The Day the Earth Stood Still

Some observations on a well-thought-of film.

i.

Klaatu comes in peace.

But he threatens the total destruction of Earth.

Apparently, the other inhabitants of our solar system are worried that humans will take their destructive weapons (atomic bombs) into outer space. Note: the rocket technology and not the weapons have created this intolerable situation. Klaatu states that he doesn’t care about the violence we do to ourselves but insists we had better stop it here. Taking our violence to outer space will doom us.

He wants to be clear. Our freedoms will remain intact. But we must change into peaceful beings. It can be done.

The Day the Earth Stood Still’s (1951) Christian analogy comes into play. We have free will and can decide to ignore the superior beings’ instruction. However, to ignore it means we are condemned to a hellish end.

ii.

Klaatu and his kind clearly don’t understand people. Human people.

Klaatu’s people have accepted their subjugation – becoming peaceful and reasonable and not stupid – and live in complete security. Free to enjoy the good things. Security as happiness.

However, giving a few billion people a warning: “be good or be eliminated”, has a better chance of being spurned than being accepted. Being reasonable is not a human instinct or reflex. Not like being unreasonable or suspicious or ungrateful is.

Humans generally reject what they are told to do – in a vacuum. In this case, the vacuum represents the unintelligible universe represented by Klaatu and his kind a few hundred million miles from the Earth. Our concept of freedom and happiness includes not being given unsolicited advice and having outside interference in our affairs.

iii.

I mentioned the film’s Christian analogy. Here’s a checklist (feel free to add your own):

A) Klaatu descends from the heavens at the behest of a Supreme Society.

B) His message is blunted by wholesale, willful ignorance.

C) He’s shot not five minutes after landing.

D) As Mr Carpenter, he lives a brief ‘hidden life’.

E) The name ‘Carpenter’ refers to the Son of God’s earthly vocation.

F) He emerges from hiding – only to be shot again. But is killed this time.

G) He’s carried to the space ship (cave).

H) He emerges – resurrected – from the ship and delivers a harsh message before his ascension to the heavens.

I) Klaatu/Carpenter’s gathering of scientists recalls the young Jesus talking to the rabbis in the Temple.

I would ascribe no greater meaning to this Christian reading were it not for the underlying realities of the film itself.

But first. . . .

iv.

Another analogy.

Klaatu comes to Earth (America) and tells the inhabitants they must give up their guns.

He is shot twice – a presumptive answer by a trigger happy society. The people are saying “we will kill all and sundry who try to make us give up our guns.”

Klaatu might respond: “You still have your freedom.”

But no! Klaatu has not done enough research. The society’s concept of freedom is neurotically tied to owning guns. Klaatu is to be feared. He’s part of the ‘Deep Space” conspiracy; namely, he and his kind are trying to control and take over our lives.

v.

Actually, the neurotically attached to a double-barreled concept of freedom have a point.

I refer to Klaatu’s final proclamation:

There must be security for all, or no one is secure. Now, this does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. We, of the other planets, have long accepted this principle. We have an organization for the mutual protection of all planets and for the complete elimination of aggression. The test of any such higher authority is, of course, the police force that supports it. For our policemen, we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us. This power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence, they act automatically against the aggressor.

Hold on, Mr Klaatu.

Police forces are the result of having an urban, industrial society From the mid-1800s. The function of police were originally held by sheriffs, constables, reeves, soldiers. A majority of criminals were not caught. Justice was sketchy and arbitrary. The Gort-like representation of the police who can do their worst makes the Gestapo look tame.

No reading of rights. We have the obligation to remain silent about our rights. In Klaatu’s universe.

The police are above the law.

Gort (Lock Martin) kills two soldiers in response to Klaatu being killed. Reminiscent of the venal attitude of cops when one of their own is gunned down.

Remember, we are hearing the praises of the police-as-Gort from an enlightened society. A society all-too-ready to submit to authority. For the sake of security” “There must be security for all, or no one is secure,” we are told.

vi.

