The Key
“He had the life expectancy of a match.”
Synopsis
In wartime England, circa 1941, poorly-armed tugs are sent into "U-Boat Alley" to rescue damaged Allied ships. An American named David Ross arrives to captain one of these tugs. He's given a key by a fellow tugboat-man -- a key to an apartment and its pretty female resident. Should something happen to the friend, Ross can use the key.
Top Cast
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William Holden
Capt. David Ross
Sophia Loren
Stella
Trevor Howard
Capt. Chris Ford
Bernard Lee
Cmdr. Wadlow
Oskar Homolka
Van Dam
Kieron Moore
Kane
Noel Purcell
Hotel Clerk
Bryan Forbes
Weaver
Beatrix Lehmann
Housekeeper
Rupert Davies
Baker
Russell Waters
Sparks
Sidney Vivian
Grogan
Irene Handl
Clerk
John Crawford
American Captain
Jameson Clark
English Captain
Guy Standeven
Policeman (uncredited)
Keith Faulkner
Signalman (uncredited)
Michael Caine
Seaman (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 1, 1958
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Carol Reed
- Screenplay & Story
- Carl Foreman, Jan de Hartog
- Original Score
- Malcolm Arnold
- Original Title
- The Key
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Studios
- Highroad, Open Road Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Carol Reed
Carl Foreman, Jan de Hartog
Malcolm Arnold
Oswald Morris
Bert Bates
Carl Foreman
Department Leadership Roster
Carl Foreman
Writer
Carol Reed
Director
Oswald Morris
Director of Photography
Carl Foreman
Producer
Bert Bates
Editor
Wilfred Shingleton
Production Design
Beatrice Dawson
Costume Design
Malcolm Arnold
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Key.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Key.
New in English
New English Movies
Drama Hindi Dubbed
Romance Hindi Dubbed
Dual Audio Hindi Movies 5 to 7
Automated renaming to: Dual Audio Hindi Movies 5 to 7
Dual Audio Hindi Movies
Automated renaming to: Dual Audio Hindi Movies
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Key
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Key about?
In wartime England, circa 1941, poorly-armed tugs are sent into "U-Boat Alley" to rescue damaged Allied ships. An American named David Ross arrives to captain one of these tugs. He's given a key by a fellow tugboat-man -- a key to an apartment and its pretty female resident. Should something happen to the friend, Ross can use the key.
Who directed The Key?
The Key was directed by Carol Reed.
Who stars in The Key?
The principal cast of The Key includes William Holden, Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard, Bernard Lee, Oskar Homolka.
When was The Key released and how long is it?
The Key was released in 1958 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
Who composed the musical score for The Key?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Key was composed by Malcolm Arnold.
Is The Key based on a book or true story?
The Key is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Jan de Hartog".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Key?
The Key holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).