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Fail-Safe

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Format: DVD October 31, 2000


Description

A U.S. plane loaded with hydrogen bombs is flying towards Moscow and because of technical difficulties, is impossible to recall. Starring Henry Fonda and Walter Matthau. Directed by Sidney Lumet.

Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.851


MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)


Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5.3 x 7.5 inches; 2.5 ounces


Item model number ‏ : ‎ 5424


Director ‏ : ‎ Sidney Lumet


Media Format ‏ : ‎ DVD


Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 52 minutes


Release date ‏ : ‎ October 31, 2000


Actors ‏ : ‎ Dan O'Herlihy, Edward Binns, Fritz Weaver, Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau


Dubbed: ‏ ‎ French, Spanish


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A Riveting - And Still Very Relevant - Cautionary Tale
As does his big-screen debut, "12 Angry Men" (1957), Sidney Lumet's "Fail-Safe" continues to speak volumes today -- a half-century after its release. As in 1957, Lumet's use of relatively spartan sets and modest effects work to this film's advantage (as does the total absence of music); combined with Gerald Hirschfeld's stark B & W cinematography and dramatic camera work - and Ralph Rosenblum's adroit editing - the often claustrophobic tension is synergistically heightened. Minor technical flaws (as in the brief stock footage) can be overlooked, as they do not compromise the storyline. Lumet employed two fine actors from his 1957 film, Henry Fonda & Edward Binns, in a superb ensemble cast. Fonda's portrayal is the very model for what many expect an American president to be; his distinctive voice, mannerisms and cool decisive nature define the character. Dan O'Herlihey imbues Gen. Black with the knowing resignation of one trapped in a dilemma with no solution, who must play out his part to the inevitable conclusion. Successful on stage & television, this was Fritz Weaver's big-screen debut. He lends great pathos to his portrayal of Col. Cascio; inner demons are kept bottled-up until the breaking point - when they erupt at a critical moment of the crisis. Known best for comedy, Walter Matthau proves his dramatic abilities as Prof. Groeteschele, loosely based on Herman Kahn, a founder of the New York Hudson Institute (with a sprinkling of Edward Teller thrown in). (After obtaining a M. Sc. degree from Caltech, Kahn was recruited by the RAND Corporation. It was there that he published his seminal treatise, "On Thermonuclear War" (giving a nod to "On War," by Carl von Clausewitz). This was the genesis of the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction ('MAD').) Giving perhaps the finest performance of his too-short career, Frank Overton as Gen. Bogan instills in his character wisdom, humanity and quiet dignity (as in the role of Sheriff Heck Tate in "To Kill A Mockingbird," 1962). Rather than an autocratic or callous commanding officer, Bogan displays understanding and compassion. In a late scene, realizing his mistake and that it means the No. 1 plane carrying the bombs will almost certainly reach its target of Moscow, Marshall Nevsky, with whom General Bogan has been speaking over their "hot line," collapses and is replaced by General Koniev. After a brief exchange with Koniev about a last-chance possibility of stopping the plane, Bogan says, "You speak English very well, General." Koniev: "I was liaison to your headquarters in London, during the war." Bogan: "I was stationed right outside of London." Koniev: "Yes, I know; at the Eighth Air Force." Bogan: "Did you like London?" Koniev: "Very much." Bogan: "So did I." Koniev: "The great cities are those where one can walk; I would walk all the time in London. Wherever you turn, there's history." General Bogan is handed a SAC dossier on General Koniev and leafs through it; seeing Koniev's photograph he asks, "General, are you in Moscow now?" Koniev: "No; I was ordered to leave." Finding a photograph of the general with his wife and children, Bogan starts to ask whether his family is safe - but stops himself before any words are spoken, instead saying simply, "It's a hard day." Koniev: "Yes, a hard day." (Pause) "Goodbye, my friend." "Goodbye MY friend," replies Bogan with the resignation and sorrowfulness of one bidding farewell to a lifelong friend. More even than an object lesson in how adults handle a crisis of cataclysmic proportion, "Fail-Safe" is a still-relevant cautionary tale about misplaced faith in sophisticated technology and the possible ramifications therefrom (as in "Colossus - The Forbin Project," 1970), perfectly enunciated in this exchange: KNAPP: "The more complex an electronic system gets, the more accident-prone it is. Sooner or later, it breaks down... A transistor blows, a condenser burns out. Sometimes they just get tired, like people..." GROETESCHELE: "But Mr. Knapp overlooks one thing. The machines are supervised by humans. Even if the machine fails, the human being can always correct the mistake." KNAPP: "I wish you were right. The fact is the machines work so fast, they are so intricate, the mistakes they make are so subtle that very often a human being can't know if a machine is lying or telling the truth." Of course, the obvious comparison will be made to Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964), based on the novel "Red Alert," by Peter George (originally published in the UK as "Two Hours to Doom" under the pseudonym of Peter Bryant). It was not a comedy (nor was it nearly as well-written as the Burdick-Wheeler novel); Kubrick and George turned it into the black comedy classic it became. With Kubrick having substantially