Day the World Ended

Day the World Ended is a 1955 American independently made black-and-white post-apocalyptic science fiction film, produced and directed by Roger Corman, that stars Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, Adele Jergens, Paul Birch and Mike Connors. Chet Huntley of NBC, later of The Huntley-Brinkley Report, served as the film's narrator. It was released by American Releasing Corporation (later American International Pictures) on December 8, 1955 as a double feature with The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.

The film's story centers on a heroic scientist who, with a small band of other survivors, faces off against a radioactive mutation following an atomic war that appears to have destroyed most of human civilization.

An atomic war has seemingly destroyed most of human civilization, leaving the Earth contaminated with radioactive fallout. One exception is an isolated box canyon, surrounded by lead-bearing cliffs, in which former U.S. Navy Commander Jim Maddison lives with his daughter Louise in a home he has stockpiled with supplies in anticipation of such an apocalypse. Louise is engaged to be married, but her fiancé has been missing. She keeps his photo on her nightstand (actually a photo of Roger Corman).

Into this natural bomb shelter stumble several survivors, who by chance were inside the canyon when the atomic war occurred. After initially refusing to admit them, Jim relents when his daughter appeals to his humanity. Among the survivors are a geologist, Rick, who happens to specialize in uranium mining; and a small-time hood, Tony and his "moll" Ruby, who were on their way to San Francisco.

There are two struggles for survival: The first is a simple question of whether the radioactive fallout will ever dissipate, and if so, if it will do so before the next rain comes which will wash out what is in the atmosphere onto the earth, contaminating their shelter. The second threat comes in the form of a hideous atomic mutated monster, which seems bent on killing anything it comes across, but only consuming those creatures whose flesh is contaminated by fallout.

A less obvious but no less dangerous threat is the hidden menace of Tony. Although seemingly charming and helpful, his true character and intentions are that he wants the other men out of the way, so that he can have both of the women, especially Louise, for himself.

All three dangers coincide as the mutated monster kidnaps Louise. It then releases her and she runs into a small fresh water lake, where the creature is obviously afraid to follow. Rick appears and attacks the creature, but it runs away as it begins to rain. Following the creature as it is being destroyed by the rain, Louise's mental connection with it stops as it dies. Tony, having stabbed Ruby to death after she confronted him about wanting to be with the younger Louise, then steals Jim's pistol. He quietly waits to ambush Rick when he returns with Louise. As Tony takes aim, Jim produces a second pistol and shoots Tony dead.

Jim has been slowly expiring from radiation poisoning. He reveals that the rain is radiation-free and will wash away all of the remaining contamination, making the world safe to venture out into again. As he dies, Jim also reveals that he has heard voices of other survivors on the radio. After the rain, Rick and Louise, the two survivors, walk hand-in-hand out of the canyon (as the end card saying "The Beginning" appears on screen).