One of the screen’s finest science-fiction films!  The scene is a distant Arctic research station, where a UFO has crashed. The investigating scientists discover that the circular craft has melted its way into the ice, which has frozen up again. While attempting to recover the ship, Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) accidentally explodes the vessel, but the pilot — at least, what seems to be the pilot — remains frozen in a block of ice. The body is taken to base headquarters, where it is inadvertently thawed out by an electric blanket. The alien attacks the soldier guarding him and escapes into the snowy wastes. An attack dog rips off the alien’s arm, whereupon Dr. Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) discerns that “The Thing” (played by future Gunsmoke star James Arness!) is not animal but a member of the carrot family, subsisting on blood. While the misguided Carrington attempts to spawn baby “Things” with the severed arm, the parent creature wreaks murderous havoc all over the base.Starring Kenneth Tobey, Margaret Sheridan and Robert Cornwaithe. Former editor Christian Nyby received his first directorial credit for the film, although he readily admitted in interviews that Hawks — for whom Nyby worked as editor on Red River (1948) — was the film’s “guiding hand”. Though James Arness played the title creature, it was stuntman Tom Steele who doubled for him in the film’s memorable fire scene.  A superior blend of science fiction, horror, naturalistic dialogue, and flesh-and-blood characterizations, The Thing is a model of its kind!

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