The Day the Earth Caught Fire
The Day the Earth Caught Fire

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Hysterical panic has engulfed the world after the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously detonate nuclear devices causing a change to the nutation (axis of rotation) of the Earth.... (Full plot summary below)

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Actors in The Day the Earth Caught Fire:

Janet Munro
Leo McKern
Edward Judd
Michael Goodliffe
Bernard Braden
Reginald Beckwith

Full Plot Details

Hysterical panic has engulfed the world after the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously detonate nuclear devices causing a change to the nutation (axis of rotation) of the Earth.

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Movie Reviews

Monthly Film Bulletin - 6/10 by MFB CriticsOne is never quite sure how seriously one is expected to take this examination of newspaper ethics in time of crisis: the shot of the two headlines is certainly ironic, but the final narration is so noble and portentous that its effect is dissipated.
CinePassion - 6/10 by Fernando F. CroceThe premise lends itself to the inspired pandemonium of a Max Ernst
User Review - 10/10 by James HGreat plot for the time, good acting. It's one of my favorates.
User Review - 10/10 by Deno RThis is my candidate for the best disaster movie of all time, as well as the greatest "cosmic catastrophe" film ever produced (with all due respect to George Pal's WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE that was released a decade earlier). It is an intelligent, humane film devoid of most of the lavish special effects and second-rate writing that has run amok today in Hollywood's disaster films (most notably THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and ARMAGEDDON). Instead of slamming right into the disaster scenes (as most directors like TOMORROW'S Roland Emmerich and ARMAGEDDON's Michael Bay did), it wisely chooses to focus on the doomsday event as it is seen and felt by people (in this case, the crew of the LONDON DAILY PRESS) who have been unwillingly caught in it, and have to cope with it the best way they can. The event in this case is the simultaneous detonation of H-bombs by the US and USSR that have knocked the Earth off its axis, out of its orbit and hurtling day by day towards the sun. That's a pretty sketchy scientific premise (not to mention dated, as this is a Cold War film), and the special effects, when they ARE seen, are mostly models and mattes that seem to have a" bargain-basement budget" feeling. But the direction by Val Guest (the first two QUATERMASS films) is perfect, particularly with his use of tinted scenes at the beginning and end of the film; the script is filled with some of the best dialogue I've ever heard (it was co-written by Guest with Wolf Mankiewicz); and the actors should have all been nominated for Academy Awards for their rich, biting chemistry. Edward Judd, as the bitterly-divorced alcoholic father and writer who's looking for a comeback, would have sent George Clooney back to acting school if he was still alive. Janet Munro, as the love interest, blends natural beauty with a spunky, no-nonsense manner that echoes the tone of the narrative. And Leo McKern is fabulous as always, as a source of knowledge and counseling in times of crisis. Adding to the power and verisimilitude of the narrative is Arthur Christensen as the EXPRESS's editor-in-chief (which he actually was in reality!), tons of classy humor that would have the Monty Pythons running for their money, a brief but significant cameo by Michael Caine trying to direct traffic through fog-shrouded streets of London, and one of the best endings in the history of cinema. There have been other films that have attempted to follow this style (most recently Mimi Leder's DEEP IMPACT and Danny Boyle's SUNSHINE) but Val Guest did it first... and did it best.
User Review - 10/10 by Steve A"it's never too late for a good story, well written" - this line is uttered by a character late in the piece and it seems to sum up the whole film. This is a ripping end-of-days yarn way ahead of its time told from the newsroom perspective in quintisential stiff-upper-lip British style. The script is near perfect, with a cast of solid British stalwarts giving everything to the material. Controlled, considered camerawork so perfect as to be almost indetecable. A true classic and a masterpiece of modern cinema.
User Review - 10/10 by Roger GFine example of real movie making - couldn't help but enjoy it. BTW: Watched it free on Veoh TV - which is a Facebook app.
User Review - 10/10 by alan jA true masterpiece. I've watched this film numerous times and it just keeps getting better with each subsequent viewing. Concise direction from Val Guest, a gripping story and excellent performances from Edward Judd, Leo McKern and Janet Munro. Highest recommendation.
User Review - 10/10 by Marcus GIf this isn't one of the best and yet widely unseen environmental sci fi shockers then I don't know what is. Though it is not just the science, though certainly unlikely, but serves as a simple narrative to explain the consequences of man's obsession with pushing the boundaries, that makes this such a winner. Ultimately, it's the gritty presentation and cynical characterisations that give this a very British feel of how we would deal with such a calamity. Told through the press room at the Daily Express in the 1960's, this has an uncompromising view, never patronising nor afraid to use dialogue that is accurate to then characters regardless of whether the viewer understands. This is one of the factors that made "The West Wing" so popular and the this film in my view, rivals "All The President's Men" for its portrayal of dogged reporting uncovering the nasty truths. With a shot of Scotch here, and water fight there, it would seem to be all to realistic view of our nature should this ever befall us, and one day, it just might...
User Review - 10/10 by Alun WThis is a wonderful film. The low budget and the technical limitations of the period mean that the director was forced to rely on the strength of his script and cast instead of the special effects that would probably ruin any remake. This is a very intimate apocalypse, and the dialog sizzles even more than the weather as the earth spirals towards the sun. The tension between the Edward Judd and Leo McKern is very well done, as is the developing relationship between Judd and Munro. The film is dated of course, but there are ample compensations: the theme chimes well with present day concerns over climate change, and I loved the period detail, with much of the film appearing to have been shot in the Daily Express building, and there are plenty of outdoor scenes with a lot of visual interest too (such as shots of Battersea Park and the power station). The DVD has a 15 certificate, and it probably still deserves it, as the dialog is unusually frank for the period, and we see as much of Janet Munro as the director could possibly have hoped to sneak past the censors at the time. Yes, some of the minor characters are a bit one dimensional, and the themes of official complacency and cover-up are common currency now, but this film has a wonderful freshness and deserves to be better known.
User Review - 10/10 by Ron SOne of the best films in the genre. Nearly as good as 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'.

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