Fail Safe (1964)
USA 112m, B&W
Director: Sidney Lumet; Cast: Henry Fonda, Dan O’Herlihy, Walter Matthau, Edward Binns, Larry Hagman, Dom DeLuise
Once employed, Fail Safe is a strategic procedure that is designed to ensure that a mission is accomplished no matter what the circumstances. In the case of the film, the unforeseen consequences of this strategy are devastating. As a fictional scenario set at the height of the Soviet-American tensions, Fail Safe – the movie is a cautionary tale about an over reliance on technology – a theme that continues to be a mainstay in science fiction. While not as well-known or respected as Dr. Strangelove, it is a tremendously tense and shocking film which now provides a historical glimpse of the 1960s nuclear powered Cold War paranoia (Klaus Ming April 2010).
5 comments on “Fail Safe (1964)”
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Notwithstanding the similarities to Dr. Strangelove, this film really does belong on the 1001 movie list.
One of my all time favorites — Kubrick apparently prevented the studio from releasing Fail-Safe before Dr. Strangelove because of the similarities pf plot (obviously the tone is somewhat different — hehe).
You can say that again! Failsafe is one of scariest movies ever made.
I love the camera work at the end! Harrowing… in a restrained yet gripping way.
The screeching sound is what gets to me.