Fail Safe (2000) - full transcript

ANNOUNCER 1:
Now stay tuned for a live CBS special presentation.

ANNOUNCER 2:
Coming to you live from CBS, your host, Mr. Walter Cronkite.

Ladies and gentlemen,
you're at an opening night.

Tonight, television takes
a giant step.

For the next two hours

this network
will be presenting

the first
feature-length story

to be broadcast live on CBS
in 39 years.

Tonight's show, Fail Safe,

is based
on the best-selling novel

by Eugene Burdick
and Harry-- Harvey Wheeler



and written for the screen
by Walter Bernstein.

You're tuned to CBS.

The clocks are turned back,

and our story begins
in just one minute.

[♪]

[ALARM CLOCK BUZZING]

[BUZZING STOPS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

What time is it?

Too early.

The Secretary's
bringing some...

muckamuck to lecture
to all us brass.

Taking the train?

No, I'll fly down.



Back in time for dinner.

That'll be fine.

I'll take the children
into Manhattan.

We're going to see
My Fair Lady.

She's in New York?

The movie.

[CHUCKLES LIGHTLY]

You had that dream again,
didn't you?

[SIGHS]

Blackie.

Maybe I should quit my job.

The dream's related,
I know.

Why don't you come with us
to see My Fair Lady?

Audrey Hepburn.

And leave Swenson
and General Stark

in a room alone?

No?

Uh...

No.

Let's take that vacation,
Blackie.

Get you away
from all of this.

Soon.

How did I get so lucky
to stumble onto you?

Come home early.

So how long
have you been stationed

here at Omaha,
Colonel Cascio?

Three years,
congressman.

Gentlemen,
this is the control center

to the War Room.

How far down are we?

Six stories.

That seems
a little extreme,

even for
the War Department.

Yes, sir.
I'm sure it does.

CASCIO:
What we're seeing here is the naval situation in the Pacific.

Those white ones
are our surface vessels

and our submarines.

And those
are Russian submarines.

So close
to our shoreline?

International waters, sir.

Anyone's got
a right to be there.

KNAPP:
The Russians aren't just anyone, colonel.

What are they doing
out there,

or is that
a foolish question?

Same thing we're doing to them
over there, Mr. Knapp.

General.

Surveillance.
Don't worry, Mr. Knapp.

We keep a close eye on them.
Thanks to you and your company.

Oh, we just make
the computers, general.

You people do
the important work.

Congressman.
General.

Follow me, gentlemen.

BOGAN:
Your computers are the best in the world, Mr. Knapp.

KNAPP:
Thank you, sir.

RASKOB:
They oughta be. They cost enough.

KNAPP:
This is about more than just money.

RASKOB:
I got elected to watch the dollars, Mr. Knapp.

Like Mr. Jefferson said,

"Patriotism is the last refuge
of the profligate."

Or was that Will Rogers?

Where you from,
colonel?

New York City, sir.

New York City.

Your congressman's
Sam Noonan, right?

I wouldn't know.
I'm in the Air Force.

[LAUGHS]

Congressman. Uh, give me
the polar projection, please.

MAN:
Yes, sir.

What we're seeing now
is a projection

of the Northern Hemisphere.

It's like looking down
at the Earth

from the North Pole

at an altitude
of about 100 miles.

Those are our bombers

patrolling
the Russian perimeter.

Shortly, they'll be returning
to their base in Alaska,

but they'll be replaced
by other bombers

with fresh crews.

Men chosen very carefully, sir.

The cream of the cream.

JACK:
He's got a good arm.

His fielding skills

are a little suspect,
but...

He's 10, Jack.
No, I know.

We'll see.
Next spring.

He can hit.
I could never hit.

Stands in there,
puts the bat on his shoulder,

looks the pitcher right
in the eye, takes his cuts.

MAN:
Five minutes to ready planes.

The other kids duck
when the pitch comes in.

He doesn't flinch.

Brave little--
Got that from his mom.

Yeah.
She was something.

Hey...

How's he doing?
[PHONE RINGS]

Better.
Good.

Tommy?

TOMMY:
How long is this one gonna be?

Shouldn't be too late.
Are you sure?

I'm positive.

Only fools
are positive.

Are you sure?
I'm positive.

[CHUCKLES]

Hey, Dad?
Yes, Sport.

You know that chameleon
you got me?

I know him well.
We talk about you all the time.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Four minutes to ready planes.

TOMMY:
Can you get me another one?

Why, you think
he needs a friend?

No, it's...
just that he's dead.

He was alive yesterday.
What happened?

He got cooked.

You cooked the chameleon?

Not me, the sun.

You know how we're supposed
to keep the shade down

so the sun doesn't get on him?
Mm-hm.

I kinda forgot,
and he got cooked.

Well, when I get home,
we'll give him a proper burial.

You mad at me, Dad?

'Course not.
First thing this weekend--

Tell Tommy I said hey.
Hey, Flynn's here.

He says hey.
I'm flying with him today.

Is he flying number six?

Hey, are you flying
number six?

[CHUCKLING]
I gotta go.

I'll be home soon, Sport.

You sure?
I'm positive.

Only fools are positive.

I'll see ya.
I'll see ya, Dad.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Three minutes to ready planes.

RASKOB:
They're armed with nuclear bombs.

Two kinds of bombs, sir.

Air-to-air missiles
for use against enemy planes

and two 20-ton hydrogen bombs

designed to detonate
over land targets.

Each one more powerful

than what we dropped
on Hiroshima.

No comparison.

And you guys are the finger
on the trigger.

Well, I think I know

what you're worried about,
congressman.

Somebody goes nuts in here,
those bombs go off

and the whole world
blows up.

No way.
We've got checks upon checks.

We've got
fail-safe procedures--

That don't depend
on humans.

That's the scariest thing
I've heard since I came in here.

What Colonel Cascio meant

was that we bypass human error.

Even the best people
make mistakes.

Believe me,
we've got the very best.

They get tired, angry,
their minds can wander.

Uh, we've compensated
for all that.

Thanks again to Mr. Knapp
and his systems.

We make them as foolproof
as we can, general.

Well, maybe you oughta come up
with a "fool safe" procedure.

Protect us from all the fools
in the world.

I'd sleep
a hell of a lot better.

So would I,
sir, unfortunately--

[BUZZING]

Excuse me.

RASKOB:
Yes, sir.

[MAN COUGHS]

[CHATTERING]

RASKOB:
What's going on, general?

BOGAN:
We've come up with an unidentified flying object.

Until we know
what it is for sure,

we consider it hostile.

RASKOB:
So, what do you do about it?

Well, we've gone
to Condition Blue.

That's our lowest level
of readiness. Ahem.

As you saw,
we, uh--

We always have a certain number
of bombers in the air.

They've been informed
that we're at Condition Blue

so now they'll now fly
to their Fail Safe points.

Put that up for me, please.
MAN: Yes, sir.

BOGAN:
Different for each group, changes from day to day.

The Fail Safe
is a fixed point in the sky

where the bombers orbit

till they receive
a positive order to go in.

Without that order,
they turn around and come home.

No bomber can proceed
on its own discretion.

RASKOB:
They get that order by radio, right?

BOGAN:
But not verbally.

That is of course
highly classified.

The attack order
is transmitted

to a small box
on the aircraft

that we call
the Fail Safe box.

This box is operated by a code
which can function only

at the express order
of the president.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Seven minutes to Fail Safe.

