Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964–1968): Season 1, Episode 19 - Doomsday - full transcript

[Alarm Buzzing]

- [Whistles]
- YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.

THEY'RE NOT GEESE.

THEIR SPEED'S ABOUT...
5,000 MILES AN HOUR.

[Man Over Speaker] UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS
REPORTED FROM ST. MATTHEW'S STATION.

SPEED, 5,000 MILES PER HOUR.

COURSE, 1-7-0.

BANKS ISLAND STATION
CONFIRMS UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS.

[Buzzing]

THIS IS THE PRESIDENT.

YES.



MY VERIFICATION CODE...

4-2-0-0-4-7.

VERIFY YOURSELF.

ALL RIGHT, GENERAL, GO AHEAD.

HOW FAR ARE THEY
FROM THE DEW LINE?

I SEE.

AND CONFIRMATION IS ABSOLUTE?

I ORDER ALL SYSTEMS TO
STAND BY FOR WAR ALERT.

IF THEY CROSS THE DEW
LINE, DESTROY THEM...

AND THEIR SOURCE.

AND MAY GOD BE WITH US.

[Man] VOYAGE TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

STARRING RICHARD BASEHART,

DAVID HEDISON.



VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

0045 SECONDS.

DOWN SCOPE.

0035 SECONDS.

0025 SECONDS.

0015 SECONDS.

005 SECONDS. 004
SECONDS. 003 SECONDS.

002 SECONDS. 001 SECOND.

000.

LATITUDE ZERO DEGREES,
ZERO MINUTES, ZERO SECONDS.

WE ARE NOW CROSSING THE EQUATOR.

[Crane] NOW HEAR THIS.
ALL HANDS. ALL POLLYWOGS,

ANYONE WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY
CROSSED THE EQUATOR...

AND BEEN WELCOMED INTO KING
NEPTUNE'S MAJESTIC DOMAIN...

WILL REPORT IMMEDIATELY
TO THE CREW'S QUARTERS...

FOR THE 1973
INITIATION CEREMONIES.

[Chattering, Laughing]

WELL, LEE, SHALL WE PREPARE TO
PAY OUR RESPECTS TO KING NEPTUNE?

I WAS UP ALL NIGHT
POLISHING MY SWORD, ADMIRAL.

ONE! TWO!

THREE!

LOOK AT CLARK!

- [Clark] THAT'S COLD.
- YES, BUT IT'S GOOD FOR YOU.

AW, COME ON, FELLAS. HAVE A...

OH, NO, PATTERSON.
NO FEATHERS. COME ON.

PATTERSON, NO...
NO. PATTERSON, NO...

FEATHERS.

HELLO, SIR.

AYE, I'VE NEVER SEEN A MANGIER
LOT OF POLLYWOGS IN ALL ME DAYS.

HAVE YOU, ME DARLIN' QUEEN?

NO! AND THEY'RE GONNA
FRIGHTEN THE ROYAL BABY.

[Wailing]

YOU SCURVY DARE TO
MAKE THE ROYAL BABY CRY?

ADMIRAL, WHAT'S THE
MEANING OF THIS? SIRE...

DON'T "SIRE" ME.

THIS LOT IS AN AFFRONT
TO MY KINGDOM.

YOU, POLLYWOG,
APPROACH THE THRONE.

ON YOUR BELLY, POLLYWOG!

HAS HE NO RESPECT
FOR THE ROYAL COURT?

HE IS BUT IGNORANT, SIRE,

THOUGH HE IS A LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

AYE, THEN HE'S NOT
ONE OF YOUR CREW.

NO, HE'S ONLY TEMPORARILY.
I MUST CONFESS...

THAT IF COMMANDER CORBETT OFFENDS
YOUR MAJESTY AND THE ROYAL FAMILY,

- I AM TO BLAME FOR IT.
- UH, YOU, ADMIRAL?

HAD I BUT GIVEN HIM THE
MARKS HE SO RICHLY DESERVED...

IN MARINE BIOLOGY
AND CHEMISTRY...

