Directed by Norman Taurog, it features Brian Donlevy as Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves, Robert Walker as Colonel Nixon, Tom Drake as Matt Cochran, Beverly Tyler as Anne Cochran, Audrey Totter as Jean O'Leary, Hume Cronyn as Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, Joseph Calleia as Enrico Fermi, Richard Haydn as Dr. Chisolm, John Litel as K. T. Keller, Henry O'Neill as General Farrell, Hurd Hatfield as Dr. Wyatt, and Godfrey Tearle as FDR.
The movie opens with a mock newsreel featuring all the principles in the Redwood National Forest placing "this film" in a time capsule to be opened in 500 years. The ominous message is "if anyone's still around by then, given what we've invented". The film is about the development of the Atomic Bomb and its use on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II. Though the newsreel is clearly not the real thing (the characters from the movie, in lieu of the real persons, are introduced), I don't know if this film was actually preserved in this manner or not.
It's also hard to tell how much of the true story was fictionalized for dramatic purposes, particularly that of Matt Cochran (Drake) and his wife (Tyler). However, the film is intriguing and does provide a lot of background information about the enormity of the task, and its cost, which was undertaken. The story is very compelling and getting to know the people involved in the Manhattan district (as it's called in this film, in lieu of the Manhattan Project) is fascinating as well.
It begins in the beginning, as told by Oppenheimer (Cronyn) with scientists including Cochran working with radioactive elements. Upon discovering and producing the basic uranium elements, they use Einstein (Ludwig Stössel) to give their work the credibility required to convince President Roosevelt (Tearle) to authorize a blank check for their project, cost estimated at $2 billion. It is extremely secret, and it involves scientists from our Allies around the world (including Calleia, Haydn, and Hatfield - who speaks not one word of dialogue). It is coordinated by the military (Donlevy, Walker, and their secretary Totter) and requires technology from industry (including Litel).
Lots of flashing lights equipment is shown when they attempt and succeed in creating U-235 (or 237, I can't remember), after which some of the scientists withdraw because they aren't interested in being part of a weapon's project. Entire cities like Oakridge, TN had to be created out of nothing while other city's populations had to be relocated so that their natural resources could be used.
The film gives the viewer the basics on how the bomb will work, the dangers of radiation, and the genuine fear of the unknown before the first test at Los Alamos. After that's a success, it tells of Truman's decision and then moves to the tactical, the deployment of the weapon by the Air Force (O'Neill). We see the Enola Gay and her crew drop the bomb, the mushroom cloud, and scenes of the entire city burning. However, it does end on a noble, hopeful note as it relates the responsibilities we now have and the belief that man can be trusted to use this newfound knowledge well.
The movie opens with a mock newsreel featuring all the principles in the Redwood National Forest placing "this film" in a time capsule to be opened in 500 years. The ominous message is "if anyone's still around by then, given what we've invented". The film is about the development of the Atomic Bomb and its use on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II. Though the newsreel is clearly not the real thing (the characters from the movie, in lieu of the real persons, are introduced), I don't know if this film was actually preserved in this manner or not.
It's also hard to tell how much of the true story was fictionalized for dramatic purposes, particularly that of Matt Cochran (Drake) and his wife (Tyler). However, the film is intriguing and does provide a lot of background information about the enormity of the task, and its cost, which was undertaken. The story is very compelling and getting to know the people involved in the Manhattan district (as it's called in this film, in lieu of the Manhattan Project) is fascinating as well.
It begins in the beginning, as told by Oppenheimer (Cronyn) with scientists including Cochran working with radioactive elements. Upon discovering and producing the basic uranium elements, they use Einstein (Ludwig Stössel) to give their work the credibility required to convince President Roosevelt (Tearle) to authorize a blank check for their project, cost estimated at $2 billion. It is extremely secret, and it involves scientists from our Allies around the world (including Calleia, Haydn, and Hatfield - who speaks not one word of dialogue). It is coordinated by the military (Donlevy, Walker, and their secretary Totter) and requires technology from industry (including Litel).
Lots of flashing lights equipment is shown when they attempt and succeed in creating U-235 (or 237, I can't remember), after which some of the scientists withdraw because they aren't interested in being part of a weapon's project. Entire cities like Oakridge, TN had to be created out of nothing while other city's populations had to be relocated so that their natural resources could be used.
The film gives the viewer the basics on how the bomb will work, the dangers of radiation, and the genuine fear of the unknown before the first test at Los Alamos. After that's a success, it tells of Truman's decision and then moves to the tactical, the deployment of the weapon by the Air Force (O'Neill). We see the Enola Gay and her crew drop the bomb, the mushroom cloud, and scenes of the entire city burning. However, it does end on a noble, hopeful note as it relates the responsibilities we now have and the belief that man can be trusted to use this newfound knowledge well.