Fail Safe (2000) (TV)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

Eugene Burdick (novel) and
Harvey Wheeler (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Cold War tensions climb to a fever pitch when a U.S. bomber is accidentally ordered to drop a nuclear warhead on Moscow. |

Plot Keywords:

Cold War | Nuclear Holocaust | Live Broadcast | Doomsday | Nuclear Threat

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Walter Cronkite	...	Himself - Host
Richard Dreyfuss	...	President
Noah Wyle	...	Buck
Brian Dennehy	...	Gen. Bogan
Sam Elliott	...	Congressman Raskob
James Cromwell	...	Gordon Knapp
John Diehl	...	Col. Cascio
Hank Azaria	...	Prof. Groeteschele
Norman Lloyd	...	Defense Secretary Swenson
Bill Smitrovich	...	Gen. Stark (as William Smitrovich)
Don Cheadle	...	Lt. Jimmy Pierce
George Clooney	...	Col. Jack Grady
Harvey Keitel	...	Brig. Gen. Warren Black
Doris Belack	...	Mrs. Johnson
Grant Heslov	...	Jimmy
Tommy Hinkley	...	SM Sgt. Collins
Thom Mathews	...	Billy Flynn
Cynthia Ettinger	...	Betty Black
Will Rothhaar	...	Tommy Grady
Rick Cramer
Gregory Sporleder
Joe Coyle
Alfred A. Buckles
Ilia Volok	...	(voice)
Yevgeni Lazarev	...	(voice) (as Eugene Lazarev)
John Philbin	...	(voice)
Matt Adler	...	(voice)
John Vargas	...	(voice)
Chris Hendrie	...	(voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johnny Bolton	...	Maj. Lande (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Frears

Writing credits (WGA)
Eugene Burdick		(novel) and
Harvey Wheeler		(novel)
Walter Bernstein		(teleplay)

Produced by
Walter Bernstein	....	co-executive producer
George Clooney	....	executive producer
Amy Minda Cohen	....	coordinating producer
Tom Park	....	producer
Harvey Wheeler	....	co-executive producer
Eric J. Wilker	....	associate producer
Pamela Oas Williams	....	executive producer
Laura Ziskin	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo		(as John Alonzo)

Casting by
Barbara Miller
Anthony Sepulveda

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Troy Sizemore

Set Decoration by
Alice Baker

Costume Design by
Molly Maginnis

Makeup Department
Kim M. Ferry	....	key hair stylist
Myke Michaels	....	key makeup artist
Allen Payne	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wendy Acey	....	associate director (as Wendy Charles Acey)

Art Department
Pam Cartmel	....	art department coordinator
Dianne Chadwick	....	graphic designer
Barry Franenberg	....	property master
A. Todd Holland	....	set designer
Gregory S. Hooper	....	set designer (as Greg Hooper)
Michael E. Johnson	....	set dresser
Bobby Mara	....	propmaker
John McElroy	....	props
Christopher Schultz	....	set dresser
Dawn Swiderski	....	set designer
Mark Vitale	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Peter Baird	....	sound effects mixer
Ed Greene	....	production audio mixer
Ed Greene	....	sound
Hugh Healy	....	production sound mixer
Larry Reed	....	production sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Theodore Ashton	....	camera operator
David Chameides	....	Steadicam operator
David Chameides	....	camera operator
Rocky Danielson	....	camera operator
Julian de la Pena	....	dimmer board operator
Sam Drummy	....	camera operator
Dave Eastwood	....	camera operator
Thomas Geren	....	camera operator
Hank Geving	....	camera operator
Larry Heider	....	camera operator
David Irete	....	camera operator
Kim Killingsworth	....	lighting designer
David Levisohn	....	camera operator
John O'Brien	....	video controller
Wayne Orr	....	camera operator
Bill Philbin	....	camera operator
Hector Ramirez	....	camera operator
Chuck Reilly	....	video controller
Dennis Turner	....	camera operator
Kelly Waldman	....	gaffer
Earl Woody	....	lighting department
Easter Xua	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Barbara Miller	....	executive in charge of casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Javier Arrieta	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Anne V. Coates	....	editorial consultant

Other crew
Will Bardelli	....	associate director
Francesco Belfiore	....	personal assistant: Harvey Keitel
Gilbert Beliso	....	production assistant
Alfred A. Buckles	....	military advisor
Steve Burgess	....	stage manager
Neil Clark	....	computer graphic artist
Richard Clark	....	computer playback supervisor
Rupert Cole	....	set production assistant
Gene Crowe	....	technical director
Tim Kettle	....	associate director
Chris Kiley	....	stage manager
Tami Kumin	....	key set production assistant
Harve Levine	....	stage manager
Scott Morgan	....	production assistant
Dency Nelson	....	stage manager
Paolo Paci	....	production assistant
Martin Pasetta	....	director: live broadcast (as Martin A. Pasetta Jr.)
Vince Poxon	....	stage manager
Shannon Ratcliffe	....	assistant: Mr. Clooney
Jason Roberts	....	stage manager
Kris Sheets	....	script supervisor
Allison L. Staak	....	production coordinator
Ken Stein	....	stage manager
Debbie Williams	....	stage manager
Ethel Winant	....	executive consultant
Justin Yungfleisch	....	production coordinator
Marla Zack	....	script coordinator
Troy Hartman	....	stand-in: Mr. Clooney (uncredited)
Denis O'Sullivan	....	assistant: Harvey Keitel (uncredited)
Jon Sperry	....	dialect coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Maysville Pictures
• Warner Bros. Television (in association with)

Distributors

• CHEK-TV (2000) (Canada) (TV) (British Columbia)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2000) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Inter Video  computer graphic images

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (TV rating) | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | Finland:K-10

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Maysville Pictures

Trivia:

In the archive footage, the bombers (which are called "Vindicators" in the novel) are actually B-58 Hustler supersonic bombers.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Buck begins translating, he begins speaking *immediately* upon hearing the Soviet premier speak, betraying the fact that he's just reciting lines in a script. A real translator would need to listen to most of the first sentence before speaking, especially with languages that place the verb at or near the end of the sentence, as most languages other than English do.

Quotes:

Tommy Grady, Col. Grady's Son: Dad! How long is this one gonna be?
Col. Jack Grady, Command Pilot Group 6: Shouldn't be too late.
Tommy Grady, Col. Grady's Son: Are you sure?
Col. Jack Grady, Command Pilot Group 6: I'm positive.
Tommy Grady, Col. Grady's Son: Only fools are positive.
Col. Jack Grady, Command Pilot Group 6: Are you sure?
Tommy Grady, Col. Grady's Son: I'm positive.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo (2007)

A nailbiter.

As you view Fail Safe, you can feel the tension mounting as a nuclear nightmare unfolds in front of you. The story deals with a squadron of bombers who receive a go code as a result of a mechanical error. The rest of the movie is filled with anticipation and tension as the president tries to convince the Russian premier that the bombers are there because of a mistake, and the only way to preserve Moscow is to destroy the bombers. To talk about this movie to those who haven't seen it would ruin the story. What I can say is that once you start watching, you will not be able to turn away. The acting from all the performers keeps you watching as they propel the action forward. The black and white format gives it a feel of reality, and the omission of music adds to the effect . You know it's fiction but something in the back of your mind says that this could happen, and thus you're compelled to watch. For those who didn't see this in April, watch for a re-airing. Better yet, wait till it hits the home video circuit. That way, you'll be able to watch this captivating, tension filled, nailbiter with no interruptions