[Laughs]

WHEN I HAD THE ENORMOUS MISFORTUNE
TO HAVE HIM IN MY CLASSES AT ANNAPOLIS...

THE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER WOULD
NOT NOW BE ABOARD THE SEAVIEW...

TO EVALUATE OUR FITNESS
AS A MISSION CARRIER.

NOR WOULD HE HAVE
FRIGHTENED THE ROYAL BABY.

[Klaxon Blaring]

MAN ALL STATIONS.
ON THE DOUBLE! MOVE!

SLOPPY. SLOW AND SLOPPY.

I'D HATE TO SEE THE FITNESS
RATING WE'LL GET FOR THIS ONE.

NOW FOR THE REST OF THIS
EXERCISE, I WANT SPEED AND PRECISION.

I DON'T THINK IT IS
AN EXERCISE, LEE.

HE'S EVERY BIT AS
SURPRISED BY IT AS WE ARE.

EASY. AH, IT'S A SHORT.

[Explosion]

[Groans] IT'S MY EYES! MY EYES!

SICK BAY. DOC, GET UP HERE FAST.

LET ME SEE, KOWALSKI.
I... I CAN'T SEE, ADMIRAL.

MY EYES! MY EYES!

WHO'S THERE? RELAX,
KOWALSKI. IT'S THE DOC.

AM I BLIND, DOC?

DOC?

BLIND? AN OLD GIRL-WATCHER
LIKE YOU, KOWALSKI.

COME ON. EASY.

THE GLASS EXPLODED RIGHT IN HIS EYES. I
WISH WE COULD GET HIM TO A SPECIALIST.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY WE
HAVE MORE URGENT BUSINESS.

[Scoffs] "STAND BY."

WHAT DOES HE MEAN STAND BY?

THIS IS NO EXERCISE. LOOK
AT OUR MISSILE OFFICER.

- HE'S SCARED.
- WHY SHOULDN'T HE BE? SO AM I.

YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S
ACTUALLY GONNA BE A WAR?

WELL, LET'S HOPE IT'S
JUST A PLANE OFF COURSE...

OR MAYBE A FLIGHT OF
GEESE OVER THE DEW LINE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO START
WORRYING, REALLY WORRYING,

UNTIL THIS GOES ON.

THEN IT'S IN THE HANDS OF
ONE MAN... THE PRESIDENT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH ME.
THAT'S RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD BE.

HE'S THE ONLY MAN THAT CAN OPEN
THE FAIL-SAFE, SO A MISSILE CAN BE FIRED.

AN UNPICKABLE LOCK ON THE
MIGHTIEST ARSENAL EVER CREATED.

EXACTLY.

[Klaxon Blares]

RIG FOR WAR ALERT.
ALL AHEAD FLANK.

COME TO COURSE 2-7-0.

TAKE HER DOWN TO 2,000 FEET.

SPARKS, MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE.

FAIL-SAFE OFFICERS,

MAN YOUR UNITS.

[Crane Over Speaker]
FAIL-SAFE OFFICERS, REPORT.

ADMIRAL?

READY, CAPTAIN.

- MR. MORTON?
- READY, CAPTAIN.

COMMANDER CORBETT?

COMMANDER CORBETT!

COMMANDER CORBETT!

CORBETT!

CORBETT!

READY, CAPTAIN.

UNLOCK FAIL-SAFE UNITS.

COMMANDER CORBETT,
UNLOCK YOUR FAIL-SAFE.

CORBETT, UNLOCK YOUR FAIL-SAFE!

CORBETT, REPORT!

WHAT'S WRONG, CORBETT?

CORBETT!

BILL.

BILL.

THIS ISN'T AN EXERCISE, ADMIRAL.

IT'S REAL.

I CANNOT DESTROY THE WORLD.

I CAN'T.

IT'S NOT YOU.

IT'S NOT? THEN WHO IS IT?

IT'S ME.

NO.

NO!

[Knocking]

FIFTEEN MINUTES TO LAUNCH
COORDINATES, ADMIRAL.

