YMMV / The Day the Earth Caught Fire

• Applicability: The movie was made long before Global Warming and climate change became big issues, but is still about climate change which has been caused accidentally by human activity (simultaneous nuclear tests at the north and south poles change the tilt of the Earth's axis). There's also Romantic Comedy themes with Peter and Jeannie, Peter himself is a miserable reporter going through a divorce and struggling to be taken seriously by his job. An essayist named Paul A. Green found six themes throughout the movie, from the corruption of the news to how women are treated.
• Moral Event Horizon: Peter. Although there might be something admirable about him choosing to risk his life to inform the world, Peter decides to leave his son with his ex-wife as they evacuate for the countryside because he wants to get paid (which could also be ulterior motive to stay with Jeannie, as well) and punched teenagers, leading to one of them falling out of a window, even if they weren't innocent.
• Retroactive Recognition:
  • This film is notable for an uncredited appearance by a young Michael Caine as a traffic policeman.
  • Monty Norman composed the music score, about a year before writing the classic "James Bond Theme".

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