A mysterious spaceship lands in Washington. Its pilot issues an ultimatum: if humanity cannot suppress its warmongering urges, it will be annihilated for the benefit of the rest of the galactic community. Shot in pristine black and white, the presence of a superior alien power provides a vehicle for commenting on humanity itself – The Day the Earth Stood Still crystallises the sense of fear and paranoia that reigned during the onset of the Cold War, along with the threat of nuclear conflict.