The Day the Earth Stood Still 1951
This is a classic science fiction movie. Made on a low budget and in black and white, it is almost like an extended Twilight Zone episode. Still, the story is pretty good and they are able to work around the limitations of the day by making the alien look and talk just like everyone else (because his planet must have the same type of atmosphere). Like The Twilight Zone there are some great concepts and themes brought out. It seems pretty modern as a cautionary tale about atomic weapons, made just six years after such weapons had ended World War II. As a period piece it is fun to watch as a single mother (Patricia Neal) allows a man she barely knows to watch her son (played by Billy Gray who would later become Bud on Father Knows Best). Ultimately it is kind of lightweight, but still fun to watch with a sympathetic alien and a trigger happy military.
Written: 19 Dec 2022