The Day the Earth Stood Still is an American science fiction film released in 1951 by a 20th-century fox, where a UFO lands in Washington, D.C, bearing a message for earth’s leaders, with all of humanity standing still.
The film was written by Edmund H. North, who based his masterpiece on the 1940 science fiction short story, Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates. It first premiered on September 28, 1951.
It was produced by Julian Blaustein, directed by Robert Wise, and starred Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, and Billy Gray.
Bernard Herrmann composed the soundtrack for The Day the Earth Stood Still, earning him a Golden Globe nomination. He is often regarded as one of the greatest composers of his era and would go on to compose the soundtrack for Psycho (1960).
The movie begins with an alien aircraft that lands on the White House Mall in the early 1950s, and from it emerges a benevolent alien humanoid, Klaatu (Michael Rennie). He comes with a message of goodwill and peace.
Klaatu demands to speak with world leaders, advising them to stop nuclear testing, yet, in his first few moments, he is shot by a nervous soldier. This prompts his robotic companion, Gort (Lock Martin), to vaporize all of the army’s weapons.
After being shot, Klaatu went into hiding, living with a human family to observe and understand the life of an earthling. At the same time, he attempts to establish contact with earth’s leading scientist Dr. Bernhardt (Sam Jaffe).
The film did a great job at bringing to the screen the broader issues of politics and society but deprived a heartfelt message about human frailty and emotions. The Day the Earth Stood Still is considered one of the most influential science fiction films in motion picture history.
The film received great reviews from critics such as The LA Times, who praised the film’s serious nature, though it found certain subversive elements. Harrison’s reports wrote that it was the best science fiction film yet produced.
The Day the Earth Stood Still was somewhat successful when released, earning around $2 million in domestic rentals, making it 1951s 52nd highest-grossing film.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gives the filmmakers a special Golden Globe Award for promoting international understanding. In 1995 the film was selected for culturally and historically significant preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The Day the Earth Stood Still was one of the first great science fiction movies and helped pave the way for future films in this genre to make it on the big screen. The film was eventually remade in 2008.
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