That's a recorded voice,
gentlemen.

We go to Condition Blue,
it goes on automatically.

At seven minutes,
starts a countdown.

It's nothing unusual.

Why don't you just give them
a direct verbal yes or no

and save yourselves
all this trouble?

Well, voices can be imitated,
Mr. Raskob.

Enemy comes up
on the same radio frequency,

imitates the voice
of the president--

Ah, they can send
whatever message it wants.

No, there can't be
any interference

with the Fail Safe box.

Uh, we've seen to that.

So there's nothing unusual
about Condition Blue?

Hell, no. This is
standard operating procedure.

Look.

BOGAN:
We've sent fighter aircraft up

to identify the bogey.

You said it could be hostile?

Well, we have to regard it
as hostile, Mr. Knapp.

That doesn't mean
that it is.

Doesn't mean
that it isn't.

This happens five or six times
a month around here, gentlemen.

BOGAN:
After Condition Blue,

we still have to go
to Condition Yellow,

Condition Green

and then Condition Red.

And Condition Red is?

War.

[CHATTERING]

Maybe this time
it's a real UFO.

From outer space?
I wouldn't mind that.

Give us something to worry about
beside the Russians.

I, uh, read your memo
on counterforce credibility.

I don't think
that's what Groteschele

is going
to talk about today.

You mean you don't want me
to bring it up.

Maybe not today.

Someone's got
to talk about it.

This whole policy
of overkill,

piling bombs
on top of bombs,

figuring even
if they hit us first,

we can still destroy them.

It's crazy.

Well, it's a crazy world,
Blackie.

MAN:
Good morning, gentlemen.

ALL:
Good morning, Mr. Secretary.

Please be seated.

I think you all know
Mr. Groteschele, here.

He's been gracious enough

to give us even more
of his valuable time

on a subject we're all
naturally concerned about.

So, Mr. Groteschele,

floor's all yours.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

I shall try not to waste
any of your valuable time, sir.

Gentlemen, the subject today
is nuclear war.

More specifically,
"Winning a Nuclear War."

We all know
that in a full-scale exchange

between the Soviets
and Americans,

100 million people,
more or less, would be killed.

One hundred million or more?

Yes, Mr. Secretary.

Now, that would be
nothing but a tragedy,

nobody here denies that.

But in every war,
even a thermonuclear war,

you must have a victor
and you must have a vanquished.

History tells us

that the culture
which is best prepared

has the best retaliatory policy,
and the strongest defense

will have an ancient
and classical advantage.

To be victorious?

Yes, General Black.
It would be the victor in that

it would be significantly
less damaged than its enemy.

We would be the victor.

GROTESCHELE:
Well, that would be our hope.

Groteschele,

your argument doesn't recognize
that thermonuclear war

is not the extension
of policy,

it is the end of everything:

people, policy, institutions--

My argument, General Black,
is that if only one of us

is to survive
a nuclear exchange,

I prefer that it be our culture
and not the Soviets'.

Wouldn't you?

Culture?

Now, now,
I-I don't think--

With most
of its people dead?

Its vegetation burned off?

Do you really think
that the world you describe

is a culture?

The idea of war has changed

since the advent
of the Bomb.

Yes, but war's function
remains the same, Blackie.

Whether it is a spear thrown
or a nuclear bomb dropped.

War is still the resolution

of economic
and political conflict.

In these times,
in any possible war

the overwhelming majority
of citizens

are going to be killed.

Does this still suggest
to you

that war is a resolution
of conflicts?

Yes, general. The situation
is no different today

than it was 1,000 years ago.
There were primitive wars

in which entire populations
were wiped out.

The point remains:
Who will be the victor

and who will be the victim?
Exactly.

Short of disarmament,
for which you seem to be arguing

and to which I doubt
the Soviets would agree,

what shall we do?
These weapons exist.

We can face that
or we can close our minds to it.

Groteschele,

this world is no longer
man's theater.

Man has been made
into a spectator.

We define policy
by discussing the possibility

of a winnable
nuclear exchange.

Once one knows
where he wants to go,

he can collect a great amount
of logic and fact

to support his argument.

My fear is that both
we and the Soviets

are settled
on mutual destruction.

We are now rallying
our different logics

to support
our identical conclusions.

And if we are not careful,
gentlemen,

we will both get the results
that we want.

[PHONE HANGS UP]
General Bogan,

General Bogan, UFO at angels 30,
speed 525, heading 196.

That means
the unidentified aircraft

is flying at 30,000 feet,

speed of 500 miles an hour

on a compass heading
of 1-niner-6.

Heading right
for Detroit.

You're pretty cool
about it, general.

Ah, my guess is
a commercial airliner

that's off-course.

MAN [OVER PA]:
One minute to Fail Safe.

Damn thing's disappeared.

Where'd it go?

Into the grass,
Mr. Raskob.

Under our radar
where we can't see it.

RASKOB: What do we do now?
Go to Condition Yellow.

MAN:
Condition Yellow.

Put our bombers up there
MAN: Yes, sir.

BOGAN:
Bombers are heading for Fail Safe points.

Go in closer.
MAN: Yes, sir.

Thirty seconds to Fail Safe.

BOGAN:
Once they get there,

they'll orbit
till we call them back.

KNAPP:
What are those other planes?

BOGAN:
That's fighter support for the bombers.

It's also automatic
under these circumstances.

[BUZZING]

Twenty seconds to Fail Safe.

Nineteen, eighteen...

Early warning system indicates
it's not an air breather.

What the hell is that?
...fourteen...

BOGAN:
Jet aircraft create turbulence when they suck in air

through their engines.

We got a warning system

that can pick that up.

If that plane lost power,
we couldn't do that,

even though
we know it's there.

It could also be
a Russian rocket

coming in
under our radar. ...two, one.

All groups at Fail Safe point.

All groups at Fail Safe point.

Right
on the money.

I told you, Mr. Raskob,
our people are the best.

How we doing,
Jimmy?

Everyone in orbit,
sir.

Let's keep her there.
Slow and easy.

So...

So let's say that Dr. King

sits down with
the powers that be... Mm-hm.

...and he says:

"Mr. President,
I want it to be equal."

And in a very polite way

the president says,
"Dr. King, I can't do it."

Well, as long as it's polite,
sir.

Are you saying just because
it's difficult we shouldn't try?

That's not what I'm saying.
In the Army--

The Army's different.

I'd take the Army.

There's a class system
there, true,

but it's based
on seniority.

So fine,
let's do it that way.

Everyone in the country
will get paid equally

according to their age.

Let's say all men age 40
will make a better salary

than all men age 35.

MAN:
What about women?

What about women?

[CHUCKLES]

KNAPP:
What's happening now?

BOGAN:
Any word on identification?

CASCIO:
Not yet, sir.

KNAPP:
What the hell's going on?

Let's go to Condition Green.

MAN:
Condition Green.

Can you tell us why
you're going to Condition Green?

No. Cascio, let's get our two
visitors outta here. Gentlemen.

The hell with that.
Wait a minute.

That's an order,
Mr. Raskob.

General.

The way I read the situation,

we are one minute away
from going to war.

Unless you can get me
back to my family and them,

I'm gonna stay right here
and see what happens.

You really don't wanna
throw me outta here.

There it is.

[BUZZING]

[ALARM RINGING]

That's it, gentlemen.

I'm sorry we alarmed you.

Have all parties
stand down.

CASCIO:
Stand down. All parties stand down.

Stand down, Anderson.