more clout than Lumet at that time, George suing Burdick and Wheeler for plagiarism and Columbia Pictures releasing both films, though "Fail-Safe" was 'in the can' first, it was held back - and the movie-going public got to yuck-it-up over the prospect of thermonuclear annihilation. After all, Stanley Kramer's stunning film "On the Beach" (1959) had not yet faded from the public's mind, the Cold War had recently heated to a boil with the Cuban Missile Crisis - and President Kennedy had just been assassinated. People needed to laugh, if even at a black comedy. In large part as a result, "Fail-Safe" was not a box-office success; posterity has treated it quite differently. Niels Bohr's famous quip, "There are things that are so serious that you can only joke about them," notwithstanding, an earnest discussion on trying to avert the total annihilation of the planet is deadly serious - and on every level, "Fail-Safe" remains an outstanding, riveting and truly harrowing film, all too relevant even today - for there is no highly-complex technology that is truly "Fail-Safe." ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2014 by AJ Averett
    • Brilliant Piece of Film
I recall watching this as a teenager during what to me seemed to be the height of the Cold War, sometime around the time The Day After aired in the 1980s. I remember it vividly but upon watching something again so many years later I always prepare myself to be disappointed - but there was no need for that preparation. I was very pleased that this movie was every bit as good as I remembered it. The cast is just stellar and the direction tight and well-done. I especially enjoyed Fonda's performance as the President (who wouldn't have voted for this guy - he just looks like a President) and Larry Hagman's depiction of the translator oddly named just "Buck". The story itself is chilling and (at the time) quite plausible. The effects leave a lot to be desired even for 1964 but as the director's commentary explains the military did not want this film made and prevented the producers from obtaining any accurate footage of planes or the actual locations (White House, SAC headquarters, etc.). The picture quality is acceptable but nothing spectacular with occasional but non-bothersome contrast changes and film splices seen in a good print but without restoration. The special features include a short documentary on the movie featuring George Clooney who produced the live-TV remake done in 2000 (which I have never seen but would now like to). The interviews give some insight into both the cold war and the accompanying blacklisting of writers - one of which wrote this film under a pseudonym. The full length director's commentary yields some interesting insights into the obstacles to making the film (as noted above) and some of his technique including camera positioning and pacing of edits / cuts but overall was a bit less interesting than other director commentary tracks I have listened to. All in all, this is a great film and well worth the purchase - they don't make them like this any more! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2010 by Robert Stone
    • Blast from the past!
As a child of the '50s I can remember when the book came out, reading it and being terrified how the world could end at any minute. When the film was released it showed no softening of the message, but the impact was lost due to the release of Kubric's "Dr Strangelove". Somehow Peter Sellers humourous spin on things coupled with the superb final vision of Slim Pickens riding down on the bomb to the sounds of "We'll meet again" just had everyone I know crying with laughter at the stupidity of it all. Surely nobody would let this sort of thing happen, would they? . Looking at this film again many years later and it seems to have regained it's power to depict the frighteningly easy way in which we can slip into the abyss. The superb acting of Henry Fonda and Walter Mathau bring a terse and well written script to life, with the young Larry Hagman totally believeable as the Presidential interpreter. As we watch events unfolding in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the race of uncontrollable powers in the Third World to produce and stockpile nuclear weapons along with their delivery systems, "Fail Safes" chilling message becomes as relevant today as it did so many years ago. Watch this film, then look at our present day political leaders. Apart from the fashions, has anything changed? The starkness of black and white as opposed to colour filmstock only serves to underline the warning that there is no middle way, we have to choose now as we had to choose then. A superb film that every thinking person will do well to watch and keep alongside "Schindlers List", both as a warning and a lesson. BUY IT! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2007 by Nigel Plunkett
    • A very sobering movie, even after all these years!
I was in grade school in the 60's and I still remember the fallout shelter in the basement of our school and the "duck and cover" drills we did. Even at eight or nine years old it occurred to me that, if there was a nuclear war, getting under your desk probably wasn't going to do you much good! This is a movie about the cold war and it captures the dark paranoia of that time perfectly. The plot was, at the time, a very real concern, it could have happened, and that makes the movie all the more gripping to watch, even now...maybe especially now. The acting is top notch, the special effects are a bit dated but not so much that they take away from the story. By the time you may notice that the B58 on screen may be a model you're way past the point that you care, you're too involved in the story. I've seen this movie several times but I introduced it to my wife for her first time last weekend and it scared the hell out of her...I guess that's the best recommendation I can give it because that was the reason it was made. The only other movie I can remember with as much of a gut punch about this subject is The Day After which was made decades after this movie. If you're looking for a feel-good movie this isn't for you. If you're looking for a cold war thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end this movie is the best you'll find. It's well worth your time, even all these years later. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2019 by KFM
