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Back to Classic Science Fiction
Overview: Black and white film, 92 minutes. Rated G.
Director: Robert Wise, Story Writer: Harry Bates, Score Writer: Edmund H. North, Producer: Julian Blaustein.
Cast: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Francis Bavier, Lock Martin.
Synopsis: Set in the 1950's, a flying saucer lands in Washington, D.C. bearing an alien emissary. A nervous soldier fires, wounding the alien and triggering an attack by his giant robot. The alien stops the attack and is taken to a military hospital. He appears to be remarkably human.
Unsuccessful in setting up a gathering of all world leaders, the alien slips away into the city, learning directly from befriended humans. At the suggestion of a respected scientist, the emissary arranges a demonstration of overwhelming extraterrestrial power. He reveals that unless Earth agrees to a peace treaty, the planet will be destroyed as a war threat to the rest of the galaxy! Meanwhile panicked American forces are closing in on the alien.
Critique: Considered to be a classic work of the genre, this film is a must for anyone who loves science fiction. For its time, it had very advanced ideas about international and interracial relations. The writing and acting are thoughtful and competant.--Kirby Chan