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.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) is a science fiction and drama film directed by Val Guest, released on November 1, 1961 with a runtime of 1h 38m. It stars Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Edward Judd and Michael Goodliffe. Viewers rate it 6.8 out of 10 across 177 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Day the Earth Caught Fire before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Day the Earth Caught Fire.
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Featurette
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Janet Munro
as Jeannie Craig
Leo McKern
as Bill Maguire
Edward Judd
as Peter Stenning
Michael Goodliffe
as Jacko Jackson the Night Editor
Bernard Braden
as Davis the News Editor
Reginald Beckwith
as Harry
Gene Anderson
as May
Renée Asherson
as Angela
Arthur Christiansen
as 'Jeff' Jefferson - Editor
Austin Trevor
as Sir John Kelly (uncredited)
Ian Ellis
as Michael Stenning (uncredited)
Geoffrey Chater
as Pat Holroyd (uncredited)
Directed by Val Guest, written by Val Guest and Wolf Mankowitz, produced by Val Guest.
Average viewer score of 6.8/10 from 177 ratings.
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…
Reviewed on May 9, 2024
_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.
Reviewed on December 2, 2024
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The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) is available to stream on Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, BFI Player Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) includes Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Edward Judd, Michael Goodliffe and Bernard Braden. The film was directed by Val Guest. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire was released on November 1, 1961 and runs for 1h 38m.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) holds an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 177 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy science fiction and drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Day the Earth Caught Fire trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
