Factual error: The aliens request a meeting with Dr. Marvin on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, near Washington DC. However, the shot of him driving along the shore line shows mountains in the background, which don't exist in Eastern Maryland. (00:35:13)
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
Plot summary
Directed by: Fred F. Sears
Starring: Hugh Marlowe, Donald Curtis, Joan Taylor, Morris Ankrum
The movie begins with a sequence showcasing the launching of various rockets and satellites into space. However, these space missions mysteriously disappear without any explanation. Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) and his wife Carol (Joan Taylor) are introduced as two of the leading scientists working on these space missions. One night, while driving in their car, they spot a bright object flying through the sky. As they try to follow it, their car is attacked by a flying saucer and crashes. They manage to escape, but they are left bewildered by the encounter.
Dr. Marvin decides to investigate further, and he meets with a fellow scientist, General Hanley (Morris Ankrum). They discuss the recent disappearances of the rockets, and Dr. Marvin shares his suspicion that extraterrestrial beings might be behind it. General Hanley dismisses the idea but agrees to investigate further.
As the investigation progresses, more flying saucers appear and begin attacking major cities around the world. The military and civilians alike are caught off guard, as the saucers are nearly unstoppable. Dr. Marvin and Carol, who have now been joined by a team of other scientists, including Dr. Ryan (Donald Curtis), realise that the extraterrestrial beings want to establish their dominance over Earth.
With the world in chaos, Dr. Marvin and his team work relentlessly to find a way to fight back against the alien threat. They conduct experiments and discover that the saucers generate a force field that repels all attacks. However, they also notice that when the force field is activated, the saucers become susceptible to sonic vibrations.
Using this new information, Dr. Marvin and his team devise a plan to launch a coordinated attack on the flying saucers. They equip several planes with sonic wave generators and use them to engage the saucers in battle. The intense sonic vibrations disrupt the force fields, causing many of the saucers to be destroyed.
In the climactic final battle, Dr. Marvin personally leads the attack, shooting down saucer after saucer. However, the aliens do not give up easily, and they retaliate. In a desperate move, they target the military base where Dr. Marvin and his team are stationed.
As the base is bombarded, the scientists and military forces manage to evacuate. Knowing that the force fields cannot withstand the sonic vibrations indefinitely, the surviving humans redouble their efforts, launching wave after wave of sonic attacks. Eventually, they manage to destroy all the saucers, saving Earth from invasion. Dr. Marvin and Carol embrace, relieved to have survived the alien onslaught. The world is left in ruins, but humanity is triumphant in repelling the extraterrestrial threat. The film ends with a glimmer of hope, as the surviving humans begin to rebuild and prepare for the future.
Dr. Russell Marvin: Both Carol and I are subject to the same atmospheric disturbances that may have affected other observers, but there is a qualitative difference, when you're a scientist.
Trivia: Paul Frees is the apparent "spokesperson" for the aliens. His voice is heard throughout the movie. He's also the voice visitors hear in "The Haunted Mansion" rides at the Disney parks.
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