The Day the Earth Caught Fire

1961

1h 39m

Sci-Fi

List

86%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) is a depressed British reporter who gets by with the help of his friend, veteran journalist Bill Maguire (Leo McKern). Along with weather forecaster Jeannie Craig (Janet Munro), Peter and Bill discover that simultaneous U.S. and Russian nuclear explosions have drastically altered the earth's rotation. Fires and earthquakes ravage cities all over the world, and chaos and sickness descend upon the frightened survivors as they try to put the planet back on its axis.

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Joe Clay

Times (UK)

Told through two reporters, played by Edward Judd and Leo McKern, it’s a gripping mix of thriller and science fiction.

Jan 29, 2024

Full Review

Times (UK) Staff

Times (UK)

Script and direction combine to make the film a good example of its kind.

Jul 14, 2020

Full Review

BBC.com

Rated: 4/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

uncommonly intelligent in its treatment of a truly horrific doomsday scenario

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 28, 2020

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

End-of-the-world sagas are a dime-a-dozen, but here's one that's worth at least a few bills.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 11, 2020

Full Review

Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

It may be fantastic in theme but it's journalistic in form and this makes it easy to accept.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 24, 2020

Full Review

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Rod D

A couple of nights ago, I watched How I Ends (2018) and last night, The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). The latter is everything the former is not: intelligent, compelling, even clever.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/22

Full Review

Audience Member

They should have shown this film as part of my journalism degree.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/26/21

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Brad H

Exceptionally well written and fast paced drama that's especially prescient after covid19 and our approaching climate meltdown. Great acting from the likes of Leo McKean best known from Rumpole of the Bailey and others, you feel, having great fun with the smart dialogue. One interesting note is the disproportionate number of rather stunning and well endowed actresses for such an era. A possible predilection of the director?

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/12/20

Full Review

delysid d

Oh No! It's the End of the World!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/14/19

Full Review

Audience Member

A cracking British film. Low budget but high on good old-fashioned character acting. Yes it teeters towards cliche now and then but overall it delivers a message without preaching.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Only in the final three minutes does Val Guest's dull and talky Armageddon movie achieve poetry. Which is a real shame, given the subject matter's potential: the end of the world as seen from a Fleet Street press room. Here, everyone talks at each other without listening, and Edward Judd bulldozes his way charmlessly. Writer-director Guest films everything flatly and even the inserted library shots of firefights and ice storms fail to arouse much interest. And I haven't even touched on the dreadful performance by real-life Express editor, Arthur Christiansen.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

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Val Guest

Director

Janet Munro

Jeannie Craig

Leo McKern

Bill Maguire

Edward Judd

Peter Stenning

Michael Goodliffe

Jacko Jackson the Night Editor

Bernard Braden

Davis the News Editor

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Synopsis

Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) is a depressed British reporter who gets by with the help of his friend, veteran journalist Bill Maguire (Leo McKern). Along with weather forecaster Jeannie Craig (Janet Munro), Peter and Bill discover that simultaneous U.S. and Russian nuclear explosions have drastically altered the earth's rotation. Fires and earthquakes ravage cities all over the world, and chaos and sickness descend upon the frightened survivors as they try to put the planet back on its axis.

Director: Val Guest
Screenwriter: Wolf Mankowitz, Val Guest
Production Co: Pax Films
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m

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