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The Key

  • 1958
  • Approved
  • 2h 14m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
The Key (1958)
DramaRomanceWar

During World War II, successive tugboat British Captains sent on dangerous salvage missions pass-on the key to a home-port apartment, where a lonely Swiss-Italian young war-widow lives.During World War II, successive tugboat British Captains sent on dangerous salvage missions pass-on the key to a home-port apartment, where a lonely Swiss-Italian young war-widow lives.During World War II, successive tugboat British Captains sent on dangerous salvage missions pass-on the key to a home-port apartment, where a lonely Swiss-Italian young war-widow lives.

  • Director
    • Carol Reed
  • Writers
    • Jan de Hartog
    • Carl Foreman
  • Stars
    • William Holden
    • Sophia Loren
    • Trevor Howard
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Carol Reed
    • Writers
      • Jan de Hartog
      • Carl Foreman
    • Stars
      • William Holden
      • Sophia Loren
      • Trevor Howard
    • 23User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos58

    The Key (1958)
    The Key (1958)
    The Key (1958)
    William Holden in The Key (1958)
    The Key (1958)
    Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    William Holden and Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    William Holden and Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    Sophia Loren in The Key (1958)
    The Key (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Holden
    William Holden
    • Captain David Ross
    Sophia Loren
    Sophia Loren
    • Stella
    Trevor Howard
    Trevor Howard
    • Captain Chris Ford
    Oscar Homolka
    Oscar Homolka
    • Captain Van Dam
    Kieron Moore
    Kieron Moore
    • Kane
    Bernard Lee
    Bernard Lee
    • Cmdr. Wadlow
    Beatrix Lehmann
    Beatrix Lehmann
    • Housekeeper
    Noel Purcell
    Noel Purcell
    • Hotel Porter
    Bryan Forbes
    Bryan Forbes
    • First Mate Weaver
    Sidney Vivian
    • Grogan
    Rupert Davies
    Rupert Davies
    • Baker
    Russell Waters
    • Sparks
    Irene Handl
    Irene Handl
    • Clerk
    John Crawford
    John Crawford
    • American Captain
    Jameson Clark
    Jameson Clark
    • English Captain
    Carl Möhner
    Carl Möhner
    • Philip Westerby (in photo)
    • (scenes deleted)
    James Hayter
    James Hayter
    • Locksmith
    • (scenes deleted)
    Sam Kydd
    • Sailor
    • Director
      • Carol Reed
    • Writers
      • Jan de Hartog
      • Carl Foreman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The tug used in this movie was H.M.S. Restive (HMT W 39), a Royal Navy Rescue Tug of the Assurance class. This class of tugs was built between 1940 and 1943. With a 1,350 horsepower engine, these tugs could make fourteen knots and were powerful enough to haul just about any capital ship back to port. Five (out of twenty-one built) were lost during the war. The ship numbers used in this movie (W 83, W 86 and W 88) were not used by any ship of this class during the war.
    • Goofs
      Chris accidentally drenches his shirt in red wine. But in the next shot his undershirt is clean and dry, with no sign of inevitable wine stains.
    • Quotes

      Captain Chris Ford: I'm here! Let's have the vulgar details and I'll run along.

    • Connections
      Featured in When the Applause Died (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Lambeth Walk
      (uncredited)

      Music by Noel Gay

      Lyrics by Douglas Furber

      Sung by the customers at the dance hall

    User reviews23

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    A Neglected Masterwork
    An extraordinary movie in every way, from the combat scenes, which are so lifelike as virtually to constitute a documentary, to the superb acting by every single member of the cast, including each of the supporting players. But the very highest praise must go to Sophia Loren's absolutely stunning performance (not to mention her uncanny command of English at so early an age). Her quiet, dignified, and restrained interpretation of her very unusual and extremely demanding role is simply in a class by itself. I have never been able to get her graceful performance out of my mind. This is one of those movies of great merit, bewitched from the start, that simply disappear from public and critical consciousness---never to be recalled or mentioned even when, for example, the careers of Loren, Holden, or Trevor Howard are discussed. It is as if it were never made at all. A great shame.
    helpful•59
    7
    • Garranlahan
    • Jun 6, 2006

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 6, 1958 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Stella
    • Filming locations
      • Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK(Old, now demolished, buildings on Station Road used as train station location.)
    • Production companies
      • Highroad
      • Open Road Films (II)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 14 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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