The Day After (1983 TV Movie)

John Lithgow: Joe Huxley

Photos 

Quotes 

• [intercontinental ballistic missiles are being fired] 

  Cynthia : What's going on?

  Joe Huxley : Those are Minuteman missiles!

  Cynthia : Like a test, sort of... like a warning?

  Joe Huxley : [shakes his head, staring at the missiles in awe and disbelief]  They're on their way to Russia. They take about 30 minutes to reach their target.

  Aldo : So do theirs, right?

• Joe Huxley : You know what Einstein said about World War III? He said he didn't know how they were gonna fight World War III, but he knew how they would fight World War IV: With sticks and stones.

• Vinnie Conrad : The thing that bothers me is that damn "launch-on-warning".

  Bruce Gallatin : What's that?

  Vinnie Conrad : That's when one side tells the other that they're gonna fire their missiles as soon as they think the other guy's missiles are already on their way.

  Joe Huxley : You know. Use 'em or lose 'em.

  Bruce Gallatin : [nervously]  What do you really think the chances are of something like that happening way the hell out here in the middle of nowhere?

  Joe Huxley : Nowhere?

  [chuckles] 

  Joe Huxley : There's no "nowhere" anymore. You're sitting next to the Whiteman Air Force Base right now. That's about... 150 Minuteman missile silos spread halfway down the State of Missouri. That's... an awful lot of bullseyes.

• Joe Huxley : [over a citizens band radio at the University of Kansas]  I have an atmosphere report for anybody who's listening. Dr. Oakes, do you read? Come in, Dr. Oakes, do you hear me?

  Dr. Russell Oakes : Yes, Joe.

  Joe Huxley : We are holding fast at just a hair under 50 rads per hour. I thought that it would have diminished by now. I guess that means we're picking up fallout from... Titan missile bases in Wichita... wherever else out west. That's the way the wind blows - straight toward St. Louis.

  Dr. Russell Oakes : When will it be safe to move people to other buildings?

  Joe Huxley : It'll never be safe.

  Dr. Russell Oakes : Come on, Joe.

  Joe Huxley : Wait 'til it gets under two rads per hour. If and when. Have you picked up anybody else on your, on your end?

  Dr. Russell Oakes : Not a soul.

  Joe Huxley : [continues broadcasting]  This is Lawrence. This is Lawrence, Kansas. Is anybody there? Anybody at all?

• [last lines] 

  Joe Huxley : [speaking into his shortwave radio]  Hello. Is anybody there? Anybody at all?