The Day the Earth Stood Still

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The Day the Earth Stood Still

G

Released Sep 18, 1951

1h 32m

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

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

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.

Rated: A-

Dec 12, 2008

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Bill Weber

Slant Magazine

Iconic from the get-go.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 2, 2008

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Michael Booth

Denver Post

The Day the Earth Stood Still may at first look like goofy, outdated science fiction, but its timeless warnings about violence, nuclear confrontation and the difficulties of policing the planet have made it an enduring cultural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

Oct 5, 2007

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

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

Rated: 5/5

Sep 13, 2024

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

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

Sep 8, 2023

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Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper's Reviews

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.

Rated: 6/10

Feb 14, 2021

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Teddy B

Disquieting and charming in equal measure, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' stands still as an immortal classic in science-fiction.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/06/25

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Jim P

This is still a good movie, full of suspense. But it shows its age in many ways.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/24/24

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David L

I must've been five or six when I first saw this film and yet when I watched it again 50 years later I was still on the edge of my seat as the saucer lands on the White House lawn. yes it is a 50s movie but that is a huge part of its charm to this day. It's critique of the insane idea of surrounding an extraterrestrial craft with tanks and fidgety young soldiers is brilliant, and it still terrifies us today to think of the sort of lame brains that are often in charge at the top. I love the comparison between the way the military treats the visitor and the way the scientists and cultural leaders do. The theremin score still makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck! This movie is a must see if you want to understand our time

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/15/24

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Tam W

Good movie for it's age and still worth a watch if you enjoy classics. Not great but not bad either. Just fine.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/15/24

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Sérgio N

Reassistido depois de mais de 10 anos. Esse filme possui um ritmo incrível. É impossível parar de assistir. Uma obra de arte em diversos sentidos. O discurso final é impecável: "Deve haver segurança para todos, ou ninguém estará seguro."

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/29/24

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John S

The consensus is that this movie "isn't" didactic? I disagree. Klaatu came from a society on a planet ruled by robots they created to govern themselves, that could turn them into dust for having a violent moment. That's carrot and stick and the lesson is mandatory. (Though it really shouldn't be that hard to not be violent.) Maybe it IS a utopian society. Anyhow... Very enjoyable film. I do enjoy a morality tale through a sci-fi lens. I'm rewatching this for the first time in decades thinking we humans haven't learned a damned thing. A movie made in 1951 could still be a great education to many in 2024. This movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/21/24

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Robert Wise

Director

Michael Rennie

Klaatu

Patricia Neal

Helen Benson

Hugh Marlowe

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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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