This Children’s Film Foundation (CFF) film revolved around three London children – brother and sister Sophie (Rachel Clay) and David (Michael Wade) and their friend Chris (Terry Raven) – who acquire a giant prehistoric egg from the siblings’ Uncle Dick (Ronald Howard), who has just returned from investigating the flora and fauna in Malaysia for the British Museum.
The egg eventually hatches out into a mild-mannered dragon-like monster (who David christens “Beauty”), and as it begins to grow, the young friends release it into the lake on Hamstead Heath.
Crooked fairground showmen Sam (Frederick Piper) and Bert (Michael Balfour) are intent on kidnapping the creature to use as a money-making attraction for their failing sideshow.
A series of chases ensues as the narrative cuts between the kids trying to keep the ever-growing monster safe and the inept efforts of the villains to discover its whereabouts.
The action is played for laughs and shifts into farce, especially in a sequence where the monster, now living in the ponds on the Heath, appears in the women’s bathing area and then the men’s, causing speeded-up chaos.
The CFF collaborated on the film with Halas and Batchelor, the premier animation producers in the UK at that time. Their influence is apparent in the stop-motion sequences showing the cute baby ‘monster’ as it emerges from its egg.
Sophie
Rachel Clay David
Michael Wade Chris
Terry Raven Uncle Dick
Ronald Howard Sam
Frederick Piper Bert
Michael Balfour Monster
Roy Vincente Miss Haggerty
Beryl Cooke
Director
Alberto Cavalcanti
You May Also Like
Xtro (1982) Director Harry Bromley Davenport doesn't much rate his British horror. He called it, "An extraordinary mess…
Operation Third Form (1966) Dick (John Moulder-Brown) and his pals attend a London school with an old naval tradition, evidenced…
Hello-Goodbye (1970) Harry England (Michael Crawford), once a mechanic and now an easy-going and carefree car salesman, has…
Look In Any Window (1961) Teen idol Paul Anka was just 20 when he tried his hand at dramatics in this…
Crooked fairground showmen Sam (Frederick Piper) and Bert (Michael Balfour) are intent on kidnapping the creature to use as a money-making attraction for their failing sideshow.
