The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)
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- Unrated
- 1h 39min
- Drama, Romance
- May 1962 (USA)
- Movie
When the U.S. and Russia unwittingly test atomic bombs at the same time, it alters the nutation (axis of rotation) of the Earth.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Janet Munro | ... |
Jeannie Craig
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| Leo McKern | ... |
Bill Maguire
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| Edward Judd | ... |
Peter Stenning
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| Michael Goodliffe | ... |
'Jacko' Jackson - Night Editor
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Arthur Christiansen | ... |
'Jeff' Jefferson - Editor
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| Bernard Braden | ... |
'Dave' Davis - News Editor
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| Reginald Beckwith | ... |
Harry
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Gene Anderson | ... |
May
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| Renée Asherson | ... |
Angela
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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John Adams | ... |
Constable (uncredited)
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Jane Aird | ... |
Nanny (uncredited)
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| Avril Angers | ... |
Mother (uncredited)
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| John Barron | ... |
1st Sub-Editor (uncredited)
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William Baskiville | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Timothy Bateson | ... |
Printer in Printroom (uncredited)
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| Peter Blythe | ... |
Copy Desk (uncredited)
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Wallace Bosco | ... |
Copy Boy (uncredited)
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| Jim Brady | ... |
Man at Water Station (uncredited)
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Robin Burns | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Peter Butterworth | ... |
2nd Sub-Editor (uncredited)
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| Michael Caine | ... |
Checkpoint Policeman (uncredited)
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Ron Carr | ... |
Man in pub (uncredited)
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Alf Casha | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Norman Chappell | ... |
Hotel Receptionist (uncredited)
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| Geoffrey Chater | ... |
Pat Holroyd (uncredited)
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Richard Coleman | ... |
Partner of Stenning's divorced wife (uncredited)
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Harold Coyne | ... |
Editor (uncredited)
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| Maxwell Craig | ... |
Harry's Club Patron (uncredited)
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George Curtis | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| John Dearth | ... |
Dick (uncredited)
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Ian Ellis | ... |
Michael Stenning (uncredited)
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Peter Evans | ... |
Man in Pub (uncredited)
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Geoffrey Frederick | ... |
Mitchell (uncredited)
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| Pamela Green | ... |
Nurse at Laundrette (uncredited)
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| Verina Greenlaw | ... |
Trixie (uncredited)
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Dave Griffiths | ... |
Workman (uncredited)
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Aidan Harrington | ... |
Editor (uncredited)
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Ruth Harrison | ... |
Woman in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Robin Hawdon | ... |
Ronnie (uncredited)
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Gordon Humphries | ... |
Man at Water Station (uncredited)
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| Fred Johnson | ... |
Archie (uncredited)
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Gerry Judge | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Juba Kennerley | ... |
Harry's Club Patron (uncredited)
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Dan Lester | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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Aileen Lewis | ... |
Demonstrator (uncredited)
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Leonard Llewellyn | ... |
Editor (uncredited)
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Reginald Marsh | ... |
Picture Editor (uncredited)
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| Larry Martyn | ... |
Argumentative Man at Washing Centre (uncredited)
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Jim McManus | ... |
Man at Water Station (uncredited)
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Don McMurray | ... |
Man in fight (uncredited)
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Carmel McSharry | ... |
Woman Lost in Fog (uncredited)
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| Michael McStay | ... |
Policeman at Washing Centre (uncredited)
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| George Merritt | ... |
Smudge (uncredited)
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Robert Moore | ... |
Air Traffic Controller (uncredited)
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| Charles Morgan | ... |
Foreign Editor (uncredited)
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Cecil Paul | ... |
Editor (uncredited)
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Lisa Peake | ... |
Girl (uncredited)
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Frank Phillips | ... |
Radio Announcer (uncredited)
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Charles Price | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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John Rae | ... |
Sarge the Doorman (uncredited)
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Edith Raye | ... |
Woman in Crowd (uncredited)
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Bill Rayment | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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| Julie Samuel | ... |
Young girl (uncredited)
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Frank Schock | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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Jeff Shane | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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Frank Sieman | ... |
Print Room Manager (uncredited)
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| Jeff Silk | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Graham Skidmore | ... |
Bit part (uncredited)
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Terence Soall | ... |
Undetermined role (uncredited)
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| Guy Standeven | ... |
Man at Funfair (uncredited)
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| Marianne Stone | ... |
Miss Evans, Jeff's Secretary (uncredited)
