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The Day the Earth Stood Still
An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face destruction.
1951 · Directed by Robert Wise · 92 min · Science Fiction · Thriller · Drama · Screenplay in the scene database · 16 frames
Tagline
From out of space...A warning and an ultimatum.
Plot
After a flying saucer lands in the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States Army surrounds it with soldiers and tanks. A humanoid in a spacesuit emerges, announcing that he comes "in peace and with good will". While the alien is opening a small metallic device, he is shot and wounded by a nervous soldier. A large robot emerges from the saucer and disintegrates the soldiers' weapons, including tanks. The alien, Klaatu, orders the robot, Gort, to desist. Klaatu explains that the now-broken device was a gift for the President of the United States "to study life on the other planets". Klaatu is taken to Walter Reed Army Hospital for surgery, after which he uses a salve to heal his wound quickly. The Army is unable to open or blast into the saucer. Gort stands outside, silent and unmoving.
The President's secretary, Mr. Harley, visits Klaatu, who states that his message must be delivered to all world leaders simultaneously. Harley says this is impossible in the current situation. When Klaatu proposes spending time among ordinary humans to understand better their "unreasoning suspicions and attitudes", Harley rejects the proposal, and Klaatu remains locked in his room.
Klaatu escapes and acquires a suit; the laundry ticket on the jacket sleeve says "Maj. Carpenter". He rents a room at a boarding house under that last name. Among the residents are a young widow named Helen Benson and her son Bobby. Helen's boyfriend Tom Stevens becomes jealous of the stranger.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Edmund H. North
- Cinematography: Leo Tover
- Edited by: William Reynolds
- Music: Bernard Herrmann
- Produced by: Julian Blaustein
Cast
- Michael Rennie as Klaatu / Mr. Carpenter
- Patricia Neal as Helen Benson
- Billy Gray as Bobby Benson
- Sam Jaffe as Prof. Jacob Barnhardt
- Hugh Marlowe as Tom Stevens
- Lock Martin as Gort
- Freeman Lusk as General Cutler
- Edith Evanson as Mrs. Crockett
- Frank Conroy as Mr. Harley
- Frances Bavier as Mrs. Barley
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: German, English, French, Hindi, Russian
- Studios: 20th Century Fox
- Budget: $995,000
- Box office: $1,850,000
- Themes: spacecraft, flying saucer, peace, remote control, ufo, social commentary, giant robot, black and white, military, curious
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