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Fail Safe
UNITED STATES · 1964

Fail Safe

Sidney Lumet
nuclear war military error government crisis cold war tension technological failure
Stream on Criterion → ▶ Trailer

Synopsis

Because of a technical defect an American bomber team mistakenly orders the destruction of Moscow. The President of the United States has but little time to prevent an atomic catastrophe from occurring.

Cinema Atlas Connection
For me, the reason I like a slightly ambiguous ending, or the ending of Inception being misinterpreted, is that for me, you know, my favorite films have endings that are haunting and ambiguous. Like Fail Safe or Dr. Strangelove. Those films, they stay with you. You're still thinking about them. The ending of my next film, The Dark Knight Rises, has an ending that I think is very similar in terms of its ambiguity, and how you feel about it.
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This Film Influenced

→ Inception (2010)

More from Sidney Lumet

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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
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Find Me Guilty
2006 • United States
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Rachel, When the Lord
2004 • United States
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