Sergeant Anderson,
Sergeant Collins,

you need to take a look
at this.

Okay, we need
a new indicator switch.

This one's faulty.
Right, chief.

Put in the report
that at 1047 hours

we replaced one PK 30
indicator switch

in the number-three bank.

Right away, chief.

[BEEPING]

Sir, the Fail Safe box.

JACK:
I see it.

Check Omaha by radio.
Somebody screwed up.

Yes, sir.

[MACHINERY HUMMING]

Try another band.

Try them all.
[CLICKING]

[SIGHS]
It's the Russians.

They're jamming our signal,
trying to keep us

from getting the go-ahead.
They're too late for that.

It's gotta be a mistake.

Request permission
to verify, sir.

Permission granted.

I read it as "CAP 811."

I concur your reading
is Charlie-Alpha-Poppa 811.

We will now both open
our operational orders.

[PAPER TEARING]

Last year,
on a flight from Hamburg

we lost an engine
over England.

Just one, but it was
a heart stopper,

but to lose two--

RASKOB:
General Bogan.

Why is that group of planes
up there headed for Russia?

Even in the case
of a surprise attack,

some people still advocate
a return to manned bombers

for a first-strike retaliation
rather than missiles.

Why? They're slower and can be
recalled. Missiles cannot.

They provide
a maximum reaction time

for thought, evaluation,
the detection of error,

perhaps even
a peaceful resolution.

I find this point of view

dangerously old fashioned,
gentlemen.

I say we must speed up
in this circumstance,

not slow down.

Time is a, uh...

Colonel Purnell,
get me Omaha.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

Colonel.

Colonel Cascio.

Sir.

Get me the president.

[DIALING PHONE]

Tell Peter not to even hint
to the press

that there's an emergency.
Call the vice president,

tell him what's happened.
He'll know what to do.

Hello, Buck. We met
at your office a while back.

Yes, sir.
I'm the Russian translator.

Yeah, well, I hope there
won't be any use for you today.

Nothing personal.
No, no, no. Uh...

They're gonna get wind of this,
they always do.

Tell Peter to tell the press
that it is urgent.

It's not a backbreaker.

Not yet. And, uh,
off the record, no leaks.

Any leaks on this one,
the guy and his paper are dead,

now and forever. Okay?

I'll tell him
in just those words.

And what about
the Pentagon meeting,

there's supposed to be a list?

Right here, Mr. President.
Give it to Buck.

And I think that'll be all
for now. Stay close.

Right outside, sir.

Sit down, Buck.

You know what's happened?
No, sir.

One of our bomber groups
got the wrong message,

went off to attack Russia.

Eh, the whole thing may...

get settled down
in a couple of minutes.

Probably will.

Bombers will realize
their mistake and turn back,

or we'll contact them by radio
and recall them.

But if things do get serious

then I may have to speak
to the Kremlin,

which is where you come in.

I'll do my best, sir.
I know you will.

Who's on that Pentagon list?
I want them in on this.

Secretary of Defense, uh,

Chiefs of Staff,

Professor Grot--
Grotish--

Groteschele.

Runs a very expensive
think tank.

Mmm. Pentagon likes him.
He says what they wanna hear.

Is there a General Black
on that list?

Yes, sir.

That's Blackie.
I'm glad he's there.

We went to school together.

He's very, very smart,
and I trust him.

Get me General Bogan
in Omaha, please.

We have a little time.

Not much, but some.
You can relax.

[CHUCKLES]

Easier said than done, huh?

[RINGING]

BOGAN [OVER PHONE]:
General Bogan, sir.

Yes, General Bogan.

Group 6 is about 260 miles
past Fail Safe

and continuing
on an attack course.

Do we know
what the hell happened?

No, we do not.
Now, there's an outside chance

they made a navigational error
and they'll swing back.

Has that ever happened before,
that big an error?

No, sir.

Well, then let's rule it out.

And why haven't we been able

to contact these people
by radio?

I don't know.
We've tried all frequencies.

We can't make contact.

The Russians may be jamming
their radio reception.

Why would they do that?

I don't know, sir.

Well, if we do manage
to reestablish radio contact

will they respond
to an order to return?

No, sir.

Not even from me?

Their orders are to disregard
all voice transmissions

even your voice can
be imitated, Mr. President.

Once they get past
a certain point,

they are not to obey
any verbal command.

Are they past that point?

Yes, sir.
They're quite a ways past it.

What's the target?

Moscow.

All right.
standard operating procedure.

What's the next step?

Well, we got fighter planes
in the air.

SOP is that we send them
after the bombers

with orders to raise
them visually and divert them.

Will it work?

Sir, these men
have been trained

to ignore all visual signals.

They've been taught
that the Russians

could send up a decoy
to try to divert the bombers.

Well, that leaves us
with what alternative, general?

To shoot them down.

And who gives that order?

You do, Mr. President.

All right.

Order the fighters to try
to catch up to the bombers.

Tell them to hold fire

until they get a direct order
from me.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I need Mr. Swenson
in the Pentagon, please.

Colonel Cascio.

Contact the fighters.

Tell 'em
to go after Group 6.

We can't shoot down
our own men.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION,
PHONE RINGING]

Yes, Mr. President.

Uh, may I call you back?

Thank you, sir.

Gentlemen. Gentlemen!

The president may have
to order our fighters

to shoot down Group 6.

He would like our advice
before issuing that order.

I oppose it, sir, on the grounds
that it's premature.

Our fighters have not yet
reached Soviet airspace.

BLACK: We must do it.
They're hundreds of miles away.

And do it at once, now!
We've got no alternative.

There are always alternatives.
Always.

This minute, the Russians
are watching Group 6,

trying to guess
what we're doing.

You can be damn sure
once our bombers

get into their airspace,

they're going to want
a good explanation.

And want it fast.

We have to prove to them
that this is a mistake.

By shooting down
our own planes?

If it has to be.

Mr. President,
it is our, uh...

It is our unanimous view
that the fi--

The fighters
should be ordered in.

Thank you.

General Bogan,
order the fighters in.

If necessary,
shoot down the bombers.

BOGAN:
It will be necessary, sir.

I know that, general.
Order them in.

Yes, sir.

Colonel Cascio.
Sir.

Order the fighters
to attack Group 6.

Sir, they won't be able
to catch them. You know that.

They've been flying
in the opposite direction.

Tell them to go
to afterburners.

And use up all their fuel.

So even if they do succeed,
they couldn't make it back.

They're gonna go down
in the Arctic Ocean.

You heard the order,
colonel.

You're sealing their deaths--
Colonel!

Give the order
immediately.

Give me Tangle-Able-One.

So we're going to shoot down
our own men.

We are in voice communication
with Tangle-Able-One.

You can talk to 'em
on Channel 7.

Single-side band.

Do I tell them in code
or in the clear?

In the clear.

What if the Russians
overhear us?

Isn't that what we want?

MAN [OVER RADIO]:
This is Tangle-Able-One,

I read you five by five
at last transmission.

Tangle-Able-One,

this is Colonel Cascio
of the Omaha staff.

I'm here
with General Bogan.

Listen closely.

Group 6 has flown beyond
the Fail Safe point.

It is on an attack course
towards Moscow.

It is a mistake.
I repeat, it is a mistake.

Jesus!

You are to go
to afterburners

and overtake Group 6.

If you cannot communicate
with them visually,

shoot them down.

Roger. Go to afterburners
and if cannot communicate,

shoot them down.

