IMDb > The Manhattan Project (1986)
The Manhattan Project
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The Manhattan Project (1986) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   2,127 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 16% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Marshall Brickman

Writers:

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

Contact:

View company contact information for The Manhattan Project on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

13 June 1986 (USA) more

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. more

Plot:

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

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination more

NewsDesk:

Back to the H-Bomb
 (From ioncinema. 16 February 2006)

User Comments:

Totally unlikable protagonist, waste of time, go rent Wargames! more (25 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

Deadly Game (USA) (video title)
more

Runtime:

117 min | West Germany:107 min (video)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby


Fun Stuff

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." more

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. 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.
more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sneakers (1992) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
Totally unlikable protagonist, waste of time, go rent Wargames!, 28 August 2003
1/10
Author: fishboy266 from United States

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!

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (25 total)

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