WHAT HAPPENED TO CORBETT?

HE COULDN'T ACTIVATE
HIS FAIL-SAFE UNIT.

HE JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

EVERY SOLDIER WHO EVER WENT
TO WAR KNOWS THAT MOMENT.

IT'S ONE THING TO BE A CRACK
SHOT IN THE RIFLE RANGE.

IT'S ANOTHER THING TO PULL THE
TRIGGER WHEN THERE'S A MAN...

A REAL MAN, A HUMAN
BEING... IN YOUR SIGHTS.

WHEN THE CHIPS WERE DOWN, THEY
PULLED THE TRIGGER, DIDN'T THEY?

MOST OF THEM.

SOME OF THEM COULDN'T.
CORBETT IS NOT A COWARD.

HE JUST STARTED TO WRESTLE WITH
HIS CONSCIENCE AT THE WRONG TIME.

HE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT
BEFORE HE'D TAKEN HIS OATH OF DUTY.

ADMIRAL... YES, LEE?

NO ONE, NONE OF US, KNOWS HOW WE'LL
ACT WHEN WE HAVE TO PULL THAT TRIGGER.

GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE.

ASSUMING WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.

I'LL HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT IT, LEE.

WE'RE 11 MINUTES FROM
LAUNCH COORDINATES, LEE.

IT'S UNTHINKABLE, ADMIRAL.
IT... IT CAN'T BE HAPPENING.

IT MAY NOT BE.

WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE CROSS THE
FAIL-SAFE LINE THEN SEND UP THE ANTENNA.

IF THE ANTENNA DOESN'T
RECEIVE AN ABORT ORDER,

IT'S HAPPENING.

SURE WE GOT ALL THESE
BOMBS AND MISSILES AND STUFF.

[Chuckles] BUT SO HAVE THEY.

I MEAN, THE WAY I
FIGURE, IT'S A STANDOFF.

I PUT A LOADED PISTOL
AGAINST YOUR HEAD,

YOU GOT ONE AGAINST MINE...

WHO'S GONNA PULL THE TRIGGER?

YOU KNOW SOMETHIN',
PATTERSON? WHAT?

- I DON'T MUCH LIKE LOOKIN'
LIKE THIS WHEN IT HAPPENS.
- I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.

YOU DO? SURE.

IT'S LIKE WHEN I WAS A KID.

MY MOM ALWAYS USED TO SAY,

"DON'T GO OUT WHEN YOU'RE
DIRTY. ALWAYS LOOK RIGHT.

"YOU MIGHT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.

AND WHAT WILL THE AMBULANCE
GUY THINK IF YOU'RE DIRTY?"

YEAH, THAT'S IT.

YEAH, WELL, DON'T WORRY
HOW YOU LOOK, CLARK.

NOBODY'S GONNA SEE
US AGAIN. NOT EVER.

UH, CAPTAIN, SOME OF US WERE
WONDERING, SIR, WHETHER...

WHETHER THERE WAS ANY NEWS
FROM HOME? NO, NOTHING, CLARK.

CAPTAIN... YES?

YOU WOULD TELL US IF
YOU HEARD ANYTHING?

NOW, LOOK, I-I'M JUST AS
ANXIOUS TO HEAR AS YOU ARE.

YES, SIR. CLARK.

YES, SIR? YOU HAVE A FAMILY?

ADMIRAL, EVERYBODY'S
GOT A FAMILY.

I GOT A WIFE, A COUPLE OF KIDS,

MY MOTHER, MY FATHER, COUPLE
OF BROTHERS, COUPLE OF SISTERS.

BOY, HAVE I GOT A FAMILY.

I JUST WISH I KNEW HOW
THEY ARE. THAT'S ALL.

WELL, I SHOULD THINK THEY'RE
WONDERING ABOUT YOU TOO, CLARK.

YEAH, SIR. I'LL BET THEY ARE.

EIGHT MINUTES TO
LAUNCH COORDINATES.

WE'RE IN ENEMY
WATERS NOW, CAPTAIN.

