The movie, The Day The Earth Stood Still, is adapted from the Harry Bates short story "Farewell to the Master" and is as much a human-interest story as it is a sci-fi B-movie classic.  The film centers on the arrival to earth of an alien dignitary, Klaatu who has come with his deadly robot, Gort to deliver a message that the earthlings must stop fighting among themselves or face total destruction.  After being shot by panicky soldiers, Klaatu is brought to a Washinton D.C. hospital where he pleads with a Major White to gather all the world's leaders so he can tell them more specifically what he has come 250 million miles to warn them about.  Loosing patience, Klaatu escapes the hospital and takes a room at a local boarding house where he meets a human with a conscience named Helen Benson and her son Billy.  Both soon find themselves embroiled in the mystery of Klaatu, his message and the government's hunt to find the unwelcome alien.  This film was made during the early Cold War years and reflects American's anxiety about the atom bomb.  The Day The Earth Stood Still, is sure to please the sci-fi fanatic due to its excellent dialogue, period film sets and musical score by Bernard Herrmann.  Starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal and Hugh Marlowe among others.  Full screen in black and white.  Released in 1951.  Runtime 92 minutes.