The Day the Earth Caught Fire poster
6.8/10 1961 1h 38m Released

The INCREDIBLE becomes Real! The IMPOSSIBLE becomes Fact! The UNBELIEVABLE becomes True!

British reporters suspect an international cover-up of a global disaster in progress... and they're right. Hysterical panic has engulfed the world after the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously detonate nuclear devices and have caused the orbit of the Earth to alter, sending it hurtling towards the sun.

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Top Cast

Janet Munro
Janet Munro
Jeannie Craig
Leo McKern
Leo McKern
Bill Maguire
Edward Judd
Edward Judd
Peter Stenning
Michael Goodliffe
Michael Goodliffe
Jacko Jackson the Night Editor
Bernard Braden
Bernard Braden
Davis the News Editor
Reginald Beckwith
Reginald Beckwith
Harry
Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson
May
Renée Asherson
Renée Asherson
Angela
Arthur Christiansen
Arthur Christiansen
'Jeff' Jefferson - Editor
Austin Trevor
Austin Trevor
Sir John Kelly (uncredited)
Ian Ellis
Ian Ellis
Michael Stenning (uncredited)
Geoffrey Chater
Geoffrey Chater
Pat Holroyd (uncredited)
Marianne Stone
Marianne Stone
Miss Evans (uncredited)
John Dearth
John Dearth
Dick (uncredited)
Edward Underdown
Edward Underdown
Dick Sanderson (uncredited)
Robin Hawdon
Robin Hawdon
Ronnie (uncredited)

Reviews

CinemaSerf 7/10

Newspaper editor "Bill" (Leo McKern) is trying to keep his team focused on churning out the Daily Express whilst the Russians and the Americans are detonating nuclear devices all over the shop. When two of them explode simultaneously and knock the Earth out of it's orbit, things really do start to heat up and his reporter "Stenning" (Edward Judd) and feisty switchboard worker "Jeannie" (Janet Munro) have to try to…

griggs79 6/10

_The Day the Earth Caught Fire_ may be a product of the Cold War era, however, its portrayal of climate chaos and human hubris resonates with today's alarming realities. The film's depiction of the creeping disasters unfolding around us in slow motion feels less like a work of fiction and more like a stark cautionary tale we've chosen to ignore—a searing reminder of the fragility of our planet.

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FAQ about The Day the Earth Caught Fire

What is The Day the Earth Caught Fire about?
British reporters suspect an international cover-up of a global disaster in progress... and they're right. Hysterical panic has engulfed the world after the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously detonate nuclear devices and have caused the orbit of the Earth to…
When was The Day the Earth Caught Fire released?
The Day the Earth Caught Fire was released in 1961.
What genres does The Day the Earth Caught Fire belong to?
The Day the Earth Caught Fire is categorised as Science Fiction, Drama.
Who stars in The Day the Earth Caught Fire?
The cast of The Day the Earth Caught Fire includes Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Edward Judd, Michael Goodliffe, Bernard Braden.