Fail Safe (1964)

Henry Fonda: The President

Photos 

Quotes 

• The President : How did you get to be a translator, Buck? You don't seem the academic type.

  Buck : [nervously]  I guess I have a talent for languages, sir. I hear a language once I pick it right up. I don't even know how. They found out about it in the Army.

  The President : You sound sorry they did.

  Buck : No, sir. It's a very interesting job.

  [pauses] 

  Buck : That is, most of the time.

  The President : Well, you did a good job today, Buck.

  Buck : Thank you, sir. All I did was repeat what he said.

  The President : You didn't freeze up. Another man might have.

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

  The President : I wonder what it's like outside? Looked like rain before.

  Buck : The radio said it would clear by the afternoon.

• Marshall Nevsky : [over the hotline]  General Bogan, can you explain this maneuver? One of your planes has just appeared again.

  Gen. Bogan : It's standard procedure, Marshal Nevsky. That's our number six plane, the decoy plane. It's trying to draw your fighters away from our other plane carrying the bombs. It carries only defensive equipment. You don't have to worry about it.

  Marshall Nevsky : Thank you. We shall try for a kill in any case.

  Gen. Bogan : You'll scatter your forces. You don't have time for that.

  [watches helplessly as Russian planes focus on the decoy Vindicator] 

  Gen. Bogan : I tell you, it doesn't carry any bombs. You don't have to worry about it!

  [shouting] 

  Gen. Bogan : You're letting our other plane get through!

  [the Russians destroy the decoy Vindicator, allowing the armed plane to elude them] 

  Gen. Bogan : I told you!

  voice on the other end of the Russian hotline : [a new voice comes on the Russian side of the hotline]  There has been a... Marshal Nevsky has collapsed. It appears... Well, I don't know.General Koniev is now in command

  The President : Bogan, what's happened?

  Gen. Bogan : Marshal Nevsky sent his fighters after a plane that carried no bombs.That means our number one plane will almost certainly get through. The marshal realized that. It was too much for him.