This send-up of the classic alien "Earth Stood Still" 50's film had all the makings of a terrific piece of humor until ... yes, you may have guessed it, Aunt Bee asserted herself.

Well, you say Aunt Bee, assuming everyone knows the Andy Griffith Show, but who you really meant was Frances Bavier.

Yes. Until she started her rather loud and obnoxious palm reading shtick, I was glued to the movie. Afterward, not so much.

You know, what I never could figure out was why her character was even in the plot at all. You had a spaceship, a robot and an alien already. Who needed a palmist? And an obnoxious one at that!

And I never got the rooming house residents' reactions to the news that the alien had escaped and was nowhere to be found. Even though D.C. in the 50's was not what it is today, there were still plenty of people to act as a buffer in case the alien broke bad.

And, how about the Army tanks and all just standing there like they had bubble gum on their shoes when this ship touched down?!

Amazing. I mean they did shoot the alien's gun, or whatever it was, right out of his hand.

I think it was some type of communication device.

Whatever. It was a fancy bit of shootin'.

Well, the movie had a lot to laugh at. When they had the young boy who befriended the alien try to have him drive the wrong way down a one-way street, I thought I'd bust. I mean, what a dope!

The boy or the alien?

The alien! I thought anybody from outter space was always supposed to be smarter than Earth people.

Maybe that's why his people sent him. To get rid of that dummy.

Well, the movie ended kind of oddly when their robot, I guess, had a short-circuit and went on a rampage in a Woolworth store. Until then I did not know Woolworth stocked do-it-yourself Army barracks kits.

That's a new one on me too. Wow.

I guess it was a fun picture. Except for the Aunt Bee part.

Yeah.

(beat)

Until next time, when we will discuss the new film, "My Daddy is Way Over There!", I'll say, so long from Junior Peabody ...

... And Joe-Bob Lewellyn.