CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965)

CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965)

Tagline: Science miscalculates... underground Atom Bomb explodes earth's core... and the world totters on the brink of destruction!

(Sci-Fi, Action, Everyone Freaking Out) [G]

Note: This movie never got an MPAA rating, but I think it would have landed a [G] rating. When I try and figure this stuff out for disaster movies, I measure it against the [G] rating GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS is usually associated with when it comes on TV. This is not worst that GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS when it comes to destruction sequences. 

Oh, Reynolds, we don't want the commissioners to think we're all mad scientists.

In this one, Dr. Stephen Sorenson is trying to harness the energy from the earth’s core to end the energy crisis. He fails to listen to one of his colleagues Dr. Ted Rampion who actually drove all the way across the country to try and stop the experiment. While at first, all seems to have gone according to plan, the atom bomb they set off in the earth’s core causes a crack to form that begins to affect the entire world. Can they stop the crack from growing to a point where the earth is destroyed forever?  

The first thing I thought when I saw the plan these scientists had for getting the energy they needed was, “that sounds like one of the dumbest plots ever”. Then it hit me, "reality" was standing there like an annoying friend saying…” but Jess, science is dumb enough to try crap like this”. The possibility of someone actually trying something like this not only seems crazy but plausible because climate change activist types seem to want to do just about anything to prove the world is doomed. Greedy power hungry governments are willing to do just about anything for domination. It seems like all the sensible “let’s do what we can to protect the earth on an individual level types are just way overpowered by these other two groups. Or at the very least, they are way quieter. 

Acting wise this movie has some solid performances. Janette Scott is very good Dr. Maggie Sorenson. Maggie is both heartwarmingly and painfully loyal to her husband Dr. Stephen Sorenson even though the dude literally was the person who started the “crack in the world”. Scott is probably best known for DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS. She actually quit acting in 1967 just 2 years after this movie. Janette Scott also has the distinction of getting mentioned in the opening song from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Kieron Moore plays Dr. Ted Rampion (the smart one) and does a pretty great job as well. He was also known for DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS. We have a “killer plant attack” reunion going on here. Dana Andrews plays Dr. Stephen Sorenson (the dumb one) and does a pretty good job as well, but the character is just the worst. 

Pacing wise this film feels pretty slow, but the run time of 96 minutes isn’t that bad. When the action sequences do happen they are pretty suspenseful, but the movie's biggest problem aside from the production is that none of the characters outside of Dr. Ted Rampion is even worth rooting for. It actually makes this flick a frustrating watch. That isn’t a knock against the scale though. This was pretty much the 2012 of its day. The effects were effective and there is plenty of disaster going on here if you like watching “not real” disaster films. It is also considered a classic but when it comes to the drama, this thing just kind of falls apart. 

Overall I have to give this one a 3 out of 7. I respect the effort; it just wasn’t for me. 

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