What do you get when you conduct nuclear experiments at the north pole? The answer should be more experiments. The answer in this fifties science fiction movie is, a very angry dinosaur. This prehistoric creature is awakened by the blast. His rage causes the death of the research team, except one person, Professor Tom Nesbitt,(Paul Hubschmid). While recovering in the hospital, he tells of his encounter with a prehistoric beast. This tale is brushed off as an hallucination, due to injuries. Nesbitt, while speaking to a psychiatrist, still holds to his story. He is released after an observation period.
Professor Nesbitt, is still convinced that he saw a creature, that should not exist. He seeks out a famous paleontologist, Professor Thurgood Elson, (Cecil Kelloway). He is dismissive of the professor’s claims, even when Nesbitt, positively identifies it in a book. Professor Nesbitt’s claims are not laughed at when things happen. There are ships at sea and a lighthouse that are destroyed. Professor Elson decides to search for the creature in a bathyspere. He radios reports to Elson, that he sees his mysterious dinosaur. Sadly for Nesbitt, the creature doesn’t like exploratory vessels. and destroys the vessel, killing Nesbitt.
The professor’s death is tragic. It has taught the military a sobering lesson. The creature is real and dangerous. The dinosaur not only is hostile, but he is heading for New York City. The local authorities and the military are ready to defend the city. The combined forces are giving their all. Tanks and fighter jets can’t seem to stop this angry anachronism. The angry and frightened dinosaur, has taken up a defensive position at Coney Island. It is going to be a no holds barred brawl between a Jurassic era survivor and modern man.
There are a few things that make this movie entertaining. Paul Hubschmid as Tom Nesbitt, desperately trying to convince people of the danger. Cecil Kellaway as the scientist who is skeptical, but bravely faces danger, giving the ultimate sacrifice. Kellaway is masterful in bringing comic relief to an otherwise serious movie. The thing that makes this movie somewhat of a gem is Ray Harryhausen. This is the first film with his special effects. His genius makes the creature and the monster come alive,and allows this movie to rise above the normal science fiction and creature features. The producers and the director,Eugene Lourie, deserve credit for turning a Ray Bradbury short story, into the template for Godzilla.