Lost Missile (1958)

Cast:

Robert "I was in Innocent Blood" Loggia is Dr. David Loring
Ellen Parker is Joan Woods
Phillip Pine is Dr. Joe Freed
Larry Kerr is General Barr
Marilee Earle is Ella Freed

What the IMDB says about the plot:

A strange missile from outer space circles the Earth at low altitudes, destroying everything in its path.

Plot:

The world is on a brink of nuclear war when the UFO missile heads to Earth. It cannot be destroyed and is diverted into Earth's orbit.

Dave, a scientist is working on a new type of missile, Job. He's been stalling off getting married to his assistant Joan. They rush out to get married.

The UFO missile is heading to North America. The narrator tells us that the US is always on guard when the radar station detects the UFO missile. A plane opens fire but is blown up.

Dave and Joan are arguing about how Dave wants to postpone the wedding again.

Planes keep heading off to investigate. The UFO missile fries a warning base.

Dave, Joan, and Joe are briefed about the UFO missile approaching for New York City. General will evacuate the scientists.

The bombers take flight and head for the UFO missile. The narrator tells about air raid and Civil Air Defense. NYC starts to evacuate.

Dave gets the idea to use the new warhead to nuke the UFO missile.

The UFO missile handles the jets and heads over Ottawa. The evacuation in NYC gets more and more panicked. The governor reports implementing martial law and that the UFO missile is heading. Children will be taken from schools to be evacuated. Panic in the subways ensues.

Back at the lab, Dave prepares the warhead.

Joe's wife is taken to a shelter

Joe realizes that the UFO missile may more than just a missile. They should try to communicate. Dave ignores it to get the warhead ready.

Countdown to launch the Job missile as the UFO missile continues. Dave and Joan head from the lab to deliver the missile's warhead.

Joe gets to the shelter where Ellen just has their baby boy.

Some punks steal Dave's jeep and leave them alone. Catching up, they find the punks had opened the payload trunk and the radiation killed them. Dave hops on the jeep and drives on after exposing himself to the radiation.

The UFO missile approaches Ottawa. BBQ wreckage ensues.

Dave reaches the base. He heads in to put the plutonium charge in the missile as he's getting weaker. The missile is launched and hits the UFO missile. Stock footage of the atom bomb explosion. New York City is saved as people head out.

What I say:

Most sci-fi movies from the 1950s at least include something very important: aliens. Granted, many kinds of aliens turn out to be like Eros from Plan 9 From Outer Space screaming how humans are idiots. Scheming aliens that brainwash humans for their own nefarious plans in things like Killers From Space. Though, a 1950s sci-fi movie with definite alien technology without any aliens is definitely a bit of a rip-off.

The Lost Missile even tries to throw a swerve if whether the missile was intentional or accidental was never revealed. One of the scientists even had to be stopped from trying to convince others the missile was an accident and the technology would be a great boon to humanity. He may not have offered any ideas how to stop the missile but he appeared as the appeaser scientist like in the Thing From Another World.

A scientist who always seems to be working even to the point of forgetting his upcoming wedding. The whole Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four forgetting the wedding in the far more budgeted Fantastic Four:Rise of the Silver Surfer. Scientists are more obsessed with work than anything else. If you think reporters, insurance agents, or cops spend more time on the job than with those who are or are supposed to be their significant others.

The 1950s had the threat of the Cold War. Many sci-fi movies had the question who can you trust such as I Married a Monster From Outer Space and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Alien invasion is scary but the though of ICBMs just is more understandably disturbing. However this movie gives the threat of (ISSM): InterSolar System Missile. Unfortunately, we didn't have the the Ray Harryhausen type of Earth Vs the Flying Saucers type of destruction.

Movies with stock footage almost goes together with the term "cheap movie." How to avoid paying for special effects or anything like that? Well, the marvel of stock footage lets the movie look more impressive with the numerous jets taking off. However, it burns down to too much stock footage with jets launching off and the numerous radar antennae station scenes.

Quotable Dialogue
"I'd rather have a wedding than a lunch any day."
"She decided I was in love with a hydrogen bomb."
"This is a situation red."
Morals of the Story
Texas borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Million degree missiles can be close to a planet's surface.
CDs are ID badges.
Snowmen can smoke.
Radiation poisoning is fatal in minutes.