Them! (1954)

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

Ted Sherdeman (screenplay)
Russell S. Hughes (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

19 June 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

The Amazing New Warner Bros. Sensation!

Plot:

The earliest atomic tests in New Mexico cause common ants to mutate into giant man-eating monsters that threaten civilization.

Plot Keywords:

Ant | Desert | New Mexico | FBI | FBI Agent

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

James Whitmore	...	Police Sgt. Ben Peterson
Edmund Gwenn	...	Dr. Harold Medford
Joan Weldon	...	Dr. Patricia 'Pat' Medford
James Arness	...	Robert Graham
Onslow Stevens	...	Brig. Gen. Robert O'Brien
Sean McClory	...	Maj. Kibbee
Chris Drake	...	Trooper Ed Blackburn
Sandy Descher	...	The Ellinson Girl
Mary Alan Hokanson	...	Mrs. Lodge (as Mary Ann Hokanson)
Don Shelton	...	Trooper Capt. Fred Edwards
Fess Parker	...	Alan Crotty
Olin Howland	...	Jensen (as Olin Howlin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Bellis	...	Mike Lodge (uncredited)
John Beradino	...	Patrolman Ryan (uncredited)
Robert Berger	...	Patrolman Sutton (uncredited)
Oscar Blanke	...	Alcoholic Ward Patient (uncredited)
Willis Bouchey	...	Official at D.C. Meeting (uncredited)
Richard Boyer	...	Trooper #1 (uncredited)
Waldron Boyle	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Marshall Bradford	...	Psychiatrist (scenes deleted) (uncredited)
Alexander Campbell	...	Official (uncredited)
James Cardwell	...	Officer (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	...	Jeep Driver (uncredited)
John Close	...	Johnny, Police Aircraft Pilot (uncredited)
Booth Colman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Washington Official (uncredited)
Robert Scott Correll	...	Jerry Lodge (uncredited)
Walter Coy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dean Cromer	...	MP Sergeant (uncredited)
Richard Deacon	...	Bald Reporter at L.A. News Conference (uncredited)
Eddie Dew	...	Officer (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Los Angeles City Engineer (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Child Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Wally Duffy	...	Airman (uncredited)
Cliff Ferre	...	Cliff, Police Lab Man (uncredited)
Norman Field	...	Gen. James (uncredited)
Joseph Forte	...	Coroner 'Doc' Putnam (uncredited)
Dean Fredericks	...	Det. Curtis (uncredited)
Russell Gaige	...	Coroner (uncredited)
Otis Garth	...	Admiral at Second Conference (uncredited)
Dorothy Green	...	Matron (uncredited)
Mary Lou Holloway	...	Blonde (uncredited)
Gayle Kellogg	...	Gunner (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Trooper #2 (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns	...	Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Warren Mace	...	Radio Operator (uncredited)
Chad Mallory	...	Loader (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Dr. Grant (uncredited)
Mathew McCue	...	Gramps Johnson, Storekeeper (uncredited)
Charles Meredith	...	Washington Official (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Government Official (uncredited)
Leonard Nimoy	...	Air Force Sergeant (uncredited)
Jack Perrin	...	Army Officer (uncredited)
Charles Perry	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Alcoholic Ward Doctor (uncredited)
William Schallert	...	Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Fred Shellac	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Joel Smith	...	Smitty, Ben's Jeep Driver (uncredited)
K.L. Smith	...	Trooper (uncredited)
Janet Stewart	...	WAVE (uncredited)
Victor Sutherland	...	Senator at D.C. Meeting (uncredited)
Dub Taylor	...	Railroad Yard Watchman (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Harry, Alcoholic Ward Patient (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Railroad Detective (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Alcoholic Ward Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Gordon Douglas

Writing credits
Ted Sherdeman		(screenplay)
Russell S. Hughes		(adaptation) (as Russell Hughes)
George Worthing Yates		(story)

Produced by
David Weisbart	....	producer

Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography by
Sidney Hickox		(as Sid Hickox)

Film Editing by
Thomas Reilly

Art Direction by
Stanley Fleischer

Set Decoration by
G.W. Berntsen

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Agnes Flanagan	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Henry Vilardo	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Saunders	....	assistant director (as Russ Saunders)
Al Alleborn	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
John Prettyman	....	extra director (uncredited)

Art Department
J. Leslie Asher	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Dick Smith	....	prop construction manager (uncredited)
Robert Turner	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Francis J. Scheid	....	sound
Clifford Call	....	recordist (uncredited)
Dave DePatie	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Ora Hudson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Lincoln Lyons	....	sound editor (uncredited)
William A. Mueller	....	sound effects (uncredited)
William Thompson	....	cable man (uncredited)

Stunts
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eddie Leon Albert	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Burnett	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Robert Johannes	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Harold Noyes	....	grip (uncredited)
William John Ranaldi	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ed Rike	....	best boy (uncredited)
William Schurr	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
Jack Woods	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Moss Mabry	....	wardrobe
Roe Ramsey	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Marguerite Royce	....	wardrobe: ladies (uncredited)
Ted Schultz	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director

Other crew
Liz Patten	....	double: Sandy Descher (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Cinema Classics (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (4 film set)

Also Known As:

"Them" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:16 (1954) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (1969) | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #16752, General Audience)

Filming Locations:

Blaney Ranch - 160th & Q Streets, Palmdale, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Shortly after the helicopter reconnaissance, a meeting opens with an army officer looking through a Stereo Realist red button viewer. He is evidently looking at 3-D slides taken by Dr. Pat Medford. A second viewer is on the table next to Dr. Medford. This was rather clever product placement, considering the film was originally slated to be shot in 3-D format.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the ants burst through the wall of the first (naturally excavated) nest and Whitmore retaliates with a flame thrower, man-made wooden support beams can briefly be seen behind them. This is because this is footage taken from later in the film when the ants are flamed in the Los Angeles sewers.

Quotes:

[the nest has been saturated with cyanide]
Robert Graham:Boy, if I can still raise an arm when we get out of this place, I'm gonna show you just how saturated *I* can get.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gremlins (1984)

really, really impressive!

Until I watched ,Them!, I thought all 50's giant monster/bug films were hilariously bad horror attempts consisting of bad acting, bad monsters, and bad everything really! This film is entirely different. It starts off really eerily with a wandering child in shock in the desert and from there on , it builds up into a masterpiece of good acting, and amazing special effects! Yes! The special effects WERE good! Well, for the fifties! They weren't like other pathetic paper mache model films like: The Giant Claw, or, The attack of the Crab Monsters. These monsters actually looked like an effort had been made on them. I have to say I was taken aback by this suspenseful fifties success and was pleased in every way. Enjoy!