The Day the Earth Stood Still

EXT. BEACH - PACIFIC ISLAND - MED. SHOT - DAY

Backgrounded by palm trees and rolling surf, an American

army radar operator sits at his huge instrument, intently

tracking a target. Without interrupting this, he speaks with

tense excitement into a telephone transmitter strapped to

his chest. (It is 8:00 a.m.)

(In this and the subsequent scenes, music and cutting build

to an exciting crescendo).

EXT. FIELD - HONG KONG - MED. SHOT - DAY

A group of British soldiers, in shorts and tropical gear,

are gathered tensely around a piece of radar equipment, which

is tracking a target. The radar operator says something to

another soldier, who turns and speaks excitedly into a field

telephone. (It is 5:00 a.m.)

INT. INDIAN RADIO STATION - NIGHT

The microphone bears the word CALCUTTA. An Indian announcer,

his expression one of excitement and terror, jabbers into

the mike in a native tongue. A clock on the wall indicates

that it is 2:
26

EXT. RUSSIAN BOMBER IN FLIGHT - (STOCK) - NIGHT

The plane is identified by a red star on the fuselage.

INT. RUSSIAN BOMBER - NIGHT

The radioman is tracking an object on his radar scope. He

points it out excitedly to the pilot. The pilot adjusts his

microphone and starts making a report back to his base in

Russian.

EXT. FRENCH VILLAGE - STREET CORNER - MED. CLOSE SHOT -

NIGHT:

A group of French farmers is collected around a radio,

listening wide-eyed to the keyed-up voice which is telling

them, in French, of a strange object that has been seen in

the sky. They exchange uneasy glances. One old man crosses

himself.

SPLIT SCREEN SHOT

RIGHT SECTION OF SCREEN SHOWS INT. AMERICAN RADIO STATION -

DAY:

A breathless American radio reporter is speaking into his

mike, but we can't hear what he's saying. On the wall behind

him is a clock which reads 3:32.

LEFT SECTION OF SCREEN SHOWS INT. BRITISH RADIO STATION -

NIGHT:

A clock shows the time to be 8:32. The British announcer

tries to maintain his traditional BBC calm, but finds it

almost impossible to control his excitement.

BRITISH ANNOUNCER

Reports are coming in from all over

the Empire -- from all over the world.

The Government have not yet issued a

statement, but there seems to be no

question that there actually is a

large, unidentified object circling

the earth at incredible speed.

This announcer keeps talking, but his voice fades out, and

now we hear the words the American announcer is saying...

AMERICAN ANNOUNCER

(staccato with

excitement)

We still don't know what it is or

where it's from –- but we do know

there's something there. It's been

tracked around the world by radar

traveling at a rate of four thousand

miles an hour.

INT. NEW YORK TAXI - DRIVER AND FARE – DAY

The driver and his fare are listening intently to the radio,

as we hear the voice of another radio reporter.

2ND RADIO REPORTER

(voice off scene)

This is not another "flying saucer"

scare. Scientists and military men

have already agreed on that. Whatever

this is -- it's something real.

EXT. SUBURBAN GAS STATION

The attendant, who is filling a car with gas, leans around

to hear the car's radio, oblivious to the fact that the car's

tank is overflowing.

3RD RADIO REPORTER

(voice off scene)

We interrupt this program to give

you a bulletin just received from

one of our naval units at sea. "A

large object, traveling at supersonic

speed, is headed over the North

Atlantic toward the east coast of

the United States."

Music builds to a climax and ends.

INT. WASHINGTON RADIO STATION

4TH RADIO REPORTER

(with deliberately

controlled calm)

Here in the nation's capital, there

is anxiety and concern, but no outward

sign of panic. As a matter of fact,

there are signs of normalcy that

seem strangely out of place; the

beautiful spring weather, the tourist

crowds at the various monuments and

public buildings...

EXT. LINCOLN MEMORIAL - LONG SHOT (STOCK)

A small crowd of tourists is climbing the steps to the

columned entrance.

EXT. WASHINGTON MONUMENT - LONG SHOT (STOCK)

Under this shot a barely audible, distant hum is heard. It

grows in volume so imperceptibly in this and the next two

shots that we are unconscious of it.

EXT. JEFFERSON MEMORIAL - LONG SHOT (STOCK)

EXT. THE MALL - LONG SHOT

Crowds are strolling on the Mall and across the well-kept

lawns in front of the Smithsonian Institution with the

leisurely, meandering quality that distinguishes sight-seers.

MED. SHOT

Including several small groups of people moving toward the

Smithsonian. Their attention is attracted as the hum off

scene becomes a roar. The sound is unearthly in its intensity

and almost unbearable in its swiftly increasing volume. The

people stop in their tracks and look up in the sky in terror.

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