The Manhattan Project (1986)

Director:

Marshall Brickman

Writers:

Marshall Brickman (written by) &
Thomas Baum (written by)

Release Date:

13 June 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Plutonium | Atomic Bomb | Science Fair | Teen

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Deadly Game (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

117 min | West Germany:107 min (video)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:T | Netherlands:6 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Norway:12 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Gladden Entertainment

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."

Goofs:

Continuity: Every time Paul opens the glove box in Dr. Matheson's Mercedes he picks the lock with his nail file, but never locks it again. Since all three happen in the same evening it would make sense that he didn't lock it because he had to open it again to put the stole ID card back. Still he used the nail file to pick the lock again.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sneakers (1992)

Totally unlikable protagonist, waste of time, go rent Wargames!

Tedious, preachy movie with bratty, smug, arrogant protagonist... you're hoping, hoping, hoping that he gets killed! Only John Lithgow is any good, but they give him a lame, self-righteous and overly long speech at the end... don't waste your time... go rent Wargames! A much better and smarter anti-war film!