Over and out.

Leave it on.

MAN 1:
You heard the order. Any suggestions?

MAN 2:
Yeah. Why don't they get their heads examined?

We got about as much chance
of catching those bombers--

MAN 3:
We-- We only got a 50-mph edge on them,

and they're halfway to Moscow.
Who's kidding who?

MAN 1:
Cut the chatter. On the mark, go to afterburners.

Five. Four.

Three. Two. One. Mark.

[HUMMING OVER RADIO]

Turn it off.

Turn it off!

[RADIO TRANSMISSION STOPS]

Did you think
they wouldn't do it?

How did General Bogan
sound to you, Buck?

Sir?

He sound worried?

I'd say
a little worried, sir.

He's an old-time flyer.
He's a good man.

[SIGHS]

If he's worried,
I'm worried.

You know Mr. Swenson,
the Secretary of Defense?

No, sir.

He gives us any advice,
we take it.

Get me the Pentagon
and the Omaha War Room, please.

WOMAN [OVER PHONE]:
Right away, sir.

Ready, sir.

Mr. Swenson,

if our fighters manage
to shoot down these bombers,

the worst will be over.

But I want your people to start
thinking about what'll happen

if we can't shoot them down.
I've got Omaha on the line.

Please limit this discussion
to two subjects:

What happened?
And what will we do about it?

MAN:
Right, sir.

Back in Omaha,
we have General Bogan.

Mr. Knapp
of Universal Techtotics.

And Congressman Raskob
of Nebraska.

They have my permission
to listen and comment

on whatever they want.

In my opinion, only two things
could've happened:

a compound mechanical failure,

or someone in Group 6
went berserk.

Double mechanical failure?

You know the odds
against that, sir?

BOGAN [OVER RADIO]:
Mr. Secretary.

Yes, General Bogan.

Mr. Knapp here knows as much

about the electronic gear
as anyone.

He-- He's a little reluctant
to talk, but he understands

how important this is.

Mr. Knapp.

Look, it's just that
the more complicated

these electronic systems are,

the more accident-prone
they become.

SWENSON:
How does that apply to our situation?

Well, sir, in this way:

If you pile
all these electronic systems

one on top of another

sooner or later you're going
to get a faulty transistor

or a damaged rectifier,

and then the whole thing
just shuts down.

Even computers suffer fatigue.

They become erratic,
they break down,

just like overworked people.
Excuse me.

But you're overlooking
one important factor:

Humans control
those machines.

Humans can see an error
and correct it.

KNAPP:
I'm sorry, sir. But you are misinformed.

The fact of the matter is that
these machines are so complex

and these mistakes
they made are so subtle

that in a real war situation
you might not know

whether the computer
was in error

or telling you the truth.

May I say something,
general?

This is Colonel Cascio
of my staff.

I-I don't think
it's mechanical failure,

and I don't think
anyone went berserk.

I think it's a move
by the Russians.

SWENSON:
What kind of move, colonel?

CASIO:
Sir, I think they found a way

to mask the real position
of Group 6.

They have the capacity,
we know that.

Group 6 is probably
on their way home now

with their radio jammed.

What we see now
heading towards Moscow

is actually a group
of Russian bombers,

up there for one reason:

to make us believe
that we've launched

the first strike
against them.

We can think as much as we want
that it's accidental.

It's still an excuse
for them to retaliate.

If they wanted to,

wouldn't need an excuse,
they'd just attack.

But you see, this way,
they've made us commit a group

of our fighter planes,
our first line of defense.

And made us kill our own men.

I disagree with
Colonel Cascio's analysis.

We have to believe this is our
mistake and not the Russians'.

Absolutely, I agree.

This is General Stark.
Project the Russian air defense.

The Russians
have seven bomber groups

in the air at this moment.

All are following
hold patterns with--

Inside Soviet airspace.
Next map, please.

Their fighter groups have
an abnormally large number

of fighter planes
in the air.

Which means?

Which means we know
they must have seen

Group 6 cross
the Fail Safe point.

That's why they scrambled
all those fighters.

And I think they're waiting.

Just as we would.

If they see our fighters
shooting down American planes

they'll understand
that we're sincere.

If not--
If not,

I'll tell you
what I believe.

The Russians will take no action
at all, whatever we do.

Even if we cross
their borders--

If our bombers get through,
the Russians will surrender.

SWENSON:
Would you explain that, please?

GROTESCHELE:
Sir, the Soviets believe that history is based

on a series
of non-human events

which will eventually assure
the victory of communism

if the Soviet Union
is left reasonably intact.

They know that a war

would leave the Soviet Union
utterly destroyed.

Therefore,
they would surrender.

But that would leave
capitalism the winner.

They wouldn't see it
that way, sir.

In fact,
many of them believe

that capitalism must be allowed
to play itself out

to its inevitable
historical defeat

before communism
can really succeed.

So, what do you suggest we do?

Nothing.

Nothing?

The Russians
will surrender.

The threat of communism
will be over.

Forever.

Mr. Secretary.

Mr. Secretary,
pardon my language,

but I think
that's a lot of crap.

Don't kid yourself.

There's gonna be three or four
Russian generals

who will react the same way
that I would react.

The best defense
is a good offense.

They'll attack.

They won't give a damn
what Marx or anybody else said.

GROTESCHELE:
You're giving too much credit to the military mind, general.

The Russian leaders
are not like you and me.

That's my point.
These are Marxist fanatics.

They're not motivated
by emotions like rage or hate.

These are human calculating
machines, believe me.

Yes, they know if they hit us,
they can do terrible damage.

They also know
that our second strike

will completely destroy them.

They will look
at the balance sheet

and see that they can't win.

Mr. Secretary, I'm convinced
of it. This is our chance!

I never would have made
the first move deliberately.

But Group 6 has done that
for us by accident.

Now, we must take advantage
of it, sir. History demands it.

We must advise the president

that no effort be made
to recall those planes.

Our fighters are firing.

He's out of fuel.

He's going down.

CASCIO:
They're too far away.

Mr. President,
our fighters have failed.

SWENSON:
They've all crashed into the sea.

What are the chances
of some of our bombers

actually getting through
to Moscow?

We've done the calculations
a thousand times.

One or two of the six
will get through.

Even with the entire
Soviet defense apparatus

concentrated on them?

Our bombers are too fast.
The Russians won't have time.

Thank you.

Okay, Buck.
Tell you what we're gonna do.

I'm gonna speak
to the Soviet premier.

You're gonna tell me
what he says, and he'll have

his own translator to tell him
what I'm saying.

You got that?
Yes, sir.

I want something more.

I want you to tell me
what he's thinking.

As much as you can sense.

Anything you can pick up
that'll give me some clue

to his thoughts.
You think you can do that?

I can try, sir.

Well, that's all
anybody can do. Yes, sir.

Okay.

Let's talk to Moscow.

BUCK:
They're on the line.

Mr. Chairman.

This is the president
of the United States

calling on a matter
of great urgency.

[MAN SPEAKING RUSSIAN
OVER PHONE]

"Does it have to do
with the aircraft

flying towards Russia
from the Bering Sea?"

Yes, sir,
that's why I'm calling.

Your tracking and radar devices
must have detected

a somewhat unusual pattern.

"They reported it to me
15 minutes ago.

"I presume you are calling
to inform me

"that this is another one
of your off-course

reconnaissance flights."
No, no, no!

