The Night the World Exploded
- Kathryn Grant: Laura Hutchinson
- William Leslie: Dr. David Conway
- Tristram Coffin: Dr. Ellis Morton
- Raymond Greenleaf: Gouvernor Chaney
- Charles Evans: General Bortes
- Frank J. Scannell: Sheriff Quinn
- Fred Coby: Ranger Brown
- Paul Savage: Ranger Kirk
- Charles Evans: Chief Rescue Worker
The Night the World Exploded is an American science fiction and disaster film directed by Fred F. Sears from the year 1957.
Action
The geologist Dr. Conway has developed together with his scientific assistant Laura Hutchinson a particularly powerful seismograph. Therefore, the two are also the first to predict a devastating earthquake that threatens several U.S. states. In vain they warn the authorities, so that the quake claims many lives. Only now bestowed both full attention. What do they have but to announce bad news is: The earthquake will spread to the whole world and grow even strongly in intensity.
Conway and Hutchinson, whose professional working relationship is complicated by a tension mutual, but verne interpersonal love, descend into one of the deepest cave in America to determine the cause of the phenomenon on the track. They do not take strange, rock -like samples, which prove to be highly explosive. This is a previously unknown element that reacts with the nitrogen contained in the air. This process can be neutralized by water. Conway and Hutchinson is clear that a layer of soil was achieved by global, greedy mining and uncontrolled oil drilling, which has released this element and now threatens to destroy the world.
While earthquakes are constantly increasing worldwide, Conway arranges a meeting of the leading scientists of all countries despite concerns from his superiors. Through this alliance, it is possible to find the solution to the problem: In all earthquake regions tunnels, tunnels and caves are flooded with water. In arid regions of the use of the world's combined military remedy. Ironically, in the home region Conway and Hutchinson threatened by a particularly strong presence of the unknown element causing a catastrophic explosion that threatens the entire world. But this problem can solve the two. A transported in vacuum piece of the element is transported to a nearby dam and the controlled explosion of Staudaumms floods the underground hot spots and neutralizes them.
Conway and Hutchinson finally confess their love and kissing each other intimately.
Creation and reception
Director Sears, whose Hollywood career began as an actor, turned from the early 1950s, several movies for its time popular genres, including the science fiction genre. Its a year earlier incurred movie Flying Saucers ( Earth vs. The Flying Saucers ) on which Ray Harryhausen collaborated decisively, one of his best-known productions and at the time was also very successful internationally. The Night the World Exploded was nachgeschoben as a double feature with Sears ' Attack of the Giant Claw ( The Giant Claw) in June 1957. The film was also in some European countries in the cinema, but not in Germany.
The contemporary critics showed little conviction. The New York Times for example stated that emphasizes the film was clueless, both in terms of the staging and the transported messages.
Actress Kathryn Grant was her role in the classic film Sinbad seventh trip ( The 7th Voyage of Sinbad ) is known.