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The Manhattan Project (1986)

PG_13  117 min  -  Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller   -  13 June 1986 (USA)
5.9
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Ratings: 5.9/10 from 2,670 users  
Reviews: 27 user | 19 critic

A teen and his girlfriend make an atomic bomb with plutonium stolen from a scientist dating his mother.

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1 win & 1 nomination See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Lithgow ...
John Mathewson
Richard Council ...
Government
Robert Schenkkan Robert Schenkkan ...
Government Aide
Paul Austin Paul Austin ...
General
Adrian Sparks Adrian Sparks ...
Scientist
Curt Dempster Curt Dempster ...
Scientist
Bran Ferren Bran Ferren ...
Lab Assistant
Christopher Collet Christopher Collet ...
Jill Eikenberry ...
Elizabeth Stephens
Cynthia Nixon ...
Jenny Anderman
Gregg Edelman Gregg Edelman ...
Science Teacher
Abraham Unger Abraham Unger ...
Roland (as Abe Unger)
Robert Sean Leonard ...
Max (as Robert Leonard)
David Quinn David Quinn ...
Tennis
Geoffrey Nauffts ...
Craig
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Storyline

Boy meets scientist. Boy breaks into lab. Boy steals plutonium. Boy builds nuclear device. Scientist becomes mildly alarmed. Boy enters bomb in Science Fair. For the rest of the saga, you just have to see it to believe it. Written by Tim Kretschmann <Tim.K@VirComm.com>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Plutonium | Atomic Bomb | Science Fair | Teen  | See more »

Taglines:

The switch is set... The clock has started... Time's running out! See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Deadly Game See more »

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA See more »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,503,000 (USA) (13 June 1986) (827 Screens)

Gross:

$3,900,000 (USA)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gladden Entertainment See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | West Germany: (video)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Dr. Matthewson's line, "fellow sons of bitches," is a reference to original Manhattan Project scientist Kenneth Bainbridge. Following the first successful test explosion of an atomic bomb on July 16, 1945, Bainbridge said to fellow project scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, "Now we are all sons of bitches." See more »

Goofs

Continuity: When Paul picks up the toy car with the Plutonium he is kneeling on his knees in the dirt. There was just a very heavy rain storm, yet his pants are dry around the knees when he stands up. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. John Matthewson: Now, the beta synchrotron sends the electrons through this magnet which bends the course of them down to the reaction vessel. Stay away from that elbow joint. All right. Bran, you want to get that? Now, this is a tunable excimer laser. It's tuned to the exact resonance of the plutonium-239 that's in the reaction vessel down at that end. Now, I think we're all set. Hit it.
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Connections

Features The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence (1975) See more »