"I've warned you that your
constant flying of armed--"

This is a serious mistake.

[MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"All right, tell me.
Tell me the mistake."

A group of our bombers,

flying at speeds
of 1,500 miles an hour,

each containing
two 20-megaton bombs,

is right now
flying towards Russia.

"We shall watch with great
interest while you recall them.

If, indeed, that is what
you intend doing."

Well, I said that this
was a mistake.

But so far we have been unable
to return these planes.

"Are they being flown by madmen,
Mr. President?"

I wish I could be sure.

My best guess
is mechanical failure.

What I can tell you
is that it's a mistake.

It is not part
of a plan to provoke war.

This is not part
of any general attack.

"And how am I to believe that?"

Because I'm telling you--

"How do I know that you do not
have hundreds of planes

coming in so low that our radar
cannot pick them up?"

Because I hope to prove to you

that we regard this
as a serious mistake

and that we take
responsibility for it,

and we are trying to correct it.

"Go on."

You... You already know.

You have the same
detection devices that we do.

You saw that we sent fighters up
to try to catch our bombers.

The fighters had orders
to shoot them down.

"American fighters to shoot down
American bombers?"

Yes, sir.

"And who gave that order?"

I did.

Four of those planes
have already run out of fuel

and gone into the sea.

And this is not a question
of belief, Mr. Chairman.

Those men are dead already.

"We saw your planes
fall into the sea.

"I believe they were making
an effort to do as you ordered.

"I wanted only to hear
your explanation.

"And to know
who gave the order.

"It is a difficult thing
to order men

to their certain death,
is it not?"

It is.

[MEN ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

"Full retaliation at once.
Strike back."

"Full power."

"Mr. President,
my advisors are convinced

"this so-called accident
is a trick.

"They want to strike
back at once.

You realize, in their place
I would probably feel the same."

But you don't.

"Soviet airspace
has not yet been invaded.

"But if it is, we will be forced
to shoot down your bombers.

"And then we will come
to a full alert

and prepare all of our missiles
and planes."

I understand that,
and I hope you will be able

to shoot down our bombers.

But I urge you not to take
any steps that are irrevocable.

I give you my word, sir,
that this is a mistake.

But you must know,
if you start to launch missiles,

we will have to do the same.

And then-- Then there will be
very little left of this world.

"I understand."

I have arranged a second
conference line to be opened up

between our Air Force
headquarters in Omaha

and your similar officers
in the Soviet Union.

We will give you
any information you request

that will help you shoot down
these bombers.

"Mr. President,
we are perfectly capable

of defending our country."

Mr. Chairman, I would think--

"We do not need
your assistance."

Sir, of course this is
your choice, but you must know

we have new masking techniques.

My experts tell me
that no matter what you do,

some of our planes
will get through to the target.

"What is the target?"

Moscow.

"I will call you back when
I see how the fighters do."

[HANGS UP PHONE]

You can get up and walk around
if you'd like, Buck.

No, sir, I'm fine.
Thank you.

How far to their border?

Two minutes 20, sir.

Radio still jammed?

[RADIO BUZZING]

Yes, sir.

All right, here we go.

Lose the horse,
lose the buggy.

Attention, Group 6.

We can't penetrate
in tight formation.

They'd get two
for the price of one.

So we're gonna spread out.

Number six in the lead.
Flynn?

Yes, colonel.

You're the one with the decoys.

Use them
when we cross the border.

Roger.

Good luck.

Project the Soviet border.
SOLDIER: Yes, sir.

[ALARM BUZZING]

Dear God.

Well, Buck,

we have invaded Russia.

We are now
in a technical state of war.

One hour, 38 minutes to target.

[WHISPERING]
Go after the decoys. Go! Go!

Go! Go after the decoys.
BOGAN: Wipe out the decoys.

I just want to see
their planes and ours.

MAN:
Yes, sir.

KNAPP: They're still going
after the decoys. MAN: Good.

Get it. Get it.

CASCIO:
Get it. Get it! Get it!

Get it. Get it!

[ALL CHEERING]

Knock it off!

This isn't
some damned football game.

They found one of our planes.

The Soviets
have a very slow missile

which compensates
by having a greater range

than we thought they had.

But the slowness

made our missile calculate
that they must be decoys

so it ignored them
and went after the fighters.

That made the bomber
vulnerable.

Things are gonna get worse
before they get better, general.

Yes, Mr. Raskob,
they're gonna get much worse.

There goes another one.

Well, that's two bombers gone.

Those Soviet fighters shape up
a bit, maybe there's still hope.

Hope? We lose six bombers,
eighteen good men

and you think
maybe there's still hope?

Nobody wants
to lose those men.

What about
the hundreds of millions

of people around the world

walking around
in total ignorance

of the fact
they might be killed?

Think about them,
Colonel Cascio, and hope.

[INTERCOM BUZZ]

SECRETARY:
The chairman is on the line, sir.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

"Mr. President,
there is very little time left.

How should we use this time?"

What luck have you had
in shooting down the bombers?

"Luck? No luck at all.

"We have shot down some of them,

"but your decoys
have been very successful.

"Many of my experts think
that they are not decoys at all,

"that they are real.

There is pressure to retaliate."

Why haven't you?

Why haven't you
counter-attacked?

"I am gambling
that you are sincere."

Then you must also gamble
that we can help you

shoot down these planes.

Please set up that second line.

We'll give you any information
that you need.

"I'll be giving the order
to have it set up."

Fine.

Mr. Chairman,

we have been unable
to contact our planes

because of a jamming
of the radio frequency.

Are you
and your military involved

in jamming the radio signal?

[MEN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

They're arguing again.

"Don't give out the information.
It's too secret. It's a trick."

[MEN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"The answer is yes.

"We have done research
on your Fail Safe system.

"We wanted to be able
to disrupt your communications

"in case of a true attack.

"When your system failed,
it was interpreted as an attack

and we immediately began
jamming your radios."

Will you lift the jamming now?

If I can contact
the group commander,

maybe I can get him to return.

"Will he return
on your command?"

Well, there's always a chance.

"I will give the order."

Very good.
Please stay on the line.

General Bogan,
put me through to Group 6.

Sir, we can't get

through to Group 6.

PRESIDENT:
You can now.

What's the
group commander's name?

Grady, sir.

SOLDIER [OVER PA]:
One hour, 15 minutes to target.

Try Group 6 again.
Colonel Cascio, pick it up.

Turkey 6,
this is Ultimate 2.

Turkey 6, this is Ultimate 2.
Can you hear me?

Turkey 6, this is Ultimate 2.
Come in. Come in.

Turkey 6,
this is Ultimate 2.

They've stopped jamming us.

Come in.
Turkey 6, this is Ultimate 2.

This is Turkey Six.
We are not allowed to receive--

Colonel Grady,
this is the president

of the United States.

Your mission has been triggered
by a mechanical failure.

It's a mistake.
I repeat, it is a mistake.

I am ordering you
and your group

to return to base at once.

We are not allowed to receive
tactical alterations--

Colonel, your authorized go code
is C-A-P-8-1-1--

I can no longer receive

tactical alterations.

Your primary mission target
is Moscow.

What you're asking, I've been
directly ordered not to do!

Colonel, this is an order
from the president--

Damn.

Bogan, can we get him back?

Well, sir,
if he follows procedure

he'll make radio contact when
he's in sight of the target.

What kind of man is this Grady?

First class, sir.

He flew in two wars,
won the DSC in both of them.

