The last words in Howard Hawks' The Thing are “Keep Watching the Skies!” Charles Lederer based his screenplay on John W. Campbell, Jr.'s short story 'Who Goes There?' Christian Nyby directed. Dimitri Tiomkin composed the music. Donald Steward did the special effects. James Arness plays the Thing. A solidly frozen human-like creature retrieved from a crashed saucer comes to life and terrorizes a team of scientists, an Air Force Captain, and a reporter. Click for other version of poster