World War II has ended. The baby boom generation is young. And the world's politicians are now knee deep in cold war paranoia, nuclear fears, and ideals. Across the globe, radar systems track a flying saucer that has entered Earth's atmosphere and has come to rest upon the President's Park in Washington D.C. (because, you know... America). Inside is an enormous robot named Gort and the extraterrestrial who controls him, a humanoid by the name of Klaatu (Michael Rennie) has come to Earth with a mission of peace and warning, but before he can deliver his message, he's shot and placed under arrest by the US military (because, you know... America). The Presidential Secretary (Frank Conroy)speaks to Klaatu and it is revealed that he must speak to the United Nations because he brings a warning with dire consequences for Earth should it not be heeded. Taking on the fake name of Carpenter, Klaatu manages to escape and finds refuge with an unsuspecting family made up of single mom Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) and her son, Bobby (Billy Gray). He tries to get in touch with Professor Robert Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe), a man who can assemble the scientific pioneers of the world in hopes of saving humanity. Meanwhile, a manhunt of gargantuan proportions escalates as the US Military tries to close in on Klaatu.
Gort, a massive metallic sentinel sent to assure the safety of Klaatu on his mission, played by Lock Martin
What sets this film apart from the B-flying saucer pictures of its day is that Edmund H. North's script sets out to become greater than what is set at face value. So much so that even director Robert Wise has said that he didn't fully see the film's symbolic meanings until years later. However, a big theme that was confirmed to me by the end of the film (which I will not speak about due to major spoilers) is that it's very much the story of the Messiah. That's right, Jesus.
Klaatu comes to Earth to try and save humanity. Bullets can kill him, but he can heal more quickly than a normal human. A modern day re-telling of the story of Jesus begs the question, would we be afraid of this man? And as a result, would we quickly make him out to be a criminal bent on doing more harm than good. Don't belive me? Here's some more proof: Klaatu hides using the name "Mr. Carpenter." What was Jesus' profession again?
Another element the film plays up is the media and how news travels between people. When Klaatu (pronounced cla-two) moves into the boarding home belonging to Bobby and Helen Benson, the other boarders gossip as to what sort of evils the fugitive extraterrestrial may be up to. Even today with the advent of social media such as Facebook and Twitter. This topic has never been more relevant as it has today, the film really was leaps and bounds ahead of its time. Especially in this regard.
Michael Rennie as Klaatu
However, my favorite part about every message in the film is that ultimately, our fate is in our own hands. Part of the reason I love the films of John Carpenter, for example, is because of his very dark outlook about humanity. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" certainly does not tell us that when left in the hands of humans, our fate will not be a good one. But instead, the film makes us decide. Will humanity heed Klaatu's warning, or will we continue to live as we had been. It's the neutrality of the decision that makes Robert Wise's film so powerful. The ending isn't necessarily open ended nor is it set in stone. When the film was over, I was left with a feeling of wanting more!
I can't talk about this movie without mentioning the music written by Bernard Herrmann. For the film, in addition to the traditional instruments of the orchestra, Herrmann wrote a part for two Theremins, an instrument that uses antennae and radio waves to make a sound. It's this other worldly noise that give the film a super eerie edge. The Theremin was used in B-Movie score prior to "Day the Earth", but never quite in this fashion.
Klaatu's craft lands at the President's Park in Washington D.C.
However, one problem that I had with the film was in the third act, when Helen must confront the robotic leviathan Gort. Patricia Neal plays a very strong female character who is trying to not only raise her son and watch over his newfound friendship with Mr. Carpenter, but she also has to deal with Tom Stephens (Hugh Marlowe), her boyfriend who seeks a career of political fame. However, in the third act, she succumbs to the typical "damsel in distress" antics that these movies so famously made stereotypical. However, it's only for a moment. Just as quickly, she turns it off, which I found even more annoying. I don't understand why the filmmakers felt it necessary for her character to flip out for a moment only to get a grasp of herself in one of the next shots. Panic? Maybe, but it was a very ineffective way to communicate it.
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a landmark in cinematic storytelling and delivers a message that's still very much present today. Robert Wise uses beautiful lightning (the scene where Klaatu enters the boarding house for the first time comes to mind), crisp writing, and superb acting to tell his story. I can't believe I've owned the disc since July and hadn't watched it until just last week. I loved this movie so much that I am in no way going to go near the remake that was done a few years ago. The film is from the 50's so it is a little corny and plays like a stale episode of the "Twilight Zone" at times, but that doesn't detract from the power of its story and the reminder that the salvation and destruction of mankind is in our own hands.
8/10
Rated G
Directed by Robert Wise
Written by Edmund H. North
Based on a story by Harry Bates
Runtime - 92 Minutes
7.8 stars of 10 on IMDb
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Day the Earth Stood Still on Blu-Ray from Amazon
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