The Net (1953): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1953, The Net is a drama and science fiction film directed by Anthony Asquith, running about 86 minutes. “FASTER THAN SOUND come the sensational thrills in this modern epic of the air!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A secret jet aircraft capable of traveling three times the speed of sound is being developed by a group of scientists. On the day of the test flight, one of the scientists dies in a mysterious accident, and there are many arguments concerning the flight itself; some think it should be ground-controlled while Heathley (James Donald) wants it to be a manned flight with himself at the controls. Conflict also arises when one of his fellow scientists, taking advantage of Heathley's lack of attention toward his wife, Lydia (Phyllis Calvert), makes some moves on her. Then there is the question of just who is the enemy agent on the project.

Who’s in it. The Net stars James Donald as Michael Heathley, Phyllis Calvert as Lydia Heathley, Noel Willman as Dr. Dennis Bord and Herbert Lom as Dr. Alex Leon, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The Net has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Net page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Net tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.