The Day the Earth Stood Still

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The Day the Earth Stood Still

G

1951

1h 32m

Sci-Fi

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95%

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59 Reviews

87%

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25,000+ Ratings

When a UFO lands in Washington, D.C., bearing a message for Earth's leaders, all of humanity stands still. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) has come on behalf of alien life who have been watching Cold War-era nuclear proliferation on Earth. But it is Klaatu's soft-spoken robot Gort that presents a more immediate threat to onlookers. A single mother (Patricia Neal) and her son teach the world about peace and tolerance in this moral fable, ousting the tanks and soldiers that greet the alien's arrival.

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Critics Consensus

Socially minded yet entertaining, The Day the Earth Stood Still imparts its moral of peace and understanding without didacticism.

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Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

12/12/2008

A-

More thoughtful and restrained than most sci-fi of the period, The Day the Earth Stood Still has aged better than almost all of its peers.

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Bill Weber

Slant Magazine

12/02/2008

3.5/4

Iconic from the get-go.

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Michael Booth

Denver Post

10/05/2007

The Day the Earth Stood Still may at first look like goofy, outdated science fiction, but its timeless warnings about violence, nuclear confrontation and the difficulties of policing the planet have made it an enduring cultural classic.

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

09/13/2024

5/5

Wise slickly blends the docudramatic and the melodramatic without ever lapsing into pomposity or hysteria.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

09/08/2023

It's as much Christ parable as science fiction film... yet its message is delivered less like a sermon than a threat.

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Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper's Reviews

02/14/2021

6/10

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sentimental favorite among Fifties science fiction films. It is certainly good but not nearly as good as its reputation would make it.

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B B

Dec 1

My all time favorite movie. That sums it up...

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john b

Sep 12

One of my favorites. It's message of world peace still applies. Even though the giant robot never speaks, he is terrifying.

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Eye C

@ECinc Aug 19

A sci-fi classic from the 50s, I really enjoy this movie, and having the opportunity to watch it in the big screen is great.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 7

Success in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Nancy L

Apr 25

Wonderful movie, and my all time favorite. Watched it when I was 12 or 13, and memorized the message from Klaatu, as I could possibly help save earth from destruction. Klaatu barada nikto. Absolutely recommend this movie, skip the remake. Pop some popcorn and enjoy.

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Alejandro E

@Alex970 Mar 23

The film that became the cornerstone of the science fiction genre. Despite being nearly 80 years old, the story of a pacifist alien, as well as the special effects, both still look fresh and current.

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Robert Wise

Director

Michael Rennie

Klaatu

Patricia Neal

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Synopsis

When a UFO lands in Washington, D.C., bearing a message for Earth's leaders, all of humanity stands still. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) has come on behalf of alien life who have been watching Cold War-era nuclear proliferation on Earth. But it is Klaatu's soft-spoken robot Gort that presents a more immediate threat to onlookers. A single mother (Patricia Neal) and her son teach the world about peace and tolerance in this moral fable, ousting the tanks and soldiers that greet the alien's arrival.

Director: Robert Wise
Producer: Julian Blaustein
Screenwriter: Harry Bates, Edmund H. North
Distributor: CBS/Fox, 20th Century Fox, Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1951, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2012
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.37:1)

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