SONAR, KEEP YOUR
EARS OPEN. YES, SIR.

CAN YOU SEE ANYTHING, KOWALSKI?

ANYTHING AT ALL?

AH, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE NOW?

I GOT MAYBE AN HOUR,
HOUR AND A HALF,

THEN BOOM.

[Chuckles] SO WHAT'S
THE DIFFERENCE?

THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF ARE CRITICAL
TO WHETHER YOU'LL EVER SEE AGAIN OR NOT,

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

ASSUMING OF COURSE
THERE IS NO BOOM.

NOW, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.

CAPTAIN, DESTROYERS
AT BEARING 1-7,

SPEED 40 KNOTS,
RANGE 5,000 YARDS.

KEEP ON 'EM.

ALL HANDS, RIG FOR
DEPTH CHARGES.

REPEAT, RIG FOR DEPTH CHARGES.

IT DOESN'T LOOK ANY BETTER.

YOU ALL RIGHT?

YES, SIR.

I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

YOU'RE NAVY, ANNAPOLIS. THIS IS
WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TRAINED FOR.

YOU'VE GONE THROUGH
THIS A HUNDRED TIMES.

PRACTICE RUNS.

GAMES, LIKE WHEN WE WERE KIDS.

THIS IS NO GAME, ADMIRAL.

THIS IS REAL.

I KNOW. THE MISSILE
OFFICER KNOWS.

THERE WAS NO PRACTICE
ALERT SCHEDULED FOR THIS RUN.

THIS IS DOOMSDAY, ADMIRAL.

DOOMSDAY.

IF IT IS, WE DIDN'T START IT.

WHAT DIFFERENCE
IS IT WHO STARTED IT?

IT'S ONE THING TO
CARRY A BIG STICK.

IT'S ANOTHER TO BASH
SOMEONE'S HEAD IN WITH IT.

I JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

BUT YOU COULD.

COULDN'T YOU, ADMIRAL?

YOU THINK BECAUSE I COULD DO
WHAT I HAD TO DO, I DON'T FEEL?

I DON'T FEEL FOR THE MILLIONS...

OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE
THE BONE AND MUSCLE...

OF OUR COUNTRY'S
DETERRENT POWER.

IF WE FAIL IN THAT, IF WE
FREEZE IN THE CLUTCH,

THEN OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENSELESS.

YOU FAILED YOUR
COUNTRY ONCE BEFORE.

DON'T EVER FAIL HER AGAIN.

LAUNCH COORDINATES, CAPTAIN.

STEADY AS SHE GOES.
ALL ENGINES STOP.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANY REASON
TO DELAY FIRING, ADMIRAL?

NO REASON THAT HAS
ANY MILITARY RELEVANCE.

MISSILE ROOM, RELEASE
FAIL-SAFE ANTENNA.

[Beeping]

ANSWERS, ANSWERS.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

I'VE SPENT ALL MY LIFE
TRYING TO FIND ANSWERS.

BUT THERE'S NO ANSWER TO THIS.

ADMIRAL...

YES, LEE.

NOTHING.

THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY.

DESTROYERS 2,700 YARDS.

MR. MORTON, COME
TO COURSE 0-9-0.

COME TO COURSE 0-9-0.

ANTENNA BUOY AT SURFACE.

NO ABORT SIGNAL, CAPTAIN.

START FIRING PROCEDURE, LEE.

[Ticking]

[Rapid Beeping, Long Beep]

[Ticking Stops]

ALL HANDS, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN.

THE ATTACK'S BEEN CANCELED.
WE'RE NO LONGER ON WAR ALERT.

REPEAT... COME ON, DOC.
WHATCHA WAITING FOR?

ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS. GET TO
WORK AND CLEAN THESE BABIES OUT.

[Laughing, Chattering]
HEY, CAPTAIN.

CAPTAIN!

ALL RIGHT MEN, QUIET.

QUIET DOWN!

ENEMY DESTROYERS CLOSING FAST.

WE'RE IN THEIR WATERS,
AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY.

