Review of The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) by Stuart K — 06 Feb 2015

Directed by Robert Wise (West Side Story (1961), The Sound of Music (1965) and Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)), and based on the 1940 short story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates. This is a very iconic sci-fi film, which was made for a very meagre budget, but Wise and his team were able to do a lot with what they had, and it still looks pretty effective to this day.

When a flying saucer lands in Washington, D.C. The military surround the aircraft and it makes big news. A humanoid (Michael Rennie), who we later know as Klaatu, emerges from the craft claiming he's come in peace, but he's still shot by a nervous soldier.

With the craft guarded by robot Gort, Klaatu is examined by doctors, who are amazed his wound heals quickly. Klaatu has a message for all world leaders, but his request is ignored. So he escapes from the hospital, and takes up residence in a boarding house as Mr.

Carpenter, getting to know fellow residents Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) and her son Bobby (Billy Gray), and the government search for Klaatu. It's a parable on world peace, and how it must have got bad if we need a stranger from outer space to try and hammer the message into us.

However, it's not a preachy film, but it manages to be entertaining and exciting. The film could also be read as a religious film, about a modern day messiah, it's up to viewer how to interpret it.