THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

1951 - 92 minutes - Director Robert Wise - Photography Leo Tover - Score Bernard Hermann.

Starring: Michael Rennie - Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray

Synopsis

A flying Saucer lands in Washington DC and its alien occupant - Klaatu - aided by a 7' tall gleaming silver robot Gort - emerges only to be shot by a trigger happy GI. Gort with his evil laser eye destroys all the surrounding army's weapons. Hospitalized Klaatu realizes that Earth politics is preventing peace and seeks an audience with the World's leading scientists. He demonstrates his awesome powers by neutralizing the World's electricity and brings everything to a standstill. Now a hunted man he is ruthlessly shot and killed. Gort, given a secret message [the cult quote: "Gort, Klaatu Barada Niktu" ] - by Helen, is stopped, just in the nick of time, from destroying the world, and retrieves Klaatu's body. In another famous scene, Klaatu is resurrected, which has spawned controversy over the film's allegorical inferences. Emerging for the last time from invisible doorway in the apparently seamless saucer, Klaatu warns the World that Gort and his colleagues police the Universe, and will destroy Earth unless wars cease, and its peoples learn to live in peace and harmony.

I remember peering through my fingers at the massive figure of Gort as he descended the smooth platform that had emerged mysteriously from the impenetrable side of the flying-saucer spaceship. I was 8 years old, and it was weekend films at prep school. If you were too frightened by a film you were allowed to go out, and one or two of the younger pupils had already left. However I stayed, I was mesmerised, and the film has stayed to haunt me ever since that first early experience of the cinema. Cinema would be an exaggeration - we were assembled in the school hall with a 16mm print - but in those far off days the projected image was still magic - and it still is. The darkened room - the shared experience - imagination run riot - the familiar and fantastic juxtaposed with the evryday - all the tricks of the skilled director at play, accompanied by a wonderful Bernard Hermann score employing a theremin for the first time on film. In the notes on the LP of the composer's film scores the composer said: 'I attempted to balance a conventional orchestra consisting of piano, harps, brass and a large timpani section with a sizeable electronic group including two theremins, electronic violin, electronic bass and electronic guitar. My goal here was to characterise a man from another world and the music had to reflect an unearthly feeling of outer space without relying on gimmicks. The result seems to have been successful and most certainly predicted the shape of things to come for electronic scoring.'

In fact the use of music in the film is, compared to today's pounding scores, almost minimal - the orchestral suite comprises 'outer space - radar - Gort - The Robot - Space Control - terror - farewell and finale.'  The soundtrack for most of the film being no more than actors voices and background. This very sparse occasional use of music enhances the drama quite remarkably. For example Klaatu goes to space ship in the night to a score of falling semitones on the theremin and brass - Gort is represented by rolls on the timpani and all is background sound is completely eliminated. The effect is compelling. Although it is night the spaceship glows with its own unearthly light. The interior is minimalist Art Deco style. Lights respond to a wave of the hand, all the while theremins echo, echo, and echo.

Like all good movies the film has a simple structure - a dramatic opening sequences give way to the interaction between Klaatu and a dysfunctional, Cold War dialogue with the politicians and the military. Innocence in the shape of Bobby is contrasted with the distrustful untrustworthy scheming adult world. Klaatu's mission is to bring peace, but he is the iron fist in the velvet glove - literally and metaphorically. His gift to the President held in a space gloved hand is assumed to be a weapon and he is shot. The visitor's smooth 'peaceful' presence is however enforced and re-enforced by the death ray wielding eight foot robot Gort - programmed ruthlessly to eliminate any form of violence - by the use of awesome destructive powers - his death ray bearing an uncanny resemblance to a laser!

The simmering menacing gleam in Gort's Robotic eye, concealed by its visor, is one of the most enduring images of the film. A perfect summation of barely restrained menace, all the while  underlined by the out of this world tones of the theremin underscored by muted timpani. It is a master-stroke and an essay in cinematic simplicity. The film is an essay in the use of light and shadow - trade marks of the Director

Simplicity is at the heart of this film. A good story well told, masterly photography. Close-ups of accomplished actors who visibly think. One of the most interesting aspects of the recent DVD release ( highly recommended) is a commentary by the Director Robert Wise in which he discusses all aspects of the film's production. The Christian symbolism in the film has been much debated. The Director says it was unintended, but the elements are there: Klaatu adopts the name Carpenter; he is betrayed in a Judas scene for a handful of diamonds; Klaatu is executed arms outstretched; and the film has the well known 'Resurrection' scene in its concluding moments. The Film's message - let there be peace and goodwill to all mankind - and there is Old Testament hell fire and damnation in the shape of Gort as the sanction!

 Good websities:

Screenplay: http://www.dreamerwww.com/screenplays/original/original_1.htm

http://classics.www5.50megs.com/gort/

http://www.dreamerwww.com/tdtess.htm

Michael Rennie as Klaatu,  

Patricia Neal as Helen Benson

Hugh Marlowe .... Tom Stevens,     

Sam Jaffe .... Dr. Barnhardt

Billy Gray .... Bobby Benson,   

 Frances Bavier .... Mrs. Barley

Lock Martin .... Gort

Drew Pearson .... Himself,     Frank Conroy (I) .... Harley
Carleton Young .... Colonel,     Fay Roope .... Major General
Edith Evanson .... Mrs. Crockett,     Robert Osterloh .... Major White
Tyler McVey .... Brady,     James Seay .... Government Man
John Brown (I) .... Mr. Barley,     Marjorie Crossland .... Hilda
Glenn Hardy .... Interviewer,     House Peters Jr. .... MP Captain
H.V. Kaltenborn .... Himself,     Elmer Davis .... Himself
Rush Williams .... M.P. Sergeant,     Olan Soule .... Mr. Krull
Gil Herman .... Government Agent,     James Craven .... Businessman
Harry Lauter .... Platoon Leader,     Wheaton Chambers .... Jeweler
Dorothy Neumann .... Barnhardt's Secretary,     George Lynn .... Colonel Ryder
Freeman Lusk .... General Cutler,    John Burton .... British Radio M.C

Based upon a story written by Harry Bates, "Farewell to the Master".
Production Design by Addison Hehr, Lyle R. Wheeler
Costume Design by Travilla
Film Editing by William Reynolds (II)
Produced by Julian Blaustein

Other crew:
L.B. Abbott .... effects team, uncredited,  Claude E. Carpenter .... set decorator
Addison Hehr .... art director,  Dr. Samuel Herrick .... technical advisor
Ray Kellogg .... effects team, uncredited,  Arthur L. Kirbach .... sound
Emil Kosa .... effects team, uncredited,  Charles Le Maire .... wardrobe director
Bert Leeds .... second unit direction,  Harry M. Leonard .... sound
Thomas Little .... set decorator,  Ben Nye .... make-up
Fred Sersen .... special effects,  Lyle R. Wheeler .... art director

Darryl F. Zanuck .... executive in charge of production

Lock Martin Trivia:
Born as Joseph Lockard Martin Jr. on October 12, 1916.
He was VERY tall at 7' 7" and worked as a doorman at a Hollywood night club when he was cast as Gort in this movie. He was married to Ethel Babcock on June 7, 1946. He died on January 19, 1959.