THEY WON'T WASTE
TIME ASKING QUESTIONS.

LET'S GO UP AND GIVE 'EM THE ANSWERS.
MR. MORTON, PREPARE TO SURFACE.

SPARKS. RADIO WE'RE
SURFACING. PREPARE...

[Corbett] CAPTAIN, THIS IS MISSILE
CONTROL. NUMBER FOUR WON'T DEACTIVATE.

THE FUSE IS SET FOR
DETONATION AT ZERO FEET.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T SURFACE!

IF WE CAN'T TALK, LET'S
RUN. LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

MANEUVERING, COME TO
COURSE 1-4-0. ALL AHEAD FLANK.

[Alarm Blaring]

DOC... EASY. EASY.
EASY, KOWALSKI.

CORBETT, YOU MAKING ANY HEADWAY
DISARMING NUMBER FOUR MISSILE?

NEGATIVE. FUSE IS STILL JAMMED.
IT WILL BLOW UP AT SURFACE.

WE GOT THE WHOLE
FLEET AFTER US, CAPTAIN.

ENGINE ROOM, CAN YOU
GIVE ME ANY MORE SPEED?

[Curley] SHE'S BREAKIN'
RECORDS NOW, SKIPPER.

HOW MUCH ROOM BENEATH
US? WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM NOW.

THEY'VE GOT US IN A CIRCLE. WE CAN'T
FIGHT BACK, AND WE CAN'T OUTRUN THEM.

[Alarm Blaring]

GOT A BAD ONE, CAPTAIN.

CAN CONTROL THE WATER, BUT THE MAIN
VENTS IN THE BALLAST TANKS ARE SPRUNG.

THE TRIM'S GONNA
BE A BIT SLOPPY.

THAT'S THE LEAST OF
OUR WORRIES, CHIEF.

ANY PROGRESS, CORBETT?

NO, SIR. THERE'S NO WAY
TO DEACTIVATE THE FUSE...

OUR ONLY HOPE IS TO FIND A
LONELY PLACE, GO DEEP, AND FIRE IT.

THE FAIL-SAFE. IF WE... NO, SIR.

ONLY THE PRESIDENT
CAN REOPEN IT.

THE FIRST THING WE'VE GOT TO
DO IS LOSE THOSE DESTROYERS.

LEE, JAM THEIR SONAR SO THEY'LL
HAVE TO RELY ON HYDROPHONES.

[Inhales, Groans]

START UP THE
MINI-SUB. FULL SPEED.

ENGINE ROOM.

CHIEF, I WANT YOU TO REDUCE ENGINE
SPEED GRADUALLY TILL I TELL YOU TO HOLD.

A LITTLE MORE, CHIEF. IT'S GOTTA SOUND
LIKE SEAVIEW ON THEIR HYDROPHONES.

OKAY, CHIEF, HOLD THERE.
AND STAY ON THE LINE.

GET THAT THING LAUNCHED. KEEP
THE MOTORS RUNNING. YES, SIR.

PREPARE TO LAUNCH MINI-SUB.

[Nelson] LET'S HOPE THEY START
FOLLOWING IT INSTEAD OF US.

OKAY, LAUNCH. LAUNCH!

[Sonar Pinging]

OKAY, CHIEF, STOP ALL ENGINES.

LEE, WE'VE JUST LAUNCHED
THE MINI-SUB AS A DECOY.

KEEP A FIX ON THOSE DESTROYERS.

[Sonar Pinging]

CAPTAIN, I'VE PICKED UP
ANOTHER SUB ON THE HYDROPHONE.

DON'T WORRY. IT'S ONE OF OURS.

[Alarm Blaring]

IT WORKED. THEY'RE
FOLLOWING THE MINI-SUB.

CHIP, LET'S GET UNDER WAY.

FULL AHEAD. COME TO COURSE
1-4-0. ALL STATIONS, REPORT DAMAGE.

ANY LUCK?

I CAN SET IT TO DETONATE WHEREVER
YOU WANT BENEATH THE SURFACE.

