CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965) is a fine attempt at the disaster film genre. A type of film that has been around since silents. It is a modest film but is effective due to its tight script, professional cast and more then adequate special visual effects. It balances a personal story (love triangle) within the larger context of THE END OF THE WORLD!
THE 'NUTS'...Ambitious scientist (Dana Andrews) wants to go out with one (1) last Hurrah, tapping the unlimited energy and resources of the Earth's core. Supported by loyal wife (Janette Scott) and opposed by friend scientist (Kieron Moore) who has his doubts. Things start out all right but soon head south as experiment causes a running crack along Earth's fault lines. Race against time to stop disaster from destroying the world seeded with scenes of mass destruction. Will love and science save the day? Watch the movie and find out.
The film has some dated scientific context (how moons are created) and the engineering does not make much sense. Would it not be simpler to tap the magma by drilling down in one (1) of the dozen (12) super volcanoes on the planet? We have one (1) here in the U.S.A. in YellowStone National Park and you don't have to go halfway to the core to reach magma. In Hawaii it comes up by itself 247 and besides creating new beach-front we have not noticed any viable energy or resource uses, though the people in IceLand seemed to have figured out how to use them. Such points could be about films today also. 'The Day After Tomorrow' is not exactly scientifically plausible but is still enjoyable watching.
Review by xerses13 from the Internet Movie Database.