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Ray Harryhausen
Special Effects -
William Asher
Director -
Henry Freulich
Director of Photography -
John Mantley
Screenplay -
Frank Tuttle
Set Decoration -
Ross Bellah
Art Direction -
Jerome Thoms
Editor -
Lewis J. Rachmil
Executive Producer
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CinemaSerf 11/9/2022 8:57:26 PM
The underlying premiss of this film is quite interesting. Five people are kidnapped by a vastly superior alien race and each given a potentially toxic capsule. These capsules can only be opened upon the command of the owner, but if they ever are then mankind is doomed to eradication. The five are from different nations and all walks of life and once the alien announces to the assembled world the identities of the group, their lives become frantic and unsafe - a predicament they must endure for twenty-seven days if they are to save the population from certain death! Arnold Moss does his best "Klaatu" impersonation as the visitor and William Asher offers us a considered story about how ordinary people - and their governments - might react in such weighty circumstances. Gene Barry leads a rather unimpressive cast, however, and that really lets this decent story down somewhat. He wasn't very good at the best of times, and here neither he nor Valerie French's "Eve" do justice to the intrigue of the plot. The ending, even after a few viewings, is a bit disappointing - but the whole concept makes this well worth watching.
George Voskovec
Prof. Klaus BechnerGene Barry
Jonathan ClarkFriedrich von Ledebur
Dr. Karl NeuhausPaul Birch
AdmiralMel Welles
Russian MarshalValerie French
Eve WingatePaul Frees
Radio Newscaster Ward MasonArnold Moss
The Alien