Director: MARY FIELD (under the pseudonym, S.G. Ferguson). Screenplay: Dallas Bower. Story: Frank Wells. Photography: Frank North. Film editor: Derek Hyde-Chambers. Music: Jack Beaver. Scenario editor: Mary Cathcart Borer. Puppet maker: John Wright. Animation: Ken Hardy. Camera operator: Gerry Mason Collier. Production manager: Pat Morton. Assistant director: Claude Hudson. Sound recording: Maurice Askew, Peter Davies. Associate producer: Frank Cadman. Producer: Frank Wells. Executive producer: Mary Field.
A Gaumont British Production, made at Elstree Studios for the Children's Film Foundation. U.K. release through British Lion: May 1956. Never theatrically released or televised in the U.S.A. 4,482 feet. 50 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Unable to go home for the holidays, Greta and Sumac are forced to remain at their boarding school with Rodney, the headmaster's son. They meet Meba, a baby flying saucer from Venus.
NOTES: Only movie appearance of Marcia Monolescue, star of the 1955 TV series, "Barbie". Final of four movies for Fella Edmonds. Only movie appearance of Andrew Motte-Harrison (who is not the "Andrew Harrison" who played Dickon in the 1975 TV series, "The Secret Garden").
COMMENT: Mainly of interest as a precursor of E.T., which borrows at least three or four of its key ideas, this is actually a slightly below average entry in the children's features turned out by Mary Field's unit at Elstree for Rank's Children's Film Foundation even though the direction is occasionally inventive and it all comes to really fine climax.
The problem at the heart of the matter is that the Venusian's doings are not only a bit on the dull side, but the technical trickery now seems very unsophisticated to an E.T. trained audience.
A Gaumont British Production, made at Elstree Studios for the Children's Film Foundation. U.K. release through British Lion: May 1956. Never theatrically released or televised in the U.S.A. 4,482 feet. 50 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Unable to go home for the holidays, Greta and Sumac are forced to remain at their boarding school with Rodney, the headmaster's son. They meet Meba, a baby flying saucer from Venus.
NOTES: Only movie appearance of Marcia Monolescue, star of the 1955 TV series, "Barbie". Final of four movies for Fella Edmonds. Only movie appearance of Andrew Motte-Harrison (who is not the "Andrew Harrison" who played Dickon in the 1975 TV series, "The Secret Garden").
COMMENT: Mainly of interest as a precursor of E.T., which borrows at least three or four of its key ideas, this is actually a slightly below average entry in the children's features turned out by Mary Field's unit at Elstree for Rank's Children's Film Foundation even though the direction is occasionally inventive and it all comes to really fine climax.
The problem at the heart of the matter is that the Venusian's doings are not only a bit on the dull side, but the technical trickery now seems very unsophisticated to an E.T. trained audience.