Wise always insisted that was accidental, but it’s hard not to be a bit skeptical. It’s also impossible not to notice the religious overtones of Klaatu’s story too, from his adopting “Carpenter” as his human name to his message of world peace to his death and subsequent resurrection. Does God exist? Why are we here? What is life? What does it mean to be human? The Day The Earth Stood Still wrestles with the human inclination to violence, suggesting that it will take an outside force to change that, if it can be changed at all. Good science fiction offers up an entertaining vision of an alternate present or future, but great science fiction addresses fundamental human questions, challenges or conundrums. Finally, Klaatu heads back into his spaceship, warning that if the people of Earth extend their violence into space that the planet will have to be destroyed. Gort resurrects Klaatu and, thanks to Helen’s recitation of the secret words, doesn’t destroy Earth. He warns Helen that the robot Gort is actually quite dangerous and instructs her that the failsafe phrase is “klaatu barada nikto” then is promptly shot by overzealous US military personnel. Klaatu informs Barnhardt that “the peoples of the other planets are concerned that humans have developed nuclear power” and that if Earth cannot attain peace, “Planet Earth will be destroyed.” As you might expect, convincing everyone else that “Carpenter” is actually the spaceman proves challenging, but he does, just to be the subject of a massive manhunt. Klaatu also learns that Professor Jacob Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe) is one of the smartest men in America and decides Barnhardt can help Klaatu talk to the heads of all the great nations. Gort stands guard, “The Day The Earth Stood Still” 1951) Klaatu offers up thoughtful commentary about each, though it all goes over Bobby’s head. He befriends Helen (Patricia Neal) and her typical American teen son Bobby (Billy Gray) and soon Bobby is leading Klaatu around Washington, including stops at Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. He’s going to live with people to learn more about them. Instead, Klaatu sneaks out, assuming the identity of “Carpenter” and finds lodging at a DC boarding house. That’s not possible, he learns to his dismay, as each leader insists that any meeting would have to occur in their sovereign territory. Klaatu is brought to a military hospital where he tells the Secretary to the President that he urgently needs to address the leaders of all nations. Klaatu falls to the ground, injured, and Gort (Lock Martin), a hulking 8-foot tall metal robot, storms out of the spaceship and vaporizes guns, tanks, artillery and anything else that it perceives as a potential threat. When he offers a device to the military a frightened young soldier accidentally shoots him. The army promptly surrounds it with soldiers, tanks and artillery, but when the ship finally disgorges a passenger, it’s an unassuming, completely humanoid Klaatu (Michael Rennie). In Washington DC people are enjoying the nation’s capital when the object comes in and lands at the Washington Memorial: It’s a gleaming alien spaceship. Nothing made on Earth can travel that fast, so what is it? Alarmed newscasters share sighting information as it orbits the Earth. It’s a peaceful day on planet Earth when radars detect an object zooming overhead at 4,000 mph. Robert Wise, later to direct West Side Story, The Sound of Music, The Andromeda Strain, Run Silent, Run Deep and many other great films, decides to retool the story and create one of the great science fiction films: The Day The Earth Stood Still. In the midst of this escalating tension, science fiction writer Harry Bates publishes Farewell to the Master, a hopeful story about an alien who comes to Earth to share a message of peace for all mankind. NATO has been established to balance the Soviet Union threat to Europe and, on the other side of the planet, the Korean War has everyone worrying about communist threats to the West.
WWII is finally over, but the Cold War is just beginning.
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