THERE'S NO CHANCE OF OUR
SURFACING UNTIL WE GET RID OF THIS BABY.

WHAT WILL OUR FIRING
DEPTH HAVE TO BE?

ABOUT 4,500 FEET
FOR A SURFACE BLAST.

NO SURFACE BLAST. WE DETONATE
AT 1,000 FEET BELOW SURFACE.

BUT WHY?

TO DETONATE AT 1,000
FEET BELOW THE SURFACE,

WE HAVE TO FIRE
AT... 4,700 FEET.

CAN SEAVIEW GO THAT DEEP?

IT'S JUST POSSIBLE. POSSIBLE?

YOU MEAN YOU'D RISK EVERY MAN
ABOARD TO CONCEAL A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT,

TO PREVENT THE WORLD FROM
KNOWING THAT FAIL-SAFE IS FALLIBLE?

NO, COMMANDER.

NOR WILL I RISK THE LIVES OF THIS
CREW TO HONOR THE TEST BAN TREATY,

WHICH WE VIOLATE IF WE
DETONATE AT SURFACE.

BUT I WILL NOT POLLUTE THE
ATMOSPHERE WITH OUR MISTAKE.

I WILL NOT POISON
THE AIR, THE EARTH.

BETTER RISK THE LIVES OF THIS
CREW THAN GENERATIONS TO COME.

BUT THIS MORNING, YOU DIDN'T
HESITATE TO PUSH THE BUTTON.

BECAUSE LONG AGO, UNDER CONDITIONS LESS
NERVE-RACKING THAN WE FACED THIS MORNING,

STRATEGISTS AND STATESMEN
FORMULATED A PLAN.

A PLAN WHICH YOU, AS A MILITARY
MAN, HAVE SWORN TO FOLLOW.

IF PLANS MADE DURING
PERIODS OF CALM...

ARE NOT FOLLOWED, TO THE
LETTER, IN TIMES OF STRESS,

WE CAN ONLY FACE CHAOS.

OUR SURVIVAL AS A
NATION AND AS INDIVIDUALS...

REQUIRES WE RELY UPON
REASON AND NOT EMOTIONS.

OUR SECURITY, ADMIRAL, ALSO
REQUIRES AN INFORMED PUBLIC.

THE WORLD SHOULD LEARN, AS I DID THIS
MORNING, WHAT DOOMSDAY WOULD REALLY MEAN,

WHAT A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT MEANS.

THEN MAYBE WE'LL THROW AWAY THESE
MONSTROUS TOYS BEFORE THEY DESTROY US.

IF YOU WANT TO SOUND THE
TRUMPET, COMMANDER, DO IT.

BUT NOT IN THAT UNIFORM.
AND NOT ABOARD SEAVIEW.

WE DETONATE AT MINUS 1,000 FEET.

YES, SIR.

I SEE NO OTHER
SOLUTION, MR. PRESIDENT.

NOW LET ME GET
THIS CLEAR, NELSON.

YOU'RE ASKING ME TO
OPEN THE FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM

LONG ENOUGH TO LET
YOU FIRE ONE MISSILE,

WHICH WILL EXPLODE 1,000 FEET
BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE SEA?

YOU REALIZE I CAN'T OPEN YOUR FAIL-SAFE
WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

DURING THE 30 SECONDS
THAT YOU REQUIRE,

ANY GENERAL OR
COLONEL OR ADMIRAL...

COULD CONCEIVABLY FIRE
THE WEAPONS IN HIS COMMAND.

ACTUALLY, WE'VE CUT OUR
REQUIRED TIME TO FIVE SECONDS.

THE EXACT MOMENT WHEN THE
FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM WILL BE OPENED...

WILL BE KNOWN
ONLY TO YOU AND ME.

WHAT ABOUT THE
PENTAGON? WON'T THEY KNOW?

NO, MR. PRESIDENT.
ALL WE WILL KNOW IS...

THE SPOT WHICH WE HAVE SELECTED
AS FREE OF SHIPPING FOR THE FIRING.

