Dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear war was not a new theme at the time this movie came out. This was, however, one of the first films to deal with it in such a graphic manner. Consequently, it made for a most disturbing film.
The movie is really divided into three parts. The first part, the "day before" as it were, sets up the situation of a rapidly deteriorating diplomatic situation between the USA and the Soviet Union. While that is happening, we are introduced to the main characters of the movie. Dr. Russell Oakes (Jason Robards) is chief surgeon at a hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. His wife, Helen (Georgann Johnson), worries aloud as to whether or not the Soviet Union will bomb the USA. Meanwhile, on a farm outside of Lawrence, the Dahlbergs, Jim (John Cullum) and Eve (Bibi Besch) are preparing for the wedding of their daughter, Denise (Lori Lethin). And a soldier tries to prepare his wife for the worst, should it happen. The second part, the "day of" starts with the silos actually launching nuclear weapons at the Soviet Union. Panic ensues in Lawrence as the population realizes that the Soviet bombs are on their way. And then the bombs hit, and we watch destruction of many kinds on a massive scale. The third part, the actual "day after" takes place in the aftermath of the bombing. Society as we know it has been obliterated. Power, food, and clean water are unavailable. Dr. Oakes finds his way to the hospital eventually, only to become sick with both radiation and exhaustion trying to treat people in the aftermath of the bombing. The Dahlbergs hide in their basement, are stumbled upon by a survivor named Stephen Klein (Steve Guttenberg), who eventually takes Denise and her brother, Danny (Doug Scott) to the hospital when they are in need of medical attention. However, as the movie progresses it is clear that there is little that can be done for them. The rules of society dissolve under the pressure to survive and by the end it is kill or be killed. In the final scene, Dr. Oakes returns to the rubble that once was his house, and finds his wife's watch. Crying, "Helen!" he breaks down, showing the ultimate realization that his old life is gone for good.
This was a disturbing film, and no effort was made to sugar coat it. If anything, it underplayed the severity of such a happening. Still, it presents a grim portrait of what could happen if we're not careful, and as such, that is commendable. My only real complaint is that John Dahlberg's behavior seems out of character when he comes upon the squatters on his land. It seems more likely he would have fired the first shot, rather than try to reason with them and allow himself to be killed. Otherwise, there's not much to find fault with. This is a grim subject, and it was handled with appropriate starkness.
The acting in the movie was fairly good. Robards was always a talented performer, and he gives the same commitment to his role in this film. JoBeth Williams also turns in a fine performance on one of her last films before she became a well known star. The rest of the performances tend to be a little more bland, but then the cautionary tale of what could happen was more important in this movie, hence the lack of well known star power.
The depiction of the bombing was dazzling - a series of images, each more disturbing than the one before, coming at you without a break in between, without dialogue, without stop until the silence after the last bomb has fallen. Chillingly effective.
This was a movie that wanted to catch the collective conscience of the American public, and at the time, I think it did just that. It is perhaps not the best movie ever made, but it is certainly one of the most important.
The movie is really divided into three parts. The first part, the "day before" as it were, sets up the situation of a rapidly deteriorating diplomatic situation between the USA and the Soviet Union. While that is happening, we are introduced to the main characters of the movie. Dr. Russell Oakes (Jason Robards) is chief surgeon at a hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. His wife, Helen (Georgann Johnson), worries aloud as to whether or not the Soviet Union will bomb the USA. Meanwhile, on a farm outside of Lawrence, the Dahlbergs, Jim (John Cullum) and Eve (Bibi Besch) are preparing for the wedding of their daughter, Denise (Lori Lethin). And a soldier tries to prepare his wife for the worst, should it happen. The second part, the "day of" starts with the silos actually launching nuclear weapons at the Soviet Union. Panic ensues in Lawrence as the population realizes that the Soviet bombs are on their way. And then the bombs hit, and we watch destruction of many kinds on a massive scale. The third part, the actual "day after" takes place in the aftermath of the bombing. Society as we know it has been obliterated. Power, food, and clean water are unavailable. Dr. Oakes finds his way to the hospital eventually, only to become sick with both radiation and exhaustion trying to treat people in the aftermath of the bombing. The Dahlbergs hide in their basement, are stumbled upon by a survivor named Stephen Klein (Steve Guttenberg), who eventually takes Denise and her brother, Danny (Doug Scott) to the hospital when they are in need of medical attention. However, as the movie progresses it is clear that there is little that can be done for them. The rules of society dissolve under the pressure to survive and by the end it is kill or be killed. In the final scene, Dr. Oakes returns to the rubble that once was his house, and finds his wife's watch. Crying, "Helen!" he breaks down, showing the ultimate realization that his old life is gone for good.
This was a disturbing film, and no effort was made to sugar coat it. If anything, it underplayed the severity of such a happening. Still, it presents a grim portrait of what could happen if we're not careful, and as such, that is commendable. My only real complaint is that John Dahlberg's behavior seems out of character when he comes upon the squatters on his land. It seems more likely he would have fired the first shot, rather than try to reason with them and allow himself to be killed. Otherwise, there's not much to find fault with. This is a grim subject, and it was handled with appropriate starkness.
The acting in the movie was fairly good. Robards was always a talented performer, and he gives the same commitment to his role in this film. JoBeth Williams also turns in a fine performance on one of her last films before she became a well known star. The rest of the performances tend to be a little more bland, but then the cautionary tale of what could happen was more important in this movie, hence the lack of well known star power.
The depiction of the bombing was dazzling - a series of images, each more disturbing than the one before, coming at you without a break in between, without dialogue, without stop until the silence after the last bomb has fallen. Chillingly effective.
This was a movie that wanted to catch the collective conscience of the American public, and at the time, I think it did just that. It is perhaps not the best movie ever made, but it is certainly one of the most important.