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| John Tatham | ... |
Policeman at Water Station (uncredited)
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| Austin Trevor | ... |
Sir John Kelly (uncredited)
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| Edward Underdown | ... |
Dick Sanderson (uncredited)
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Joe Wadham | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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Terry Walsh | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Val Guest | ||
Written by
| Wolf Mankowitz | ... | (written for the screen by) & |
| Val Guest | ... | (written for the screen by) |
Produced by
| F. Sherwin Green | ... | associate producer (as Frank Sherwin Green) |
| Val Guest | ... | producer |
Music by
| Stanley Black | ... | (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| Harry Waxman | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Bill Lenny | ||
Editorial Department
| Mike Round | ... | first assistant editor (uncredited) |
| Gillian Scott | ... | second assistant editor (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Anthony Masters | ... | (as Tony Masters) |
Set Decoration by
| Scott Slimon | ||
Costume Design by
| Beatrice Dawson | ||
Makeup Department
| Joyce James | ... | hairdresser |
| Tony Sforzini | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Clifton Brandon | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Philip Shipway | ... | assistant director |
| Terry Lens | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
| Bernard Williams | ... | third assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Martin Atkinson | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
| Bill Bennison | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
| E. Kell | ... | chargehand props (uncredited) |
| Peter Melrose | ... | scenic artist (uncredited) |
| Peter Mullins | ... | scenic artist (uncredited) |
| Harry Parr | ... | property buyer (uncredited) |
| Geoffrey Tozer | ... | assistant art director (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Buster Ambler | ... | sound recordist |
| Chris Greenham | ... | dubbing editor |
| John Aldred | ... | dubbing mixer (uncredited) |
| Jimmy Dooley | ... | sound camera operator (uncredited) |
| Peter Dukelow | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Les Bowie | ... | special effects |
| Pat Carr | ... | special effects assistant (uncredited) |
| Brian Johnson | ... | special effects assistant (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Doug Ferris | ... | matte painter (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Moray Grant | ... | camera operator |
| Wally Byatt | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
| James Devis | ... | focus puller (uncredited) |
| John Jay | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
| Jimmy Stilwell | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Dulcie Midwinter | ... | wardrobe mistress (uncredited) |
| Joyce Stoneman | ... | assistant wardrobe (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Stanley Black | ... | musical director |
| Monty Norman | ... | composer: beatnik music |
Script and Continuity Department
| Pamela Carlton | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| Arthur Christiansen | ... | technical adviser |
| Simon W. Hessel | ... | digitally remastered with support from |
| Barrie Davis | ... | production accountant (uncredited) |
| Dora Dobson | ... | publicity director (uncredited) |
| Jill Langley | ... | production secretary (uncredited) |
| Maureen Newman | ... | assistant production accountant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Pax Films (presents)
Distributors
- British Lion-Columbia Distributors (BLC) (1961) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (as A British Lion - PAX release through B.L.C.)
- Universal Pictures (1962) (United States) (theatrical) (as Universal-International)
- Universal Pictures Corporation of Mexico (1963) (Mexico) (theatrical) (as Universal Pictures Corp. de México)
- Wivefilm (1962) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Suomi-Filmi (1962) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Ema-Film (1962) (Norway) (theatrical)
- The Rank Organisation Div. Belgium and Luxemburg (1963) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- TF1 (1975) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Intervision Video (1979) (United Kingdom) (video)
- Congress Entertainment (United States) (VHS)
- Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (United States) (VHS)
- Thorn EMI Video (United States) (VHS)
- Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (United States) (VHS)
- Network Distributing (2001) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Network Distributing (2001) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Network Distributing (2008) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Ostalgica (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
- Fernsehjuwelen (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
- BFI Video (2014) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- 9Gem (2020) (Australia) (tv)
- Filmjuwelen (2020) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Filmjuwelen (2020) (Germany) (DVD)
- 9Gem (2023) (Australia) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- BFI National Archive (digitally remastered by)
- StudioCanal (digitally remastered by, in association with)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
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.
Written by Fernando |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | THE PICTURE THAT GIVES YOU A FRONT SEAT TO THE MOST JOLTING EVENTS OF TOMORROW...TODAY! (original U.S. print ad - all caps) See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | GBP200,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | As the Earth heats up, Bill McGuire asks for information on the melting point of "everything from steel to my glass eye". Leo McKern had a glass eye. See more » |
| Goofs | In the movie, several people in North London contract "typhus" from contaminated water. Evidently the script confused "typhus" and "typhoid fever." Typhus is spread by parasites, such as fleas or mites; not contaminated water. Typhoid fever can be spread by contaminated food or water. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Godzilla (1977). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Light Cavalry Overture See more » |
| Crazy Credits | There are no end credits whatsoever (not even a "The End" caption); merely a fade to black. See more » |
| Quotes |
Peter Stenning:
So Man has sown the wind - and reaped the whirlwind. Perhaps in the next few hours, there will be no remembrance of the past, and no hope for the future that might have been. All the works of Man will be consumed in the great fire out of which he was created. But perhaps at the heart of the burning light into which he has thrust his world, there is a heart that cares more for him, than he has ever cared for himself. And if there is a future for Man - insensitive as he is, proud and defiant in his pursuit of power - let him resolve to live it lovingly; for he knows well how to do so. Then he may say once more: Truly the light is sweet; and what a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the Sun. See more » |