"The Beginning or the End" is a film that is shot documentary style about the Manhattan Project...the WWII project behind the creation of the first atomic bombs. But unlike a real documentary, some of the facts have been changed...such as the omission of the contributions of the non-American scientists as well as a subplot involving the death of one of the scientists. If you read the IMDB trivia, it explains the first problem....though they still should have emphasized their contributions even if the actual scientists didn't want their names used. As such, it's not a perfect history lesson....but it still is interesting and well worth seeing. It helps that MGM used some of their top character actors in this film...though interestingly the film DID lose money...a lot of money. Perhaps audiences were so afraid of the bomb that they didn't want to see the film and be reminded of this!
By the way, there is only one bad part of the film...the very ending. It's schmaltzy and ridiculous (especially occurring right in front of the statue of Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in DC)...and was very badly handled...especially since this never actually occurred...a reason I am only giving the film a 7.
By the way, there is only one bad part of the film...the very ending. It's schmaltzy and ridiculous (especially occurring right in front of the statue of Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in DC)...and was very badly handled...especially since this never actually occurred...a reason I am only giving the film a 7.