The Day After (1983)

The effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas.

Director:

Nicholas Meyer

Writer:

Edward Hume

Stars:

Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Robards	...	Dr. Russell Oakes
JoBeth Williams	...	Nurse Nancy Bauer
Steve Guttenberg	...	Stephen Klein (as Steven Guttenberg)
John Cullum	...	Jim Dahlberg
John Lithgow	...	Joe Huxley
Bibi Besch	...	Eve Dahlberg
Lori Lethin	...	Denise Dahlberg
Amy Madigan	...	Alison Ransom
Jeff East	...	Bruce Gallatin
Georgann Johnson	...	Helen Oakes
William Allen Young	...	Airman Billy McCoy
Calvin Jung	...	Dr. Sam Hachiya
Lin McCarthy	...	Dr. Austin
Dennis Lipscomb	...	Reverend Walker
Clayton Day	...	Dennis Hendry

Storyline

The frightening story of the weeks leading up to and following a nuclear strike on the United States. The bulk of the activity centers around the town of Lawrence, Kansas.

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Plot Keywords:

mass death | wmd | fallout | nuclear war | nuclear holocaust | 

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Taglines:

The most watched television movie in history. Tonight, relive the story of a day beyond imagining.

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the original telecast, the ending disclaimer had a paragraph that been omitted from all home video version of the film: "In it's [sic] presentation ABC has taken no position as to how such an event can be initiated or avoided."

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Goofs

The uniforms the Air Force enlisted men are wearing are wrong. They are wearing "colored" Strategic Air Command patches on their right breast pocket when they should be subdued, none of the missile mechanics are wearing their missile maintenance badge, also known as a "pocket rocket" patch on their left breast pocket, and the two security policemen are not wearing their subdued police badge patches on their left breast pockets and have "SP" stenciled on their fatigue hats. Security policemen wear berets.

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Quotes

Airman Billy McCoy: Where you going?
Man from Leeton: Holden.
Airman Billy McCoy: Oh, yeah? How come?
Man from Leeton: P-People there.
Airman Billy McCoy: How do you know?
Man from Leeton: Man with a C.B. back in Leeton.
Airman Billy McCoy: You from Leeton? How's Sedalia?
[the man doesn't respond]
Airman Billy McCoy: I said, how's Sedalia?
Man from Leeton: There ain't no Sedalia. No Greenridge. No Windsor. No nothin'.

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Crazy Credits

[After movie has ended, before end credits.] The catastrophic events you have just witnessed are, in all likelihood, less severe than the destruction that would actually occur in the event of a full nuclear strike against the United States. It is hoped that the images of this film will inspire the nations of this earth, their peoples, and leaders to find the means to avert that fateful day.

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Alternate Versions

First broadcast without commercial interruption after the nuclear attack sequence.

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Connections

Featured in The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments (2004)

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Soundtracks

Music from 'The River'
by Virgil Thomson
Arranged by David Raksin (uncredited)

User Reviews

Too late to duck and cover

When I watched this TV movie in 1983, I was 34 years old. I thought this really could happen. I remembered when I was 13 years old during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I tried not to feel the seriousness of that scenario, but all the adults around me, I can actually remember seeing the fear in their faces. My teacher at school was unbelievable. She stood in front of class and put her face in her hands and said it doesn't look good. She said she didn't think anybody would survive another week. In 1983, I was working as a administrative assistant. My boss was a retired staff sergeant from the USAF. The day after watching the movie, I went to work and talked briefly with my boss about the movie. I looked at him and said something like this cannot happen, someone or some people need to keep this from happening. He looked at me and said maybe so, but we're ready. I was expecting something a little more compassionate. I'll never forget that.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Day After

Filming Locations:

De Soto, Kansas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Circle Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min 120 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1