Genuine tears

Perhaps rather cruelly, Steven Spielberg had told six-year-old Drew Barrymore that E.T. was a living, breathing, real creature instead of a puppet, in order to draw out as much emotion a possible for when the alien departs Earth.

In fact, the director wanted to keep the experience as magical as possible for Drew, that when she saw the puppet being operated by eight men, he insisted those were simply the creature's assistants.

He recalled: "I didn’t want to burst the bubble, so I simply said, 'It’s okay, E.T. is so special E.T. has eight assistants. I am the director, I only have one.'"

Spielberg also shot the film in chronological order to ensure the young actors developed a bond with the puppet.

So, when Gertie bawls her eyes out when E.T. departs the family, Drew actually believed her new-found friend was leaving her.