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The China Syndrome (1979)
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Overview
Release Date:
16 March 1979 (USA) moreTagline:
Today, only a handful of people know what it means... Soon you will know.Plot:
A reporter finds what appears to be a cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant. full summary | full synopsis (warning! may contain spoilers)Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations moreUser Comments:
Nuclear nightmare moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Jane Fonda | ... | Kimberly Wells | |
| Jack Lemmon | ... | Jack Godell | |
| Michael Douglas | ... | Richard Adams | |
| Scott Brady | ... | Herman De Young | |
| James Hampton | ... | Bill Gibson | |
| Peter Donat | ... | Don Jacovich | |
| Wilford Brimley | ... | Ted Spindler | |
| Richard Herd | ... | Evan Mc Cormack | |
| Daniel Valdez | ... | Hector Salas | |
| Stan Bohrman | ... | Pete Martin | |
| James Karen | ... | Mac Churchill | |
| Michael Alaimo | ... | Greg Minor | |
| Donald Hotton | ... | Dr. Elliott Lowell | |
| Khalilah Ali | ... | Marge | |
| Paul Larson | ... | D.B. Royce |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
122 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
UK:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:ALMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In the scene where Jack Godell notices that he is being followed while he is on his way to speak to the regulatory committee, he uses a speeding firetruck to make his break for freedom...That truck was "Engine 51" from the hit T.V. show, "Emergency!" (1972) moreGoofs:
Continuity: When meeting about what to do with the film the next day, a paper leans against Rich's coffee cup, but is gone a moment later. moreQuotes:
Greg Minor: [re evidence of a nuclear power plant accident] I may be wrong, but I'd say you're lucky to be alive. For that matter, I think we might say the same for the rest of Southern California. moreSoundtrack:
Somewhere in Between moreFAQ
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When THE CHINA SYNDROME was released, plenty of right-wing critics and pro-nuke supporters blasted this film, particularly since its three leading stars were all known for their liberal politics and their overt distrust of nuclear power. But it only took two weeks and a near-catastrophic accident at Three Mile Island to shut those critics up.
Fonda and Douglas are the L.A. news crew that witness a potentially nasty accident at the Ventana nuclear power plant. Douglas films the event through the plant's soundproof glass; but the TV station will not air the footage, fearing a massive lawsuit. It is thus up to Fonda and Douglas to get at the truth, despite a massive attempt by the plant's owners to cover up the accident.
But a conscientious shift supervisor (Jack Lemmon) has uncovered certain defects in the plant's pump support structure. He believes that these defects were the cause of the accident and that, though it would be extremely costly and lengthy, if repairs aren't made, the next accident could be apocalyptic. But he can't get anyone who works with him to believe his story. The result is a nightmarish climax that pulls various political, technological, and human interest stories together in one disturbing package.
While obviously quite politically liberal in nature, THE CHINA SYNDROME, well directed and co-written by James Bridges (THE PAPER CHASE), is also fundamentally a message movie about the inherent dangers of putting technology and nuclear power together. Fundamentally, nuclear power can NEVER be made safe because people can NEVER be perfect. That is what the film is saying; and in a highly entertaining and suspenseful way, it says it brilliantly.