1950's children's film was a precursor to others, and is still charming in it's own right.

'Meba' is a small, affectionate, wide-eyed, telepathic Venusian who can transform into a small flying saucer at will. Whilst Meba is visiting Earth, a friendship is struck up with some children at a boarding school, and there is a fair amount of shenanigans involving a million pounds from the bank and a group of incompetent villains.

Meba takes the form of a glove puppet at most times and when transformed into a small flying saucer appears as an overlaid animation. I guess Meba's white smock crumples up roughly into the shape of a flying saucer so that the transition is fairly smooth.

This film is one of nearly 200 productions made by the 'Children's Film Foundation' between 1947 and 1985. F. R. Wells, son of the eponymous H.G., was an executive in the foundation. It still exists today as the Children's Media Foundation and the archive of films etc is curated by the BFI. This film has been nicely restored by the BFI and both looked and sounded very good when I saw it, when broadcast on the 'Talking Pictures' TV channel.

Others have mentioned the idea of a cute alien, befriended by children, is one that is more familiar to cinema goers as the plot of E.T.; well, it is, there is no denying it, the premise is very close indeed, and there are other similarities. It is unclear if F.R. Wells (who is I think responsible for the plot here) would have seen E.T. since it came out in the same year as he passed away. There are also similarities to the film 'Home Alone' in that the children foil some incompetent pratfalling villains, and 'Mary Poppins' in that there is a mixture of live action and animation on screen at times.

This film represents -both by context and premise- a small glimpse into a world that is now lost; whether children today would be entertained by it is open to question, but I found it both historically interesting and rather charming.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The sci-fi genre, short for science fiction, features imaginative and futuristic concepts that are often rooted in scientific principles, technology, and possibilities. These stories delve into "what if" questions and can serve as a platform to address contemporary social, political, and ethical issues by projecting them onto future or alternate settings.

James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

A group of schoolchildren come upon an alien from Venus, and help him against a gang of criminals who are trying to kidnap him.

Gillian Harrison in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

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Gillian Harrison and Marcia Manolescue in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Fella Edmonds in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Marcia Manolescue in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Patrick Boxill and Tony Lyons in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Patrick Connor and Harry Purvis in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Raymond Rollett in Supersonic Saucer (1956)

Supersonic Saucer

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