Klaatu wants to meet the most brilliant person on Earth. Fortunately, the Einstein scientist, Professor Jacob Barnhardt, played by the Einsteinian-coifed Sam Jaffe (in his last Hollywood-role for eight years because of the blacklist), is in town and the perfect guy for Klaatu run by Plan B. Plan A was the Pollyanna notion to have all the nation leaders of the world to gather in D.C., to hear Klaatu’s message. Significantly, he doesn’t want to speak to the American president alone, as he puts down a presumptuous presidential aide’s suggestion.

The faith in Einstein-ism is a Pollyanna B noton. Time magazine’s ‘Man of the Century’ represents a secular myth about Science. His views may be noble and foresighted and fair but to project this image on his colleagues is untenable. Professor Barnhardt, remember, came up with the idea of “standing the Earth still” for a half-hour, as a means to convince humanity that Klaatu means business. He particularly delights in the fear created by this stunt. No one is hurt, but the effect proves fatal. The Generals decide that now Klaatu must be taken dead or live. The Professor and ‘Mr Carpenter’ scared them all right. Did these wisest of the wise believe that human beings make better rational decisions when they are scared shitless?

vii.

Klaatu, as Mr Carpenter, takes great heart and pleasure in Bobby Benson (Billy Gray), young son of the widow, Helen Benson (Patricia Neal). His genuine delight in wanting to be around the kid is most remarkable in the fact that he’s not doing this to get into Helen’s pants. The kid is the only one not ‘jittery’ over the idea of spaceman walking anonymously among the people in D.C. Is Klaatu seeing the hope and future in humanity in this boy? Is this another of his Pollyannish ideas? Judging the nature of children based on a single encounter? Then Modeling long term plans (the future of humanity) on the ways this ideal child responds to things?

Bobby is obviously in need of a father figure. Klaatu inadvertently fulfills this role for a few days. Undoubtedly, he wants his Mother to hook up with ‘Mr Carpenter’. But no self-respecting Christ-figure would get married, let alone submit to being a stepfather. The good times with the kid would wear thin, the more Klaatu witnessed Bobby’s stupidity.

viii.

Stepfathers. Men who want to get into Mommy’s pants and have to be ‘nice’ to the kid.

Tom Stevens (Hugh Marlowe) telegraphs his lack of enthusiasm for his future non-biological son. He is taking Helen on a picnic, but she can’t find a babysitter. He nearly loses the ability to speak when he says, well, sure, if we have to take him, I guess we have to. Then along comes Mr Carpenter, who says he’ll be responsible for Bobby that day. Tom never liked Mr Carpenter as much as he does in that moment. Although, after a few days, continually hearing how great the new tenant of the boarding house is, Tom’s resentment grows more and more palpable, confirming Helen’s instinct to put off their engagement.

Tom is the true representative of the human race to whom Klaatu should pay close attention. Tom is the future of the race.

Tom cannot wait to expose Mr Carpenter. First, as a fraud, as too good to be true. Bobby shows some diamonds Mr Carpenter traded with him for a few dollars (to pay for going to the movies). Tom jumps to the conclusion that Carpenter is a diamond thief. He goes to a diamond jeweler to study the stones. Tom virtually ignores the Earth standing still, he’s so driven to get the goods on Carpenter.

He’s lost before he started. Tom can’t understand how attractive Carpenter is to women, or how unattractive can appear. What he cares about is not Helen but HIMSELF. When he is told that exposing Carpenter could hurt the human race, Tom’s replies: “The hell with the human race.” He is going to inform the military and justifies it to Helen in, perhaps, the most pathetic terms possible: He is going to get his picture in every newspaper and be the most well-known person in the world.

END OF RELATIONSHIP.

He still can salvage it, possibly. By not calling the military authorities – and, later, a lot of selflessly hard work around Helen and the kid.

He decides to go for the glory. Because there is no glory in being a stepfather.