THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE is a remarkable little film, and one I have to thank my big brother Mark for. He bought me the BFI Blu-ray version one Christmas, and suggested I'd like it. He was right.I was surprised by it. The first thing you notice is the terrific, sparky, rapid-fire script written by Wolf Mankowitz and the film's director, Val Guest. It's relentlessly quippy. All three main actors - Leo McKern, Janet Munro and particularly Edward Judd - are memorable. It's all delivered in that clipped Queen's English fashion so evocative of films from that era (pre-Beatles early Sixties), but the dialogue is sarcastic and laddish, not surprising since most of it takes place in a national newspaper newsroom.But oh that misogyny ... TDTECF is a proper throwback to when men were men and women were grateful. Or at least subservient. Nobody's particularly macho, but the tone switches minute-by-minute from incredible early 60s sexism to 40s romance to 50s melodrama at bewildering speed.Memories include a LOT of stock footage .. people carrying dead chickens being a common indication that the world is going to pot, weather-wise. Plus flash floods and lots of ruined buildings. There's some bizarre scenes .. an absurdly white, middle class 'riot' down Chelsea way (it's all set in London), where 100 sweating Beatniks groove around to jazz music throwing water over each other, stands out. One lad makes the worst attempt ever at saving his own life, before falling down a lift shaft. It's the most laughable scene of civil unrest imaginable.Edward Judd's character, the film's anti-hero, is a complete jerk, to be honest. Rude, lazy, self-centered, pretty much a lech and almost a rapist at one point. He's one of the most unlikeable protagonists I've ever seen, but Janet Munro falls for him because, hey, she likes it rough. Leo McKern gets the best lines and nails every one.But finally, the plot. Two hydrogen bomb tests go off simultaneously, one USA, one Russian, accidentally. The earth's axis shifts, and the planet's weather changes ... and we're speeding towards the Sun and certain death. Only one thing to do: detonate more bombs, to re-set the earth's tilt, and correct our course before everything fries. Will it work?The moment the nightmare becomes clear, towards the end of the film, has genuine shock value. From that moment till the terrific ending, TDTECF ratchets up the tension. Time for one last tender moment between, weirdly, two minor characters (bar staff at the alcoholic journalists' favourite pub), and then .... you'll have to see for yourself.Oh, and there are only about 500 people in London throughout the whole film.If it were made today, this film would be fantastically spectacular, with CGI opportunities to die for. I wonder if they'll remake it. If they do, I predict many strong female characters and a distinct lack of attempted date rape.

When Earth starts to experience strange changes in the weather and a rapidly increasing temperature, down-in-the-dumps Daily Express journalist Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) is given the investigation. Science correspondent Bill Maguire (Leo McKern) seems to think that simultaneous nuclear tests by the U.S. and the Soviet Union have knocked the Earth off it's axis, causing it to drift closer to the sun. Stenning is snooping around the Met Office looking for answers when he meets young telephone operator Jeannie (Janet Munro) who may have unwillingly stumbled upon the truth. Meanwhile, with the temperatures increasing at an unbearable rate, the government starts to ration supplies, including the nation's water.I must admit that upon getting a copy of this, I was expecting a stiff- upper-lipped and cheesy British sci-fi full of dodgy effects and predictable plot devices. How wrong I was. If this film could be compared to any other, it would have to be All The President's Men. It is very rare that a film manages to capture the sweat, stress and panic of the newsroom where the workers gather round for quick meetings and discussions before franticly typing up a new story and making those all- important phone calls. And the decision to tell the whole story from the viewpoint of the Daily Express workers is a refreshing and exciting one.The hero is not a bland, square-jawed cheeseball that was common in the sci-fi films of the 50's and 60's, but a borderline alcoholic who is struggling with the separation from his wife and the fact that his boss gives him all the bottom-shelf stories. And he is played with utter conviction by Edward Judd. In fact, the acting is impressive all-round - Leo McKern is solid as the reliable workaholic who seems to be one step ahead of everybody else, and Janet Munro is sweet, interesting and sexy as the innocent girl who seems to be somehow caught up in everything. The film has a quite shocking level of flesh on display too, and if you're perverted or simply lonely enough, I'm sure you could even catch a nipple if you freeze-frame the DVD. (Not that I did it!)As a Cold War sci-fi, the film could work as double-bill alongside the truly perfect The Day The Earth Stood Still. Although it differs in tone and subject matter, it still has the underlying feeling of paranoia that plagued sci-fi films of the time, and allowed for some of the greatest films of the genre to be produced. The threat of nuclear war was lingering in everybody's mind (I assume, I know it would if I was there) and the end of the world was all too believable and possible. This is a criminally underrated film - beautifully filmed (the sun-kissed sepia opening is simply gorgeous); a script that any Oscar-winner would be proud of; and has an ending so bleak and unresolved it deserves a place amongst the very best. Simply great sci-fi film-making.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

