The Key (1958): cast, story & where to watch
1958 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1958, The Key is a drama, war and romance film directed by Carol Reed, running about 134 minutes. “He had the life expectancy of a match.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s 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’s in it. The Key stars William Holden as Capt. David Ross, Sophia Loren as Stella, Trevor Howard as Capt. Chris Ford and Bernard Lee as Cmdr. Wadlow, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The Key has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Key page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Key tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Key (1958)?
- In US, The Key is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Key worth watching?
- The Key holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, war and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Key?
- The Key stars William Holden, Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard, Bernard Lee and Oskar Homolka.
- When was The Key released?
- The Key was released in 1958, with a runtime of about 134 minutes.