engel	...	Dr. Carl Lawton
Garry Owen	...	Bartender at Ernie's
Virginia Hewitt	...	Nanette
George Baxter	...	Fred Burnside
Philip Morris	...	Dreamland Bartender
Robert Boon	...	Barge Captain

Storyline

The CIA sends playboy Mike Trent to Alaska with agent Vee Langley, posing as his "nurse," to investigate flying saucer sightings. At first, installed in a hunting lodge, the two play in the wilderness. But then they sight a saucer. Investigating, our heroes clash with an inept gang of Soviet spies, also after the saucer secret.

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Plot Keywords:

alaska | flying saucer | ufo | spy | playboy | 

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Taglines:

Have we visitors from outer space?

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Genres:

Thriller | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

El disco volador

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Colonial Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the dates shown on two telegrams, the basic action of the film takes place mid-August 1949.

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Goofs

A black bear is shown when the plot indicates the more dangerous brown or grizzly bear.

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Quotes

Mike Trent: [to Vee] You're prettier than my top sergeant, but, baby, you talk just like him.

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Crazy Credits

Before the title, a message, 'We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of those in authority who made the release of the "Flying Saucer" film possible at this time.'

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Connections

Featured in Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us (2005)

User Reviews

my flying lunch

Folks, there are no words; hyperbole fails us. This movie is so incredibly bad, so stultifyingly boring, that it has to be seen to be believed. Granted, it was made in 1950, and, granted, there obviously wasn't much of a budget, but really. . .! Yes, we will allow that it was, after all, one of the first films to deal with the subject of UFOs (and CIA cover-ups, and Russian hoaxes, and a Canadian connection) but, after a mildly promising start, the film plays largely as if it were funded by the Alaska Board of Tourism - ENDLESS tableaux of glaciers, and wildlife, and rivers, and more glaciers, but precious little action, and even less in the way of FX. The saucer, when FINALLY seen, looks like something out of "Killers From Space." The fact that this cowflop of a film was made in 1950 doesn't really save it, either: both "The Thing" and "The Man from Planet X" were made right around the same time, and are far better efforts. In the case of "The Man from Planet X", that one was made for around $50,000.00 and was shot in six days on borrowed sets, and it was still better! In short, "The Flying Saucer" isn't just crummier than you think, it's crummier than you CAN think! If you really want to see early UFO films, see the above mentioned pair; don't - repeat, DON'T - waste your time with "The Flying Saucer".