Devil-Girl From Mars (1954 UK)

As with a good number of British sci-fi pics about alien invasion, this takes place in an isolated location, centered around an inn, this time in the Scottish countryside. A group of disparate characters happen to coalesce around this inn at the point that an alien spacecraft lands nearby; this flying saucer is from Mars and is operated by a Martian female (hence, the film's title). The characters include an escaped convict/convicted murderer (Peter Reynolds), his sometime girlfriend (Adrienne Corri) who works for the inn's owners (an older couple), a scientist (Joseph Tomelty) and reporter (Hugh McDermott) sent to investigate a fallen meteorite (a piece of the ship) and an actress (Hazel Court). There's also a boy and a limping handyman but he's quickly disposed of by the Martian female (Patricia Laffan, best known as Nero's creepy wife in Quo Vadis).
The Martian keeps the others alive, possibly just to torment them with a display of her various weapons and powers. She throws up a force field around the area and shows off her robot, which shoots a beam from its head that disintegrates various large objects (similar to Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still). But, she may not even need the robot - she herself is shown to be invulnerable to bullets and electricity. She is part of an advanced guard - her goals are simple - her planet needs men, since the matriarchy on Mars has gone a bit out of control. Her original mission had been to London, but our atmosphere damaged her ship, forcing her to land in this isolated spot. Eventually, she decides to make do with one man - the heroic reporter (this plot is a reversal on the usual sci-fi trope of aliens seeking our women). However, his attempts to trick her alters her plan and it looks like all of the group are doomed.
Since she is but a vanguard, it's made clear that eventually the Martians will come in force to conquer the Earth. This is a somewhat offbeat yet suspenseful depiction of alien invasion, with an entertaining antagonist in the form of this alien female. She is at once emotionless and very arrogant, looking down at what she regards as lower lifeforms. But, we can't escape the evidence that Earthlings seem completely powerless against her abilities - it does look like a no-win scenario as the story draws near its conclusion. The climax veers close to a deus ex machina-style ending, but it's a good ride. BoG's Score: 6.5 out of 10
Trivia From Mars: based on a play, which explains the theatrical style of having the Martian woman repeatedly entering the inn from stage left, making her pronouncements, leaving and then returning in the same way