20 Million Miles to Earth *** (1957, William Hopper, Joan Taylor, Thomas Browne Henry) – Classic Movie Review 3723

A Ray Harryhausen special-effects monster of notable beastliness is the main reason to watch director Nathan Juran’s creaky old 1957 monster movie.

William Hopper stars as spaceman Colonel Robert Calder, whose debut Venus-probe spacecraft that returns to Earth from Venus and crash lands in the sea. It brings back an egg that hatches into a Creature called the Ymir that only fights back when attacked – which he soon is – and eventually he battles Italians from atop the Colosseum in Rome.

Though 20 Million Miles to Earth is endearing, it is mostly for Harryhausen groupies, but Charlotte Knight’s story and Bob Williams and Christopher Knopf’s dialogue are entirely reasonable, with Juran’s direction and Charles H Schneer’s production very fair. Hopper’s acting isn’t exactly out of this world, but it is still better than anyone else’s here. All in all, 20 Million Miles to Earth could still be quite kitsch fun. Harryhausen has a cameo as a zoo visitor.

Also in the cast are Joan Taylor, Frank Puglia, Thomas Browne Henry, Tito Vuolo, John Zaremba, Jan Arvan, Bart Braverman, George Khoury, Don Orlando, George Pelling, Arthur Space and Sid Cassell.

RIP Ray Harryhausen, who died on 7 May 2013, aged 92.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 3723

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