Fail-Safe

[qazxsw9871]

I agree the wife's performance was a bit weak, but the others were overall very good, and I thought the film itself was fantastic. Incredibly tense and terrifying. Sooo much more affecting than Dr. Strangelove, which I thought was silly and unfunny, with really annoying characters.

[bigrobtheactor]

An unforgettable masterpiece.

[TheGatorfan93]

The cuban missile crisis was about protecting our region.Cuba and russia were seeing if a new administration was soft.That's wasn't a recall scenerio.But back to the topic at hand,this is trying to be serious,but how can you take it seriously,when the ultimate,final message,is laughable?As i said,it gives the impression that,somehow,in the end ''NOTHING TO SEE MOVE ALONG!whew,america will rest easy tonight huh?''LOL,there would be nationwide panic,absolute chaos.And fog of war is great,i agree.

[TheGatorfan93]

This scene is ridiculous.All she had to do was say something that only the two of them could possibly know.The plot is ridiculous,and even though strangelove's the satire,i found it more convincing.Scenes in this movie play out as if there just there to argue each side of an arguement.Just seems contrived,no real sense of tension.

[MrValiant61]

@TheGatorfan93 Well, i guess we`re all entitled to an opinion. Let`s leave it at that.

[TheGatorfan93]

@MrValiant61 This movie is an inane snoozer.All she has to say is what they ate the night before,ANYTHING,that only THEY knew!Then of course the idea the president would sacrifice new york,to appease russia,is beyond laughable.The movie is a bore,the performances are either unintentionally comedic(like weaver and hagman) or just dull and flat (like matthau,fonda and o'herlihy).

[T1Brit]

@TheGatorfan93 You are pretty sure of that huh? The US has just vaporized Moscow by mistake - the USSR has countless H-bombs ready to launch - and they are insane with rage - you think the US president would not sacrifice ONE US city to prevent the end of the western world itself? It is far from laughable. Also - if you doubt that it is possible to train men to ignore ANYTHING then you don't know very much at all. It makes no difference 'what they had for supper' he is not listening. Period.

[TheGatorfan93]

@T1Brit ''ONE US city to prevent the end of the western world itself?

But that's just it,how would that placate the russians?They would attack right away,and even if they didn't,HIGHLY unlikely,but ok)The american public would still riot nationwide,it would be a civil war,there would be anarchy.The final message is:''Oh well,whew,everything's fixed now?''lol,CMON!And the whole scene with the wife,her overacting,and lument lamely trying to lay on the pathos,is probably my real problem.Cheesy

[T1Brit]

@TheGatorfan93 I agree the film is weak in some respects - the wife is pretty pathetic - I agree she and the other NORAD people could have done a little better in that scene.

But overall the scenario is pretty credible. They were on that sort of hair trigger - the crews were trained to carry out the mission no matter what.

Watch 'The fog of War' about the life of Robert McNamara to hear the real conversation that took place during Cuban missile crisis. This VERY NEARLY HAPPENED for real.



[TheGatorfan93]

@T1Brit Continued.Its not really a badly thought out scene with the wife.But,how lument handles it and how its written,and acted,comes off silly.I know it was during those codes,but maybe why not write something suggestive,which would sell the scene better?She just yells ''its not a trick,turn back,its your wife,its not a trick!''.Been MUCH more powerful with better writing and acting.But how it is,is unintentionally funny.This film truly fails on ALL levels.

[dougalmac54]

@TheGatorfan93 Absolute nonsense. This film is a classic and is acted superbly. Your "standards" are a joke. The only thing that fails on all levels is your "analysis."

[TheGatorfan93]

@dougalmac54 Fritz weaver acted superbly?Larry hagman acted superbly?The wife acted superbly?Hilarious,my ''standards'' are a joke?Why,because im moved to laughter,instead of sadness,because im perceptive enough to notice an unconvincing performance,unlike you?

[jagerfaust2009]

@dougalmac54

Hi mate, I agree 100% with what you replied (4 months ago) to the Gator nut..

Nobody could give those performances today in that scenario. A different time and a real "classic"

jager ...Cheers!

[astrolabe1976]

amazing editing in this sequence. powerful

[al1936ful]

It's 1964, not 1957.

[cfoxYOU]

You are absolutely right, it was 1964.

[cfoxYOU]

@cfoxYOU On The Beach (1959) is also worthwhile.

[mongoosesvd]

They don't make movies like this anymore. I saw the re-make a few years ago and I like the original better.

[chopperpilot5]

what a haunting scene

[VTMCompany]

this is why i learned to love da bomb...

[vetri38]

Ed Binns' (Col. Grady) finest hour.  He was brilliant in this film.

A truly terrifying film that stands up even today. It always will.

[billpeterson5150]

Duse, you stole my thunder, yes Ed Binns' greatest role, who was the actress who played his wife? i always thought she was beautiful-also Fonda's best turn at POTUSA, unbelievable performance by hagman, and Blackie-Dan O'Herlihy-incredible "Blackie..I'm going to be asking a lot from you"

[ebf1957]

@billpeterson5150

Hilda Sims played Ed Binns' wife.

[SteveMG500]

Amazing scene. That's remarkable acting.

Chilling.

[JetMechMA]

@SteveMG500 It really is a magnificent piece of filming and editing....and acting. The timing of the wife trying to get through to him while at the same time they are dealing with a nuclear attack on their strike formation. The audience was torn like the characters in the War Room, hoping for both their success and for their destruction. I always wondered if it made the Soviets think twice. No matter what, our guys would press on...they would be tough, resourceful, and unstoppable.

[bigleroygym]

@JetMechMA

"our guys"? There is no "our guys". This is not a football game. There is only one world.

[spacepatrolman]

nbc saturday night at the movies was the third highest rated tv show of all time because they showed this and the day the earth stood still

[hibob418]

First saw this when I was about 10, and it really did a number on me. Can't see it today without getting chills. One of the most effective moments in all of cinema. Thanks very much for the post!

[stanleytone1]

this ,along with the very end,are the best scenes in the whole movie.great acting by the men in the plane and a killer performance by the pilots wife

[spacepatrolman]

the pilot is ed binns watch him in the rifleman episode the apprentice sheriff