    • Can You Handle the TRUTH?
Possibly the most important movie you'll ever watch. No "happy endings" here, just a good hard dose of reality. I think EVERY living, breathing Human Being on the planet should watch this movie. And if you are a leader of a country, be it President, Prime Minister, King, or whatever you call yourself, you should be REQUIRED to watch this move, before you are allowed to take office. At the front of that line, certainly that young North Korean "Boy-President". Maybe Dennis Rodman could talk some sense to him? This is a movie that might even make the most devout war-monger shut the "F" up! And for you "New Age" parents who want to shield your child from "bad things", you need to sit your child down at the earliest age possible and watch this WITH them (and then, of course, have a discussion with them). I saw this movie first when I was only 10 and even at that age, it made me THINK. This is a safe way to show your kid the "bad" in the world, and what can happen if things get out of hand. If you don't want to impart a dose of reality to them now, don't worry; the World-at-large will do it FOR you, and in a much less polite manner. Everyone's NOT always a "winner" in this world; to teach your kids otherwise is living in "Candyland". But hey, you New Age parent out there, your kid is gonna "get" that when they get their first REJECTION letter from that college they wanted. And sometimes we're ALL losers, as in the case of War, ESPECIALLY Nuclear War. Nobody is doing anyone a favor by "shielding" them from the bad side of Life; you're only depriving them of the TOOLS to know how to deal with it, when you can no longer keep them "safe", and they are confronted with REALITY. I'm one of the most positive people you'll ever meet (I really am), but you don't necessarily get that way by ignoring "the Dark side". In fact, you're more able to deal with the negative aspects in this world if you ADMIT they're there, and RECOGNIZE the fact that ignoring them does NOT make them go away. Otherwise, you just set yourself up to someday be blindsided. It's your choice. Buy this movie. Stream this movie. But if you're still with me and still reading this, you owe it to yourself to WATCH this movie, and turn EVERYONE you know onto this movie. This is based on the same book as the movie "Dr. Strangelove", which dealt with the subject matter in a humorous way. And it's good for satire. But Fail Safe is the REALITY, with all the humor and satire stripped away. Not so pretty, huh? And though it was made in 1964, it's just as topical now as it was then. EVERYONE on Planet Earth who's under the age of 70 has lived under this cloud of sudden death, their entire life, whether they choose to acknowledge it or not. That includes YOU. So please watch this movie. I'm not saying you'll necessarily feel "better", but strangely, I'm not saying you WON'T. You'll certainly come away with a deeper appreciation of Life, and how quickly it can all be taken away, without your control or say-so, by people you don't even know. Or sometimes, maybe by people you DO know... So if you think you CAN handle the TRUTH, I encourage you and your entire family to watch "Fail Safe". Then go watch "50 Shades of Gray"; I'm certainly not telling you to quit watching "important" movies! :-/ ? ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2015 by larry the reviewer
    • Horror movies? Yes we had them when we were kids.
Growing up the 60's in America was carefree but with a looming presence of instantaneous vaporization always in the back of your mind. Each escalation and war of words between the last two super powers increased our anxiety and we said our prayers. Fail Safe captures that tension and the B & W film and the lighting in the war room sets an appropriate mood. Skillful acting completes this perfect film with Fonda as presidential as can be and Hagman as the interpreter/ apparatchik both in the bowels of the Earth under what is presumably the White House. One obscure reference that not everyone notices is the "Matador Dream" in which the American pilot dreams of a matador fighting a bull while the crowd cheers ( all done in soft focus and over-exposed imagery). It is a reference to JFK's observation after the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis that "There are 20,000 people at a bull fight and there's only one person who really knows what's going on, the matador". All and all it is a chilling movie and an ending that is actually more frightening than a realistic depiction of the event.... and of course, that shrill monotone as the credits rise from the bottom of the screen. Buy it, watch it, and thank God you didn't LIVE in it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2020 by Rancho DeLuxe
    • Excellent Movie
A classic cold war story. Intense dialogue. Surprisingly current.
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2026 by T. Nygaard
    • Great old movie.
Great old movie. Some of us old people still watch dvds. 🤫 Picture quality and sound excellent.
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2026 by RF

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