Is he married?
Is he a family man?

His wife
recently died of cancer.

One child, a boy,
must be about 10 now.

Find his son.

I'll get right on it, sir.

Mr. Chairman, I think
it would be wise of you

to remove yourself from Moscow
at this time.

That way we will be able
to continue negotiations,

even if the worst happens

and some of our bombers
get through.

"Those arrangements
have already been made."

[WHISPERING]
He sounds very different, very determined.

"Unfortunately, Moscow cannot
be evacuated, there is no time.

"And if Moscow is destroyed,

"am I then supposed to come
hat in hand to where?

"Geneva? To set up peace talks
on the ruins of Moscow?"

There are still ways that we--
"There are facts, Mr. President.

Your bombers will get through."

We will help you
shoot down these--

[CLICK, SILENCE]

[MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"I will return to you
when I am safely out of Moscow."

Mr. President.

MAN [OVER PA]:
One hour to target.

One hour to target.

Well, that's three down.

Yes,
and three more to go.

--the Russians as escalating
these forces.

Excuse me, but sir.

Every minute we wait
works against us.

The president has to send in
a full strike.

He has to. There's nothing else
that he can do, sir.

Now.
Now is the time,

before the Russians
are on full alert.

We don't go in
for sneak attacks,

Mr. Groteschele.

That's what the Japanese did
at Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese, sir,
were right to do that.

From their point of view,
we were their mortal enemy.

As long as we existed,
we were a deadly threat to them.

Does anyone here
not believe that communism

is our mortal enemy?

The enemy of capitalism?

Sir, the only mistake
the Japanese made,

they failed to finish us off
at the start.

They paid for that mistake
with Hiroshima.

We're in the process of making
the same mistake, gentlemen.

You can't erase history,
but you can learn from it.

You've learned so well,
Groteschele,

that there's
no difference between you

and what you want to kill.

Destroy Russia? For what?

To preserve what?

Democracy, general!

We have here
a God-given opportunity--

To kill?

Why are you in the military,
sir, if not to kill?

Yes, Mr. President.

Blackie, do you remember
the Old Testament?

A little.

The Sacrifice of Abraham.

Old what's-his-name
used it in chapel,

maybe twice a month.

I remember, sir.

You better
keep that story in mind

for the next few hours,
Blackie.

I need your help.
I want you to get out

to Andrews Field
as soon as you can.

Orders will be waiting
for you there.

Are Betty and the kids at home?

She's in New York with them.

I may be asking
a great deal of you, Blackie.

I'll do whatever you say.

Good luck.

SECRETARY:
Yes, sir.

Contact our ambassador
in Moscow

and the Soviet delegate
to the United Nations.

Patch them in to this line

so they can hear the chairman
when he comes back on.

Right away, sir.

And what about that second
conference line

between Omaha
and Soviet headquarters?

Ready and waiting, sir.

General Bogan, you are now
hooked up to Soviet Command.

Will you test

the line, please?

When it's working

patch me in,
and put me on the intercom

so that everyone can hear.

BOGAN:
Yes, sir.

This is General Bogan,
Strategic Air Command, Omaha.

This is the translator
for Marshal Nevsky,

Soviet Air Defense Command.

Marshal Nevsky sends
his greetings.

BOGAN:
Same to him.

NEVSKY:
Our reception is five by five. How do you read us?

BOGAN:
We read you five by five.

I have no instructions
on what we are to discuss.

NEVSKY:
Neither have we.

Only that we should set up
communications with you.

BOGAN:
Just a minute, please.

Mr. President,
we're all hooked up.

Thank you.

This is the president
of the United States.

Whatever orders I may give
to American personnel

are to be considered
direct orders

from the commander in chief.

They are to be obeyed fully
and without reservation.

PRESIDENT:
Gentlemen, we have to do everything we can

to prevent these planes
from reaching Moscow.

The Soviet premier has behaved
as I hope I would

under similar conditions.

He has delayed retaliation.

And I think
he sincerely believes

that this is a mistake.

But we have to convince him

and his chief advisers

that this is, in fact, so.

Therefore, I am ordering
all American personnel

to cooperate fully
with Soviet officers

in shooting down
our invading bombers.

You are to give them whatever
information they request.

Any hesitation.

Any, any, any hesitation
of any kind

will cause
the most dreadful consequences.

I cannot emphasize
that too strongly, gentlemen.

I expect you all
to behave as patriots.

And I wish you success.

NEVSKY:
General Bogan,

a number of our fighter planes

have been destroyed
by a missile

that seems to home
not on the infrared source

but the radar transmitter.

Is that possible?

Colonel Cascio
will answer your question.

Answer the question,
colonel.

That is a direct order.

An order, colonel.

Just a minute.

Major Handel.
General Bogan.

Sergeant Collins.

Sir!

You're the backup man
to Cascio?

Yes, sir.

Get over here!

General Bogan, we must--
Sergeant Collins,

do the missiles on our bombers
have both an infrared

and a radar-seeking capacity?

Yes, sir.
Louder. That is a direct order.

Yes, sir.

The Soviets are listening.

I want this loud,
and I want it clear.

It has both capacities, sir.

Can the radar-seeking mechanism
be overloaded

by increasing the strength
of the signal?

Tell them!

Yes, sir,
it can be overloaded

by increasing
the transmission power output

and sliding through the radar
frequencies as fast as possible.

The firing mechanism reads
higher amperage as proximity

to target
and then detonates the warhead.

Thank you, General Bogan.

We will get back to you.

Thank you, sergeant.
That's all.

What the hell was that
all about?

We just told them how to destroy
all our missiles

and all our planes.

They're getting close.

Tell me something
I don't know.

All right,
It's getting too hairy up here.

Send out the code. We're going
down below the radar.

Roger.

RASKOB:
Have they gone down? I didn't see it.

No they're trying to avoid
the fighters by going in

under their radar.

Will that work?
God only knows.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Forty-five minutes to target.

I'm sorry, general.
I just couldn't do it.

Everything just went...

I-I don't know,
blank.

I'm okay now.

Forget it, colonel,
it could happen to anyone.

General,

I-- I do think
there's Soviet entrapment.

We know they've been
fooling around

with our Fail Safe signal.

I-I think they wanted this
to happen.

We have to tell the president
it's a trap.

Colonel, I--
They're using this time

to get their missiles ready

and fly their bombers
into position.

We have no evidence
they're moving bombers.

Could be flying them
in the grass.

They could have missiles in
orbit where we cannot detect.

General Bogan.
I'm not reporting anything

I don't know for a fact.
We should recommend

a full-strength strike
immediately.

That's not our decision,
colonel.

That-- That's the Pentagon's
or the president--

Those people
don't know the situation

the way we know it.

An enemy that'll try
every trick in the book...

They're in the political game,
we know what to do.

If we act now, we can
get enough bombers in the--

That's enough!

Colonel,
you're talking mutiny.

Now, you keep this up,

I will have you removed
from the War Room.

MAN:
The Russians are back on the line, sir.

Yes, Marshal Nevsky.

Can you give us
the longitude and latitude

of your two planes left
in the air?

Sergeant Collins.

Yes,
I can do that.

I can't give you
their altitude.

We're getting
distorted signals.

Will you please give us
the position of the two planes?

We can fly fighters
at different altitudes.

Yes, I will.

Sergeant Collins,
give the Russians

the longitude and latitude
of our bombers.

Yes, sir.

7880 north.

5850 east.

On a heading of 205 degrees.

