2. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
On the other hand,
The Things ethics are countered by another film released the same year, Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still. As written in
Science Fiction Film,
The Day uses a visitation by a peaceful but demonstrably more powerful and advanced alien effectively to mock Earths cultural differences and urge a doctrine of peaceful coexistence, not only on this planet but throughout the universe (Telotte, 2001, pp. 97-98). If
The Thing contemplates the idea of war, then
The Day does so with peace. The film starts with the landing of a flying saucer in broad daylight. Klaatu, the saucers commander, steps out and announces that he comes from outer space with matters of goodwill. Nevertheless, a nervous soldier shoots him and the extraterrestrial flinches. Gort, the anthropological robot that serves Klaatu, exits the saucer and disintegrates all of the soldiers weapons in retaliation. This sequence sums up many of the issues that the film encompasses. Technology was at the core of the Cold War conflict because the race for ever more sophisticated weapons provided much of its dynamic, but also because technological achievement was the yardstick of competition between the United States and the Soviet Union (Hanhimaki & Westad, 2003, p. 273). Gort is an evident representation of the nuclear bomb. He is an unstoppable force that could subdue earths life forms at will; the simplicity of the disarmament of the soldiers confirms this notion. The Soviets tested their first atomic bomb in 1949, and the paramount issue of international politics [] (was) [] preventing the superpower conflict from erupting into nuclear war (Blackburn, 1996, p. 10). This only intensified the global fear and tension for everybody, which is the same effect that Gort infuses on the American witnesses. However, Klaatu assures and reassures that he comes in peace even after being wounded by the humans. Wise offers a character that is responsible and trustworthy. He could react with global massacre if he wished to, but he opts to remain calm. Klaatu represents an optimal superpower that, in reflection to reality, is neither American nor Russian. He is the symbol of cooperation that politicians at the time wished to attain. As written by Booker, the film is in no way pro-Soviet or pro-communist but simply an anti-militarist denunciation of the folly of the Cold War arms race (2006, p. 37). Neither the Americans nor the Russians wished to make the first move in what could cause the apocalypse, but their conflicting ideologies could have influenced the final push. Another interesting contrast between
The Thing and
The Day is the polarity between the scientific figures. Carrington, as previously explained, is one who has his own objectives regarding the alien, whereas the military wish to eliminate it. This disagreement can be read as an allegory of the American and Russian inability of finding a common ground in order to settle their differences. Professor Barnhardt, though, is presented as a figure of courage, wisdom, and compassion. Barnhardt serves as a transparent stand-in for Albert Einstein, a controversial figure during the Cold War, [] who openly used his prominence to agitate for peace (Booker, 2006, p. 2006). Unlike Carrington, Barnhardt is viewed as an asset rather than an obstacle. He is the one responsible for the assembly of the worlds leading scientists at Klaatus landing site, which allows the alien to deliver his ultimatum. As written in
Liquid Metal, the assembly bears a passing resemblance to the Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace held [] in 1949. People who attended this conference were criticised for being either naïve or subversive, but in the
The Day, [] it is presented as the only hope for humanity (Redmond, 2004, p. 329). The power of science and rationality is openly favoured in Wises film, and, like in reality, the fear of this power proves to be his biggest tool. Barnhardt has a noteworthy exchange with Hilda, in which he asks if the events of the narrative frighten her. She replies by saying that it certainly does. Barnhardt who is now established as a voice of reason answers back with thats good, Hilda. Im glad. The characters in
The Thing, conversely, remain inexplicably calm throughout the entire narrative. Both parties the military and the scientists are aware of the carnage that their creature could impose. They are nonetheless unaffected throughout the commotion and are capable of digging humour out of the situation, even whilst knowing that there have been various casualties. Once again, this displays the straightforwardness of their stubborn ideals, since they have no consideration of the consequences if their plans fail. Both sides, whether the ones who wish to kill it or befriend it, are alarmingly sure of their decision. There are no shades of grey in between them, and that is because of their lack of fear. This reaffirms
The Things pro-American motif of taking action. Losing is not an option, and the Soviets are either with or against their ideals.
The Day differs greatly, since they are not in a position that permits them to bargain with Klaatu. They must accept his offer or die, which naturally wakens their fear. Another assassination attempt against him would only be self-destructive. In theory, the Americans could have had the same mentality as the ones in
The Thing prior to Klaatus intervention, but that is only speculative. In reality, as written by Blackburn, the Americans, [] afraid that Nazi Germany would invent an atomic bomb first, quickly established the Manhattan Project, a secret program designed to produce an atomic bomb (1996, p. 136). Afraid is the key word in this quotation; it is best exemplified with Gorts capabilities. Unlike the creature in
The Thing whose biology is analysed extensively by Carrington Gort offers a level of unpredictability. Only Klaatu is aware of his humanoids potential power, which compares to the unpredictability of the red threat and their possible use of nuclear power. This brings up the next issue.