American sci-fi film in Colombo

This week's movie screening at the American Centre brings Robert Wise's 1950s sci-fi 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'.

Adapted by Edmund H. North from the story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates the film stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, and Lock Martin. Supporting cast includes journalist Drew Pearson.

The score was written by Bernard Herrmann and is notable for its use of duel themes. Klaatu arrives in a flying saucer-like spaceship on The Ellipse in Washington, DC, wearing a silver spacesuit and helmet. As Klaatu exits the spaceship he is met by soldiers. Klaatu says he comes in peace, on a mission of goodwill; he holds and activates a small device that opens with a snap: before he can explain, he is shot and wounded by a soldier who assumes the device is a weapon. In response to the shooting, a large humanoid robot called Gort steps out of the spaceship and melts down all weapons present, from side arms to artillery and tanks, without harming the soldiers.