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 The science fiction genre is replete with tales of aliens, robots, and spectacular space battles. Such stories are what people see most often in the movies, but while many are quite entertaining, the number of films that go a few steps beyond is frighteningly dismal. The Day the Earth Stood Still (The 1951) starring Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal, is among that lucky number. It's an utterly riveting picture that gives its viewers something more than flashy special effects to look at, opting instead to leave them with a noble message that's conveyed in a most compelling manner.
 During a normal spring day in Washington, D.C., a man experiences his first contact with an alien race. Out from the sky emerges a flying saucer, and out from the vessel emerges Klaatu (Rennie), a spaceman along with Gort (Lock Martin) a towering robot. They have a stern message to deliver to mankind. Having seen earthlings fight amongst themselves for ages, Klaatu's kinsmen wish to prevent the violence from spreading throughout the galaxy. Especially with space travel just around the corner.
Patricia Neal & Hugh Marlowe
Before they take such drastic actions, Klaatu escapes military custody and lives amongst humans in order to judge whether or not the planet should be spared. Hiding out at a boarding house, Klaatu proceeds to bond with one of the other tenants (Neal) and her son (Billy Gray). Their time together opens him up to man's propensity for good. But with the army closing in fast, this intergalactic chum hasn't much time to make his case before he's forced to resort to violence in order to get the world's attention.
Audiences are so accustomed to seeing aliens bring death from above, that it's strange to see one who wishes to spread good will. Such is the situation with The Day the Earth Stood Still, a film in which most of the characters share this mindset. Klaatu hasn't even spoken a word before a scared soldier opens fire, setting the stage for unfounded rumors about invasion to run rampant amongst the masses. As far as the public is concerned, Klaatu is a scheming spaceman out to destroy the world, although that's definitely not the whole story.
It wouldn't be too far off to call The Day the Earth Stood Still a parable reflecting the Communist witch hunts of the time, during which virtually anyone who spoke of peace and togetherness was branded an enemy. At the same time, however, director Robert Wise (The Andromeda Strain) never fully keeps the ball in Klaatu's court. This alien messenger has a character arc of his own, beginning the film with a grim outlook for the human race that slowly fades the more he sees things for himself. Wise provides a challenging and well-rounded picture, in which the line separating right and wrong isn't so clearly defined.
It goes without saying that The Day the Earth Stood Still isn't exactly an action-packed experience. Sure, there are a few instances in which Gort displays his limitless powers, by way of decent special effects work for their time, but Wise expects his viewers to accept the film on thematic terms rather than for its eye candy. As such, Wise swaps a silly spirit for a solemn one, relaying the importance of Klaatu's presence to great effect.
The picture is directed with more class and sophistication than is usually awarded to a sci-fi feature. It's not entirely humorless, but the absence of a tongue-in-cheek attitude enables the story to come across more seriously. Also a big help are the heartfelt and pitch-perfect performances. Rennie is terrific as the spaceman who has much to learn about earth culture. Neal was also very convincing as the woman Klaatu befriends, and Gray gave a bright turn as her motor-mouthed son. Even Hugh Marlowe was good as a man suspicious of Klaatu, mostly because (thankfully) he wasn't portrayed as a teeth-gnashing villain.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is widely considered a sci-fi classic, and for good reason. It's a film that does everything it sets out to do just right, from the quality of the performances to the ideal balance of genre elements and deep, recurring themes. The Day the Earth Stood Still fascinates the mind as much as it does the eyes, both elements that will endear the picture to movie buffs for years to come.
Director: Robert Wise
Writer: Edmund H. North (based on a story by Harry Bates)
Cast: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Lock Martin
Rating: G (minor sci-fi action)
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Run Time: 92 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Format: Black-and-white, fullscreen
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