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THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961)
Dir: Val Guest
Screenplay by Wolf Mankowitz and Val Guest
With a relatively new (2014) Blu Ray release on the shelves, it is time to revisit this somewhat subversive science-fiction film from the early 60’s set at the height of the cold war, The Day the Earth Caught Fire. The British Film Institute has released a fantastic Blu Ray of this very important Val Guest production. The framing is at an accurate 2.35:1 AR and the B/W cinematography by Harry Waxman is a revelation for such a small budgeted film thanks to the BFI restoration department’s meticulous job of transferring various elements from different sources to weave together a seamless and as complete as possible version of this film.
The cautionary story revolves around the results of a simultaneous explosion of two H-bombs (one American and the other Russian) which disturbs the axis of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, sending the earth on a sun bound orbit. The effect of this is being felt worldwide as disturbances in weather patterns change all over the globe; seaside towns are being submerged by the melting of the ice caps, massive tornadoes are born out and one hits London which is unprepared for its gale force winds. Two Daily Express reporters are assigned to follow the story and dig deeper into the government’s apparent reluctance to discuss the matter. The science desk writer, Bill Maguire (played by a great Leo Mckern of “Rumpole of the Baily” fame) and his associate, Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) take up the task with relish. Maguire is trying to get his fellow writer, who is a divorced father of a 10 year old son, and a drinker, to stay the course in order to clear his mind and carry on with life and his career.
Stenning meets up with a young lady who is working in the typing pool of the government office of which he is desperately trying to extract information from. Jeannie Craig (played by Janet Munro, fresh from playing Katie O’Gill in the “Walt Disney’s...