One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975)

A suspected Western spy steals a secret microfilm from China and hides it in the skeleton of a museum dinosaur, prompting a frantic search for it by various interested parties.

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay), David Forrest (novel)

Stars:

Peter Ustinov, Helen Hayes, Derek Nimmo

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Derek Nimmo	...	Lord Southmere
Hugh Burden	...	Haines
Bernard Bresslaw	...	Fan Choy
Helen Hayes	...	Hettie
Joan Sims	...	Emily
Deryck Guyler	...	Harris
Peter Ustinov	...	Hnup Wan
Clive Revill	...	Quon
Molly Weir	...	Scots Nanny
Andrew Dove	...	Lord Castleberry
Max Harris	...	Truscott
Max Wall	...	Juggler
Natasha Pyne	...	Susan
Joss Ackland	...	B.J. Spence
Arthur Howard	...	Thumley

Storyline

Lord Southmere escapes from China with a microfilm of the formula for the mysterious "Lotus X", and is captured by Chinese spies who have been instructed to retrieve the microfilm from him. Escaping from his captors, Lord Southmere hides the microfilm in the bones of a large dinosaur at the National History Museum. However, he has been followed into the museum by the spies, so Lord Southmere asks Hettie (his former nanny), to retrieve the microfilm before the spies can find it. He is then promptly recaptured by the head spy, Hnup Wan. Hettie, and her friend Emily (another nanny), devise a plan for a group of nannies to search for the microfilm, but they are unsuccessful in their endeavors. The spies then decide to steal the dinosaur, but are outmaneuvered by Hettie and Emily, who, with a young nanny named Susan, take the dinosaur skeleton on an unforgettable journey around the countryside. When Hettie's two young charges, Lord Castleberry and his younger brother, Truscott, also become...

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Plot Keywords:

spy | nanny | museum | spoof title | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

It's kung-fu fun...that'll tickle your funny bone!

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Genres:

Family | Adventure | Comedy | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title is a parody of One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) in which Peter Ustinov (Hnup Wan) and Hugh Burden (Haines) appeared.

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Goofs

When the nannies are searching the dinosaur, Hettie observes that if the skeleton fell on them they would be the first people to be killed in a dinosaur in two million years. Dinosaurs actually became extinct about 65 million years ago. Humans emerged only about 500,000 years ago, so Hettie is wrong on multiple counts.

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Quotes

Lord Southmere: [Yeti Attack] I say! You're not REALLY Abominable, are you?

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Connections

Referenced in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

User Reviews

Dated, but not *that* bad

I'm not sure why this movie receives as bad reviews as it does. Admittedly, Ustinov's performance is the worst I've seen from him, and nowdays the portrayal of Orientals comes across as out and out racist. But, if you forgive the movie these problems (this was 1976 when sensibilities were different) it's not that bad. Not wonderful, but with a few laughs. And I had little trouble following the plot.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ellopták a dinoszauruszt

Filming Locations:

Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1