Crack in the World (1965)

Crack in the World (1965)

“To obtain limitless energy has been a dream of mankind for thousands of years.”

Synopsis:
When a terminally ill scientist (Dana Andrews) goes against the wishes of his younger colleague (Kieron Moore) and orders a nuclear missile to be sent deep into the earth in order to release magma for energy, he unwittingly causes a life-threatening crack in the world. Can his supportive scientist-wife (Janette Scott) help them reverse the damage they’ve done?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Atomic Energy
  • Dana Andrews Films
  • Disaster Flicks
  • Love Triangle
  • Mad Doctors and Scientists

Review:
Following The Day of the Triffids (1963), writer-producer Philip Yordan made this similarly-themed apocalyptic tale about the impending destruction of the Earth, once again featuring Kieron Moore and Janette Scott:

… though this time Moore gets to play a reasonable fellow, while Dana Andrews plays Scott’s a-hole husband:

The film convincingly shows the perils of scientists allowed too much power over the state of world affairs; in this case, Andrews’ hubris leads to an instantly disastrous effect that kills off tens of thousands of humans. To that end, this story remains ever so creepy, and possibly prescient.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fine Technicolor cinematography
  • Impressive special effects

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look if you enjoy this kind of flick.

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One thought on “Crack in the World (1965)

  1. Not must-see – but it will be of interest to certain sci-fi fans as well as those who lean toward films which are, well… “possibly prescient”. 😉

    Action fans may be somewhat disappointed as this is mostly a talky pic with limited moments of action; primarily near the end. This isn’t the kind of flick you watch for the acting, which is serviceable.

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