The Day the Earth Stood Still

1951
G
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

87K

YOUR RATING

Watch the trailer for the sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still.

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Drama Sci-Fi

An alien lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.An alien lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.An alien lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

87K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination total

Peddler
(uncredited)

Marshall Bradford

Chief of Staff
(uncredited)

Chet Brandenburg

Farmer
(uncredited)

John Brown

George Barley
(uncredited)

John Burton

British Radio Announcer
(uncredited)

Wheaton Chambers

Mr. Bleeker
(uncredited)

Spencer Chan

Scientific Delegate
(uncredited)

Director
- Robert Wise
Writers
- Edmund H. North
- Harry Bates
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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It Came from Outer Space

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Lock Martin, the doorman at Grauman's Chinese Theater, was cast because of his nearly seven-foot height; however, he was not a physically strong man and could not actually carry Patricia Neal, so he had to be aided by wires (in shots from the back where he's carrying her (actually a lightweight dummy in his arms). He also had difficulty with the heavy Gort suit and could only stay in it for about a half hour at a time.

Goofs
Klaatu arranges to have the electromagnetic fields neutralized from 12.00 pm to 12:30 pm EST, yet it is clearly broad daylight in every country in which people are struggling with inoperative devices. In Asia and the Middle East, it should've been nightfall during this time frame.

Quotes
Helen: Gort. Klaatu barada nikto. Klaatu barada nikto.

Crazy credits
Elmer Davis, H.V. Kaltenborn, and Drew Pearson identify themselves when they appear on screen. Radio personality Gabriel Heatter is identified by an announcer.

Connections
Edited into The Giant Claw (1957)

User reviews511

Review

Featured review

My FIRST sci-fi movie!

When I first saw this movie (on television circa 1957)I was just a young child four years of age. I remember sitting on my father's lap and watched the whole thing through my fingers as I held my hands over my eyes for protection (yeah...right!). Gort and Klaatu were magnificent space travelers...and with a message of peace during a time that the Soviets and U.S. were deep into the 'cold war'. Very timely! Very scary! It spooked me then and I still get a chill watching the movie today. But, it's one of the classics that will live on forever! It's message is as meaningful today as it was back in the 50's. Maybe we should all watch it again and take notes.........