Following on the heels of THE CHINA SYNDROME the year before, THE PLUTONIUM INCIDENT tells the tale of sinister goings-on at a plutonium reprocessing facility. While it has a good cast, the story is strictly standard with the usual corporate bad guys, the crusading female protester, and the evil government agency.
Sunny and cheerful Judith Longden (Janet Margolin) takes a new job at a reprocessing plant in Oregon. Soon she hooks up with Art Reeves (Bo Hopkins) and begins to uncover frightening evidence of hazardous working conditions and associated cover-ups. They are also joined by Harry Skirvan (Joseph Campanella) in their fight for justice. Longden's house is invaded by industry thugs wearing protective suits, she is subjected to humiliating medical tests, and a sinister Nuclear Regulatory Commission guy (J.A. Preston) abducts her and threatens all kinds of consequences if she doesn't shut up. Longden ends up dead, after which the facility is demolished by a crew with a wrecking ball.
I kept waiting for a satisfying payoff to all of this, but it never came. The film's abrupt, vague and unsatisfactory ending just left me wondering what the rest of the movie was about. The basic plot with evil, shadowy industrialists and government bureaucrats threatening innocent workers has been used so many times that the edge is gone. Still, seeing the late Ms. Margolin is always worthwhile, and the rest of the cast is very good. This film is no classic but it will keep your attention for an hour and a half, especially if you appreciate suspense films.
Sunny and cheerful Judith Longden (Janet Margolin) takes a new job at a reprocessing plant in Oregon. Soon she hooks up with Art Reeves (Bo Hopkins) and begins to uncover frightening evidence of hazardous working conditions and associated cover-ups. They are also joined by Harry Skirvan (Joseph Campanella) in their fight for justice. Longden's house is invaded by industry thugs wearing protective suits, she is subjected to humiliating medical tests, and a sinister Nuclear Regulatory Commission guy (J.A. Preston) abducts her and threatens all kinds of consequences if she doesn't shut up. Longden ends up dead, after which the facility is demolished by a crew with a wrecking ball.
I kept waiting for a satisfying payoff to all of this, but it never came. The film's abrupt, vague and unsatisfactory ending just left me wondering what the rest of the movie was about. The basic plot with evil, shadowy industrialists and government bureaucrats threatening innocent workers has been used so many times that the edge is gone. Still, seeing the late Ms. Margolin is always worthwhile, and the rest of the cast is very good. This film is no classic but it will keep your attention for an hour and a half, especially if you appreciate suspense films.