The Manhattan Project (1986)

A high school prodigy builds an atomic bomb with stolen plutonium to win the 45th National Science Fair and expose a nuclear weapons lab posing as nuclear medicine in Ithaca NY.

Director:

Marshall Brickman

Writers:

Marshall Brickman, Thomas Baum

Stars:

John Lithgow, Christopher Collet, Richard Council

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Lithgow	...	John Mathewson
Richard Council	...	Government Aide
Robert Schenkkan	...	Government Aide
Paul Austin	...	General
Adrian Sparks	...	Scientist
Curt Dempster	...	Scientist
Bran Ferren	...	Lab Assistant
Christopher Collet	...	Paul Stephens
Jill Eikenberry	...	Elizabeth Stephens
Cynthia Nixon	...	Jenny Anderman
Gregg Edelman	...	Science Teacher
Abraham Unger	...	Roland (as Abe Unger)
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Max (as Robert Leonard)
David Quinn	...	Tennis
Geoffrey Nauffts	...	Craig

Storyline

A high school prodigy builds an atomic bomb with stolen plutonium to win the 45th National Science Fair and expose a nuclear weapons lab posing as nuclear medicine in Ithaca NY.

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | plutonium | atomic bomb | scientist | cell phone | 

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Taglines:

The switch is set... The clock has started... Time's running out!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Deadly Game

Filming Locations:

85 Main Street, Haverstraw, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,503,000, 13 June 1986, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$3,900,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gladden Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 107 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the opening credit sequence, a DeLorean automobile is clearly visible, a possible nod to Back to the Future (1985) which had been released the previous year. Both movies' plots revolved around plutonium.

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Goofs

When Paul picks up the toy car with the Plutonium he is kneeling on his knees in the dirt. There was just a very heavy rain storm, yet his pants are dry around the knees when he stands up.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. John Matthewson: Now, the beta synchrotron sends the electrons through this magnet which bends the course of them down to the reaction vessel. Stay away from that elbow joint. All right. Bran, you want to get that? Now, this is a tunable excimer laser. It's tuned to the exact resonance of the plutonium-239 that's in the reaction vessel down at that end. Now, I think we're all set. Hit it.

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Connections

Features Two for the Road (1967)

User Reviews

Plutonium Grade Movie

Two important names in this film one is mega star John Lithgow & little known Christopher Collet. Both do a great job in a film that really is a thrill ride. John Lithgow has been in numerous films most of them big time films. Christopher Collet has been in about 10 films but this one being the most notable. Even by todays higher movie standards the film is still very watchable. It really is worth a look. The story is about a whiz kid that decides to build a nuclear weapon to win a New York science fair. He uses some very clever tactics to get some of the purest but most dangerous plutonium ever created. What happens when your walking around with a bomb capable of killing millions of people, well for one thing, everyone wants to stop you. So check out a fun weekend afternoon movie that is family friendly.