SEAVIEW SHOULD REACH
THE FIRING SITE IN 24 HOURS.

NELSON, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M
RISKING TO SAVE YOUR SHIP?

YES, SIR.

GET IN TOUCH WITH ME WHEN
YOU REACH YOUR DESTINATION.

HOLD HER STEADY, LEE.

REAL STEADY, ADMIRAL.

STEADY, LEE.

THAT DOES IT.

WILL HE SEE? HE SHOULD.

THERE'S NO CORNEAL DAMAGE.

HE'LL BE UP GIRL-WATCHING
IN ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO.

GET HIM BACK AS SOON
AS YOU CAN. WE NEED HIM.

WHAT'S THE MATTER? OUR MAIN
BALLAST VENTS WERE DAMAGED.

IT'S HARD TO KEEP
TRIM. WHAT'S OUR DEPTH?

TWO HUNDRED FEET. TAKE
HER UP TO PERISCOPE DEPTH.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE AREA'S
CLEAR BEFORE WE GET RID OF THAT MISSILE.

MR. MORTON, COME
TO PERISCOPE DEPTH.

PERISCOPE DEPTH, AYE, SIR.

TAKE HER UP TO 9-0 FEET.

AND CAREFULLY. THAT MISSILE'S
STILL SET FOR SURFACE DETONATION.

IF WE BROACH...

WE'RE AT PERISCOPE
DEPTH, ADMIRAL.

STEADY. UP SCOPE.

STEADY.

HOLD HER STEADY!

RADAR, ANYTHING IN THE
AIR? ALL CLEAR, ADMIRAL.

DOWN SCOPE. TAKE HER BACK DOWN.

LEE, I'M STILL WORRIED
ABOUT THAT TRIM.

SO AM I.

LET'S GO DOWN.

SPARKS, MAKE THAT CALL FOR ME.

PIPE IT THROUGH THE SCRAMBLER. I'LL
BE IN MY CABIN. YES, SIR. RIGHT AWAY.

WHAT ABOUT IT, SPARKS?

GOOD.

YES, MR. PRESIDENT. NELSON HERE.

I ASSUME YOU'VE REACHED
YOUR DESTINATION, ADMIRAL?

GOOD. YOU'RE READY TO FIRE?

WE ARE... FIVE MINUTES
FROM FIRING, SIR.

THAT IS, IF I PERMIT IT?

OF COURSE, SIR.

I'VE GIVEN THIS ENTIRE FAIL-SAFE
BUSINESS A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT...

IN THE PAST 24 HOURS.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT
THE HUMAN FACTOR.

YESTERDAY, THE RUSSIANS
LAUNCHED 25 MISSILES SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THEY CARRIED NOTHING MORE DANGEROUS
THAN COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES.

BUT THEY NEGLECTED
TO NOTIFY US...

A HUMAN ERROR THAT ALMOST
CAUSED US TO GO TO WAR.

YES, SIR. IN RELEASING
YOUR FAIL-SAFE, NELSON,

I'M LEAVING YOU NO
ROOM FOR HUMAN ERROR.

THAT'S THE WAY IT MUST BE.

THERE CAN BE NO MISTAKES.

I UNDERSTAND, SIR. SUBMERGE
TO YOUR FIRING DEPTH.

I SHALL OPEN THE
SYSTEM IN PRECISELY...

FIVE MINUTES FOR FIVE SECONDS.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR MEN.

[Line Clicks]

MINUS 1,000 FEET.

YES, SIR.

TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN,

SIX, FIVE, FOUR,

THREE, TWO, ONE.

SYSTEM OPEN. UNLOCK UNITS.

DID YOU CATCH IT, CORBETT?

MISSILE UNDER MANUAL
CONTROL, ADMIRAL.

LEE, TAKE HER
DOWN TO 4,700 FEET.

TAKE HER TO 4,700 FEET.

DIVE TO 4-7-0-0 FEET.

SHE'S STILL KEEPING
THE WATER OUT.

READY, CORBETT?

READY, SIR.

FIRE!

