Day One (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers (WGA):

Peter Wyden (book)
David W. Rintels (teleplay)

Release Date:

5 March 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard leaves Europe, eventually arriving in the United States. With the help of Einstein...

Plot Keywords:

Physicist | Atomic Bomb | Europe | Robert Oppenheimer | Manhattan Project

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win

Cast

Brian Dennehy	...	Gen. Leslie Groves
David Strathairn	...	J. Robert Oppenheimer
Michael Tucker	...	Leo Szilard
Hume Cronyn	...	James F. Byrnes
Richard Dysart	...	President Harry S. Truman
Hal Holbrook	...	Gen. George Marshall
Barnard Hughes	...	Secretary Stimpson
John McMartin	...	Dr. Arthur Compton
David Ogden Stiers	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Anne Twomey	...	Kitty Oppenheimer
Lawrence Dane
Ron Frazier	...	Colonel Pash
Olek Krupa	...	Edward Teller
Bernie McInerney
John Pielmeier	...	Seth

Also Known As:

Hiroshima (UK) (DVD title)

Runtime:

141 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Spelling Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: During the flight to Hiroshima, the footage alternates between a B-29 and a B-17. The B-17 engines are staggered on the wing from the fuselage, while the B-29 engines are straight on the wing.

Quotes:

[before the Trinity test, to Oppenheimer]
Gen. Leslie Groves: Robert - don't you ever worry the war will be over before the bomb is ready to drop?

Excellent Historical Documentary

This is the best of the atomic-bomb movies, and unfortunately still only available in VHS. Dennehy's performance as General Groves and Strathairn (of Good Night and Good Luck) does an amazing job as Oppenheimer. The characterizations are not the usual Hollywood clichés of professional people and their behavior. Real scientists and generals do not stop to have melodramatic arguments with stilted language, as in "Fat Man and Little Boy".

It is also just an excellent job of portraying the history and science, but still remains a gripping human drama. We see the origins of the project in Europe, getting Einstein to write to the president, the issue of Soviet spies and Germany's failed efforts are described accurately, and the technical issues in building the bomb are accurate and interesting.