If DR STRANGELOVE was a gleefully outrageous look at the Cold War, FAIL-SAFE is the other side of the coin: dark, cold, and deeply pessimistic. The plot, about American nuclear bombers that are accidentally dispatched to Russia due to a computer malfunction, is straightforward enough, but the tension of the situation is brought to the fore by Sidney Lumet's assured direction and the efforts of the ensemble cast to sell their roles.
Henry Fonda's President is a cool and collected presence and Larry Hagman very effective as his youthful aide; their shared telephone call with the Russians is a highlight here. Fritz Weaver does very well a stand-out turn as a warmonger. Dan O'Herlihy is more laid back and assured, and Walter Matthau is in the mix too. If the film isn't quite as gripping as THE BEDFORD INCIDENT that's because it's more obviously a case of guys-chatting-in-a-room throughout, but that ending still packs one heck of a punch.
Henry Fonda's President is a cool and collected presence and Larry Hagman very effective as his youthful aide; their shared telephone call with the Russians is a highlight here. Fritz Weaver does very well a stand-out turn as a warmonger. Dan O'Herlihy is more laid back and assured, and Walter Matthau is in the mix too. If the film isn't quite as gripping as THE BEDFORD INCIDENT that's because it's more obviously a case of guys-chatting-in-a-room throughout, but that ending still packs one heck of a punch.