- DAMAGE CONTROL, REPORT.
- MISSILE ROOM...

[Man] MAIN VENTS JAMMED.
AIR BUBBLE IN BALLAST.

WE'RE BALLOONING. CORBETT!

MISSILE ROOM.

DID YOU FIRE? DIDN'T HAVE TIME.

WE'RE AT, UH, 4,400 FEET.
IS IT SAFE TO FIRE NOW?

NEGATIVE.

WE'LL BE UP TO DETONATION
DEPTH IN THREE MINUTES.

DAMAGE CONTROL, ANY
LUCK? SHE'S JAMMED TIGHT.

WHAT'S YOUR PLAN?
PLAN? WE'VE HAD IT.

THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY. WE'RE NOT
GOING TO HAVE A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, CORBETT.

CAN...

CAN WE ROLL HER PAST 90
DEGREES AND FIRE DOWNWARD?

NO. THE GUIDANCE SYSTEM
WILL PREVENT FIRING...

UNLESS THE ATTITUDE OF
THE SUBMARINE IS NORMAL.

CAN WE DEFUSE HER
MAGNETICALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY?

IF WE COULD, THEN
SO COULD AN ENEMY.

THE FUEL, C-CAN WE... THAT'S IT!

WHAT'S OUR PRESENT DEPTH?

1,800 FEET.

I THINK WE CAN. BESIDES,
WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO LOSE?

IF I CAN JUST...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

BLEEDING OUT THE EXPELLANT
GAS BUT LEAVING JUST ENOUGH...

SO THE MISSILE WILL
BLAST CLEAR OF THE SUB...

THEN FIZZLE OUT AND
SINK TO THE BOTTOM.

I HOPE. WHAT'S OUR DEPTH?

1,400 FEET.

- DEPTH?
- 1,200 FEET.

CORBETT!

CORBETT, WHAT HAPPENED?
I DISOBEYED ORDERS.

I DIDN'T CHANGE IT. I LEFT IT
SET FOR A SURFACE BLAST.

- ON WHOSE AUTHORITY?
- ON MY AUTHORITY!

AS A MAN. AS A HUMAN BEING.

I'VE JUST DISCOVERED I HAVE A COMMITMENT
THAT TAKES PRIORITY OVER THIS UNIFORM.

PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO
KNOW WHAT ALMOST HAPPENED.

PRAY.

[Man On Speaker]
MISSILE SLOWING.

IT STOPPED AT 200 FEET
BENEATH THE SURFACE.

IT'S FALLING TO THE BOTTOM.

[Cheering]

820 FEET. THAT'S
CUTTING IT CLOSE.

TOO CLOSE, CHIP. TOO CLOSE.

MUCH TOO CLOSE.

BUBBLE ON ARTIFICIAL HORIZON.

- SIGHTING ON POLESTAR.
- POLESTAR.

TIME 2:04.

MARK.

ANGLE... 18 DEGREES, 22
MINUTES, THREE SECONDS.

VERIFY SIGHTING.

MARK.

1-8, 2-2, 0-3. SIGHTING VERIFIED
AS ACCURATE, CAPTAIN.

THANK YOU, MR. MORTON.

CONFIRM OUR POSITION WITH
INERTIAL NAVIGATION AND LOG IT.

AYE, AYE, SIR.

YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT?
WHAT'S THERE TO TALK ABOUT?

WELL, YOU GAVE HIM
A SECOND CHANCE.

HE BLEW IT.

AND NOW I HAVE TO
ORDER A COURT-MARTIAL.

I'LL HAVE TO
TESTIFY AGAINST HIM.

THEN HE'LL BE
DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IRONIC, LEE.

IF HE'D OBEYED ORDERS,
WE'D ALL BE DEAD NOW.

BY DISOBEYING ORDERS, HE
INADVERTENTLY SAVED OUR LIVES,

BUT HE WRECKED HIS CAREER.

IT COULD EVEN HAVE
BEEN WORSE. YEAH.

YEAH, IT COULD REALLY
HAVE BEEN DOOMSDAY.