[INTERCOM BUZZ]

SECRETARY:
The ambassador and the Soviet delegate are on, sir,

and have been briefed.

Thank you.

Jay, where are you?

On the top floor of the embassy
in Moscow, Mr. President.

Where are you, Mr. Lentov?

In the UN building in New York.

Whatever happens

I want you both to remain
exactly where you are

until I release you,
or the chairman releases you.

Is that clear?

Yes.
Yes, sir.

Chairman's on.

"Mr. President,
I assume there is a reason

for these other people
to be joining us."

Yes, sir, there is.

"Then let us hear your reason."

[WHISPERS]
Not tough. Like he's ready.

"In a few minutes,
the bombs may be falling.

"I have brought our forces
to full readiness.

"Without satisfaction,
I must release those forces.

"So what do you propose,
Mr. President?

"My experts tell me that
one or two of your bombers

"will probably get through
to Moscow.

Mr. President,
have you made a decision?"

Yes, sir, I have.

It is my decision, and I take
full responsibility for it.

Mr. Swenson,
are you on the line?

Yes, Mr. President.

General Bogan?

Yes, sir. We're here.

This is what will happen,

if even one of the bombers
gets through.

It will drop
two 20-megaton bombs on Moscow.

Our ambassador will probably
hear the sound of engines

a second or two before
the bombs are released.

PRESIDENT:
He will certainly hear

the sound of the defensive
missile systems going off.

A moment or two after that,

the bombs themselves
will explode.

I am told that
what we will hear

is a high, shrill sound.

That will be
the ambassador's telephone

melting from the heat
of the fireball.

When we hear that sound,
the ambassador will be dead.

Jay, you understand you are
to stay exactly where you are?

I...understand, sir.

[MAN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"Is this your plan?

To sacrifice one American life
for five million Russians?"

No! Listen to me.
"Do you really think--?"

Listen to me!

Listen.

I have ordered
one of our bombers

into the air from Washington.

In a few minutes,

it will be circling
New York City.

It is carrying
two 20-megaton bombs.

When I know
that Moscow has been hit

I will order those bombs
released.

Ground zero will be
the Empire State Building.

When we hear the shriek of
Mr. Lentov's telephone melting,

we will know that he is gone...

and with him, New York.

Holy mother of God.

How can he do that?

What else can he do?

Five million people.

This, Mr. Knapp,

is where we've always
been headed.

There is no other way,
Mr. Chairman.

Unless, of course, you feel...

that the offer itself is enough.

Showing good intentions.

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

BUCK:
"Would you think it was enough

"if Russian planes
were flying against New York?

Could you accept
only my good intentions?"

No.

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"I would like to say
that your action is unnecessary.

Unfortunately, I cannot."

Well, let's hope
that I won't have to do it.

Colonel Grady,
we're at 900 feet.

Pierce? What do you see
out the window?

Lights.

Village lights, I suppose.

Movement
on the roads?

Yeah, cars.
A...few trucks.

But no blackout?

No, everything looks normal.

You'd think they'd be
in their bomb shelters by now.

GRADY:
How far from Moscow are we?

Thirty-eight minutes
to target, sir.

How many
planes left?

Just us and number six.
They got the rest.

Flynn?

FLYNN [OVER RADIO]:
Still here, Grady.

What's your condition?

Um...

Got some slight wing damage
from shrapnel.

All that's done
is reduce our speed,

down to 1350 an hour.

Drag even.

Still have
any of those decoys left?

A few.

Well...

We've got the bombs,
you don't.

I'll need you to take
those fighters off my tail.

Whatever you say.

Thanks, Billy.

No sweat.

You take care, now.

You too.

NEVSKY:
General Bogan?

Yes, Marshal Nevsky.

Why has one of your planes
appeared again?

That's number six,
the decoy plane.

It's-- It's just trying
to draw your fighters

away from the plane
that's carrying the bombs.

I see.

It's not armed, Marshal.

You don't have
to worry about it.

Thank you.

We shall try
for a kill in any case.

You-- You pull
your fighters away,

the other bomber
will slip through.

You'll never catch it.

There are-- There are no bombs
aboard that plane.

It's of no danger to you!

You're-- You're letting
the other bomber through!

Jesus!

Jesus! We--

[MEN ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

TRANSLATOR:
Excuse me.

[ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

Excuse me, one moment. One--

[ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

There has been...

[ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

There has been...

Marshal Nevsky--

Marshal Nevsky has collapsed.

[ARGUING IN RUSSIAN]

It appears...

I...

I don't-- I don't know...
I--

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

General Koniev...

General Koniev
is now in command.

General Bogan.

Nevsky sent his fighters after--
After a plane that has no bombs.

That means the other bomber

will almost certainly
get through to Moscow.

You can't recall them?

There's no time.
Our-- Our bombers are--

Are very fast.

Nevsky realized it too late.
It was too much for him.

KONIEV:
General Bogan, this is General Koniev.

Do you have the remaining plane
on your screen?

No, we do not.

We are unable
to pick it up on radar,

and it's flying so fast

that our anti-aircraft
is almost useless.

I must assume your plane
will get through.

Yes.

We have only one chance left.

I intend to concentrate
all our remaining rockets

in the estimated path
of your plane

and fire them simultaneously.

Our hope is to set up

an impenetrable
thermonuclear ceiling.

It has a chance.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Thirty minutes to target.

KONIEV:
You know, general, we almost met once.

In a most unlikely place.

Yes?

In Persia, during the war.

Khorramshahr, on the gulf.

You were delivering planes
to us,

and I was there to accept them.

But our paths never crossed.

I just remember the heat.

Yes.

It was unbearable.

Like being in a steam room.

And your pilots...

I remember your pilots.

The way they took off
in those planes we gave 'em--

Just lift up their wheels

before they were
off the runway.

Never saw anything like it.

They were in a hurry
to get the Germans.

Tell me, general,
what is your location?

Are you in Moscow?

No, I was ordered to leave.

Your-- Your family...

It's a hard day,
general.

Yes, a hard day.

Goodbye, comrade.

Goodbye, my friend.

They're gonna fire off
all their rockets at once.

[BLASTS]

Colonel Grady, sir?

Yes, Jimmy?

The indicator shows
a large number of rocket engines

have been ignited ahead of us.

They should show
on the radar screen in a moment.

What do we know about them?

They're designed to home in
on heat-producing engines,

like an airplane.

They can't be aiming at us,
we're too low.

They'd blow themselves up.

What are they doing with them?
What else do we know?

Well, if they're like ours, they
don't work at low altitudes,

only when they get up high.

That's it, then. They're gonna
explode 'em on top of us

and hope to knock us down
with the blast.

They can do it too.

Would those rockets
go after missiles?

I don't see why not.
A missile produces heat.

How many air-to-air missiles
do we have left?

JIMMY:
Two, sir.

All right.

The second you see
their rockets,

you fire those missiles

for maximum elevation,
straight up.

Straight up, sir?

Straight up.

With any luck,

the rockets will home in
on our missiles.

Give 'em just enough extra boost
to keep 'em at least...

2500 feet above the rockets.
JIMMY: Yes, sir.

Colonel, we have to report in.
No time for that.

They're expecting it,
sir.

It's standard operating
procedure.

We're in range.
We have to report in.

[SIGHS]
Keep an eye on that scope.

Ultimate 2, this is Turkey 6.

Ultimate 2, this is Turkey 6.
Can you read me?