Gosh - remember when Britain produced really great movies? 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire' is without question a classic of the sci-fi genre. If you can get your head around the scientifically preposterous lead that mighty Earth can be knocked over by 2 piddling little nuclear bombs, when the Chixulub asteroid of 65 million years ago didn't even make it flinch; then the rest is plain-sailing.The central character, Stenning, is played with amazing panache by Edward Judd for his first starring role. He's a big, handsome bloke in the classic British way, and brings a commanding, masculine presence that's not unlike youthful Richard Burton. But Stenning is a mess. He's an almost-washed-up good guy fractured by divorce and separation from a son who (as is so often the case) is being used as revenge collateral by his ex-wife. Evidently an established bruiser as a journalist, he is also a very talented writer, but who's talents are almost eclipsed by bitterness and frustration. He is teetering on the edge of alcoholism and dismissal. Actually he reminds me of the Mike Hammer portrayal in 'Kiss Me Deadly' - very much the anti-hero, but with just enough virtue left for redemption. Being big and obnoxious, like so many bad guys, he is irresistible to real women.Stenning is just about kept from falling over by Leo McKern's science correspondent. McKern surely needs no introduction, and brings a solid lump of gravitas to any role he plays. Here, he's a kind of indulgent pre-Rumpole uncle figure and a joy to watch and hear.Third of the central triumvirate is 'the girl' played with feisty zeal by Janet Munro. She will be Stenning's redeemer - if they survive.These three are core to many sound British character players that include cameos from Bernard Braden and a juvenile Micheal Caine.Climate effects are kept simple, which makes them all the more stark and harrowing. Production hasn't been dumbed-down by the usual miniature-work, buckets or water thrown over dolls' houses. At the same time, stock newsreel of equal quality has been seamlessly grafted in. The spell is never broken by crass editing.But the real topper here is the script. Val Guest has brought us a sharp and witty dialogue that never lets up. It is surely the cleverest script of any sci-fi movie ever, and compares with those of the very best film-noir.Also unusual, and more plausible, is the fact that the story unfolds from the standpoint of the media. Traditionally, Movies of this kind are presented from the view of political, scientific or military experts - who, in truth, and as the movie makes clear, would actually tell us nothing if they could.This movie is what 'The Day After Tomorrow' should have been if Hollywood hadn't sold out to blockbuster special-effects and schmaltz. As it stands, despite its modest budget and lack of jaw-dropping CGI, 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire' is superior in every way.Perhaps the most telling aspect of the adult content in this production is the fact that, despite its vintage, and despite an absence of any explicit sex, or graphic violence, it still carries the same '15' rating as the Coens' much more recent and far more bloodthirsty 'No Country For Old Men'. Very highly recommended both as a thriller and human drama.

I find it strange this flick has gotten such over all good reviews. I just viewed it from DVD, having checked it out of the public library and found the dialog almost incomprehensible.People speak in short bursts and gush out essentially nothing. The script is horrible, the science deplorable.Yes, the flick may have some historical appeal to fears of the cold war and environmental Armageddon. However, the style was absolutely dated and campy. Although the issues addressed, may insight fears even today, especially with global warming, I have to give this film a 2 and say it was a waste of time.