Exciting drama on a nuclear plot includes intelligent dialog , brilliant cinematography in white and black , appropriate sets and sensational performances . Cold War tensions climb to a fever pitch when a U.S. bomber is accidentally ordered to drop a nuclear warhead on Moscow . A technical malfunction in the Pentagon's strategic control system causes an erroneous order to be sent to a B-52 squadron on a routine training mission instructing the bombers to fly beyond their fail safe distance . The bombers (which are called "Vindicators" in the novel) mercilessly head their objective . As the leaders of the two countries grapple for some kind of solution as time runs out .
Classic dark anti-war drama with magnificent acting by all-star-cast , acceptable production design and masterfully realized by the always original and great Sidney Lumet . It was originally conceived as a tense as well as thrilling thriller about the possibility of accidental nuclear war . This nail-biting film contains thrills , suspense , intrigue and results a be pretty interesting . Columbia Pictures produced both this movie and Doctor Strangelove .. (1964). Director Stanley Kubrick insisted his movie be released first, and it was, in January 1964 . When Fail safe (1964) was released, it garnered excellent reviews, but audiences found it unintentionally funny because of "Strangelove", and stayed away . Henry Fonda later said he would never have made this movie if he had seen "Strangelove" first, because he would have laughed too . All shots of US Air Force "Vindicator" bombers are views of the same Convair B-58 Hustler, taken from a stock piece of film after the Department of Defense declined to cooperate with the filmmakers . B-52 and B-58 Stratofortress bombers were featured in a number of films before and afterward, notably A Gathering of Eagles (1963), Doctor Strangelove (1964) , By Dawn's Early Light (1990) and the first Bombers B 52 (1957) . In fact , in the early 1960s the B-52 , B-58 were cutting-edge technology . Access to it was a matter of national security , the Pentagon refused to lend any support to the film after they read the script , as set designers reconstructed the B-58 bomber's cockpit from photographs . The big screen in the control room at Omaha was entirely front-projection, and had to be very carefully contrasted to appear clearly on black and white film . This posed a problem for the crew, as the air in the room had to be totally clear of dust so as not to disrupt the image . The screen in the war-room used the same film-stock but was rear-projection . Cast and support actors are very good , giving sensational acting such as Henry Fonda as The President , Dan O'Herlihy , Walter Matthau , Frank Overton , Larry Hagman , Edward Binns , Russell Collins , feature film debut of Fritz Weaver and Dana Elcar's first film role . Henry Fonda eventually saw this as one of his favorite performances and many fans consider it some of his best work on-screen . The film has no music - either score or source music - whatsoever. Adequate as well atmospheric cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld . The motion picture was stunningly directed by Sidney Lumet , as research, he read a lot of books about nuclear war .
This film had a remake with all-star-cast ¨Fail safe¨(2000) TV by Stephen Frears with Richard Dreyfuss as President , Noah Wyle , Brian Dennehy , Sam Elliott , James Cromwell , John Diehl , Hank Azaria , Norman Lloyd , Bill Smitrovich , Don Cheadle , Harvey Keitel and George Clooney .
Classic dark anti-war drama with magnificent acting by all-star-cast , acceptable production design and masterfully realized by the always original and great Sidney Lumet . It was originally conceived as a tense as well as thrilling thriller about the possibility of accidental nuclear war . This nail-biting film contains thrills , suspense , intrigue and results a be pretty interesting . Columbia Pictures produced both this movie and Doctor Strangelove .. (1964). Director Stanley Kubrick insisted his movie be released first, and it was, in January 1964 . When Fail safe (1964) was released, it garnered excellent reviews, but audiences found it unintentionally funny because of "Strangelove", and stayed away . Henry Fonda later said he would never have made this movie if he had seen "Strangelove" first, because he would have laughed too . All shots of US Air Force "Vindicator" bombers are views of the same Convair B-58 Hustler, taken from a stock piece of film after the Department of Defense declined to cooperate with the filmmakers . B-52 and B-58 Stratofortress bombers were featured in a number of films before and afterward, notably A Gathering of Eagles (1963), Doctor Strangelove (1964) , By Dawn's Early Light (1990) and the first Bombers B 52 (1957) . In fact , in the early 1960s the B-52 , B-58 were cutting-edge technology . Access to it was a matter of national security , the Pentagon refused to lend any support to the film after they read the script , as set designers reconstructed the B-58 bomber's cockpit from photographs . The big screen in the control room at Omaha was entirely front-projection, and had to be very carefully contrasted to appear clearly on black and white film . This posed a problem for the crew, as the air in the room had to be totally clear of dust so as not to disrupt the image . The screen in the war-room used the same film-stock but was rear-projection . Cast and support actors are very good , giving sensational acting such as Henry Fonda as The President , Dan O'Herlihy , Walter Matthau , Frank Overton , Larry Hagman , Edward Binns , Russell Collins , feature film debut of Fritz Weaver and Dana Elcar's first film role . Henry Fonda eventually saw this as one of his favorite performances and many fans consider it some of his best work on-screen . The film has no music - either score or source music - whatsoever. Adequate as well atmospheric cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld . The motion picture was stunningly directed by Sidney Lumet , as research, he read a lot of books about nuclear war .
This film had a remake with all-star-cast ¨Fail safe¨(2000) TV by Stephen Frears with Richard Dreyfuss as President , Noah Wyle , Brian Dennehy , Sam Elliott , James Cromwell , John Diehl , Hank Azaria , Norman Lloyd , Bill Smitrovich , Don Cheadle , Harvey Keitel and George Clooney .