Atomic Robot: Why "The Day The Earth Stood Still" Still Captures Our Imagination

Why "The Day The Earth Stood Still" Still Captures Our Imagination

Written By: Ken Hulsey

A fantastic illustration of the potential of serious and thoughtful Science Fiction cinema can be found in the 1951 classic, "The Day The Earth Stood Still." Released during the early 50s, a time before the genre became dominated by giant creatures and exaggerated alien invasion stories, "TDTESS" is often hailed as one of the finest Science Fiction films ever made.

The film's producer, Julian Blaustein, sifted through around 200 short stories and novels before he came across Harry Bates' "Farewell to the Master." He envisioned this story as a powerful foundation for a film that could tackle the fears of the "Cold War" while also delivering a meaningful social commentary. To bring this vision to life, Edmund H. North was brought in to adapt the story into a screenplay.

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When director Robert Wise joined the project, he and Blaustein found themselves in a bit of a tug-of-war with the executives at 20th Century Fox, who believed actor Spencer Tracy would be the perfect choice to play the lead. However, the production team was committed to achieving realism and felt that the character of Klaatu needed to be portrayed by someone who felt "foreign" to American audiences. Wise famously remarked that, "if the spaceship opens up and out walks Spencer Tracy, the film will be ruined." Ultimately, the studio relented, and British actor Michael Rennie was cast as the alien visitor, Klaatu. While Rennie was well-known in the UK, he was a relatively unfamiliar face in the US, which allowed the character to maintain an air of mystery.

Casting wasn’t the only challenge Wise and Blaustein faced. They also cast Sam Jaffe as Professor Jacob Barnhardt, even though he had been blacklisted by Hollywood for alleged ties to communism.

The role of the giant robot, Gort, was played by Lock Martin, who stood at an impressive 7 feet 7 inches. Unfortunately, filming was quite a struggle for him. Despite his towering height, he lacked the strength typical of someone his size. In one scene, Gort was supposed to lift and carry Helen Benson (played by Patricia Neal), but Martin had difficulty with this and they creatively placed Neal on a rolling table that was kept out of view. In another scene later in the film, Gort stands behind Klaatu for a few minutes, but the weight of the costume made it challenging for Martin to stay upright. If you watch closely, you can see him trying to maintain his posture during the take. To overcome this, the production team used a statue for any scenes that required Gort to remain still for extended periods.

Even decades after its release, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" resonates with its powerful messages of peace and tolerance. It stands out as a thoughtfully crafted film with remarkable performances. Anyone who thinks the modern remake will easily fill its shoes is in for a challenge!

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