PRESIDENT:
Colonel Grady, this is the president.

[SIGHS]
Keep receiving.

Do you understand me?

Whatever you hear,
keep receiving.

TOMMY:
Dad?

Dad, it's me, Tommy.

I'm okay
and there isn't any war.

It's a big mistake.
It's a mistake!

JIMMY:
Is that really your son?

PIERCE: No.
I don't-- I don't know--

No, no, that--
That's not your son, colonel.

They're just imitating
his voice.

That's not really your son.

I'm sure, Dad.
Do you hear me?

I'm sure.
Say it, Dad.

You know what comes next,
say it.

Are you--
Are you positive?

Only fools are positive.
Do you see?

Nobody else knows that.

PRESIDENT:
This is not a trick, Grady.

There is no war.

I wanna see you again, Dad.

PRESIDENT:
Listen to him. Nobody could fake this.

I can't.
JIMMY: Here come the nukes!

[TOMMY CRYING]

PRESIDENT:
For the sake of your son!

PIERCE: Fire one.
JIMMY: Fire one!

You promised me.

Fire two.
Fire two.

Keep them at 2,500 feet
above the rockets.

TOMMY:
There is no war.

18,000 feet now.
Higher.

We're 20,000.
Higher, go after 'em.

Thirty thousand,
40,000. Hard as you can.

We gotta get 'em high.
Dad!

Turn it off, colonel.
Sixty thousand feet.

I love you. Come home.
Colonel, we can't trust it.

Eighty thousand.
Daddy.

Ninety.
Colonel, we are too low.

That blast is gonna slam us.
Gotta get altitude.

We're leveling out.
I love you, Tommy.

One thirty.
You're my boy.

One thirty-five.

Remember that,
I love you so much.

Sir, turn it off.

GRADY:
Hang on!

We're going up.

JIMMY:
The nukes are catching up.

Stand by for a ram.

We're gonna catch
some of it!

Hang on!

[GRUNTS]

[SCREAMS]

[SCREAMS]

[GRUNTING AND PANTING]

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

[SIGHS]

We'll make it now.

How far to Moscow?

Seventeen minutes, sir.

We have only one decision
left to make,

and then our job is done.

We decide from what height
to drop the bombs.

We've already taken on
enough radiation

from the blast that...

at best we'd last
a couple of days.

I intend to take us in
at 900 feet,

and when we're over the target,
climb to 5000 feet.

The bombs are set to go off
at 5000 feet.

We'll go with the bombs.

What the hell.

There's nothing
to go home to anyway.

May God forgive us.

CASCIO:
Get me an outside line to New York City.

MAN [OVER PA]:
Fifteen minutes to target.

Mom? Mom--
Mom, listen to me, I--

We don't have much time.
I-- I want you and Dad...

M-Mom, listen.

What--? What do you mean?

Oh, where is he?

Oh, I-I--
I forgot about the Red Sox.

Is Francis there?

Oh?

So-- So you're alone?

Oh, uh... Mom, wait, uh...

Just...

I will.

Just-- Just stay
on the phone with me.

Just stay with me.

Are there any--

Any papers or documents
in New York

absolutely essential
to running the United States?

SWENSON:
General Stark?

STARK:
Uh, no, sir.

Important documents,
but none absolutely essential.

MAN:
Will-- Will there be any time to warn people?

With a little time,
we could save a lot of lives.

SWENSON:
On this short notice,

all you'd produce is panic.

MAN:
What about this?

Maybe he doesn't know.

The First Lady is--
Is in New York.

He knows.

Dear God.

Gentlemen,
we are wasting time.

I've been making
a few rough calculations

based on the effect
of two 20-megaton bombs

dropped on New York City

in the middle
of a normal workday.

I estimate the immediate dead
at about three million.

I include in that figure

those buried beneath
the collapsed buildings.

Doesn't make any difference,
General Adams,

if they reached a shelter
or not.

They would die just the same.

Add another million or two
who'll die

within about
the first five weeks. Now...

Even though there may be

no irreplaceable government
documents in those buildings,

many of our corporations
keep their financial records

in New York City.

I believe that fortune

has actually smiled
upon us there, gentlemen.

Because paper
is a wonderful insulator,

it's possible,
it's even probable,

that these records
will have survived.

Our first priority
should be of excavation, sir.

Not of the dead.

Of these records.
Our economy depends on this.

Economy depends
on them.

[INHALES]

Are you married, Buck?

No, sir. Not yet.

We've, uh, been going steady
for a while,

but we haven't set a date
or anything yet.

Is she in the government?

State Department.

She's a translator
like me.

Spanish, French and Italian.

We met in translator school,
and uh...

Heh. When she gets mad
she can curse in four languages.

You did good
today, Buck.

You did good.

You didn't freeze up.

A lot of other men would.

You're the one
who didn't, sir.

If you're going
to get married,

you oughta do it soon.

Yes, sir.

Use the time...

Goes fast.

Yes, sir.

[BUZZING]

SECRETARY:
The chairman is on the line, sir.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"Mr. President,
I have activated

only those parts
of our defense

that still have a chance
of shooting down your bomber.

Our long-range missiles
have already begun

to stand down from the alert.

But we think we do not
have much of a chance."

I agree.

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"And yet who can be blamed?
Can you blame a machine?"

Well...

Men built those machines,
Mr. Chairman.

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"Men are not perfect,
Mr. President."

Men are responsible

for what they do.

Men are responsible
for what they make.

We built those machines,
Mr. Chairman.

Your country and mine,
we put them in place.

Two great cities
will be destroyed.

Millions of innocent people
will die...

because of us.

What do we say to them?

[CHUCKLES]

"Accidents will happen"?

I can't accept that.

What do we do, Mr. Chairman?
What do we say to the dead?

[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]

"We must say that this
will not happen again.

But do you think that
that is possible?"

JAY:
Mr. President.

Yes, Jay.

I can hear the sound
of explosions

coming from the northeast.

The sky is very bright,
like a--

A long row of skyrockets.

It's...all lit up.
Very--

[HIGH-PITCHED BEEPING]

[BEEPING STOPS]

Blackie.

BLACK:
Yes, Mr. President.

Moscow has been destroyed,
Blackie.

Release your bombs
according to plan.

I understand.

You've all been briefed
on this mission,

so there's nothing more
to say.

I have only one last order.

No one else is to have
anything to do

with the release
of the bombs.

I repeat.

I will fly the plane
and launch the bombs.

The ultimate act will be mine.

Is that clear?

On course, sir.

Approaching the target.

We'll count down from 10.
Give me the signal.

MAN:
On a heading of 56 degrees south.

Winds northwest
at eight miles an hour.

Altitude, 26,000 feet.

Ground Zero set at 1,000 feet.

The lob point is in 10.

BLACK:
Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

[SQUEALS]

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Mark.

BOY 1: Who's it?
BOY 2: You're it!

[PANTING]

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

[SNIFFS]

ANNOUNCER:
Richard Dreyfuss as the president.

Noah Wyle as Buck.

Brian Dennehy as General Bogan.

Sam Elliot
as Congressman Raskob.

James Cromwell as Gordon Knapp.

John Diehl as Colonel Cascio.

Hank Azaria
as Professor Groteschele.

Norman Lloyd
as Secretary Swenson.

William Smitrovich
as General Stark.

Don Cheadle
as Lieutenant Pierce.

George Clooney
as Colonel Jack Grady.

And Harvey Keitel
as General Black.

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]