The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)

86% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(2,568 ratings)

Despite its come-on title, The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an intelligent, disturbing piece of speculative fiction. Through the eyes of British reporter Peter Stenning (Edward Judd), we learn that both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. have simultaneously set off nuclear explosions to test their… More Despite its come-on title, The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an intelligent, disturbing piece of speculative fiction. Through the eyes of British reporter Peter Stenning (Edward Judd), we learn that both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. have simultaneously set off nuclear explosions to test their efficiency. The twin blasts have caused the Earth to go off its axis. The result is a disastrous upheaval in the balance of nature; floods and fires being the principal plagues. With the end of the world staring everyone in the face, chaos reigns. The only hope lies in another massive nuclear explosion, which will hopefully rebalance the Earth. The film ends ambiguously, with viewers allowed to decide for themselves whether or not the world has been saved. In the original prints of The Day the Earth Caught Fire, the opening and closing reels were tinted yellow, representing the scorching heat beating down on the frightened populace. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Val Guest
Written By: Wolf Mankowitz, Val Guest
Genres: Drama, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Mar 15, 1962 Limited
On DVD: Jun 12, 2001
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An intelligent low-budget sci-fi doomsday pic.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The premise lends itself to the inspired pandemonium of a Max Ernst
Doug Cummings, Filmjourney
The disaster genre is not generally known for its insights into characters or its clever dialogue, but The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an admirable exception.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Slow, depressing, but convincing sci-fi film
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
The Day the Moviewatcher Nodded Off

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This movie has an excellent plot, but doesn't have a sufficient amount of excitement or good actors. I liked it for the most part, but I wasn't sure about the ending. Overall, it could have been better.
alan j

A great movie..interesting story and solid acting..WHAT SETS THIS MOVIE APART IS THE PACING..I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MOVIE MOVE QUICKER..VERY COOL CONCEPT!