Blogging By Cinema-light: Don't Make a Scene: Fail -Safe (1964)

The Story: Lots of reasons for doing this scene from Fail-Safe (the theatrical 1964 version directed by Sidney Lumet, not the live-TV version done in 2000, directed by Stephen Frears), and none of those reasons—absolutely none of them—have anything to do with balloons.

So, stand down.

No, I've been wanting to put this scene up because I've already done the similar President/Premier exchange from Dr. Strangelove and it's interesting to do a compare and contrast. The two stories are very much the same—just the occurrence that sparks it and the ultimate horrifying conclusions being a bit nuanced (as if playing with mega-tonnage can be considered "nuanced). Strangelove's source was a 1958 novel by Peter George called "Red Alert", while today's film came from an American best-seller by authors Eugene Burdick (who'd co-written "The Ugly American") and Harvey Wheeler. An out-of-court settlement from a "copyright infringement" suit over "Fail-Safe's" origins resulted in Strangelove being released first, to critical and box-office success, then the next year, Fail-Safe—to critical applause, but negligible box office. Once you see the satire, the serious version seems a lot less serious.

It's why Kubrick took the route he took. He was specifically working out a scene where the U.S. President aids and abets the Russian military to destroy U.S. bombers. Kubrick was not shy of portraying horrific military ironies—he had a French general firing on his own troops in Paths of Glory—but, he balked at this. It IS nuts! No one would believe it. Just like no one would believe a President would bomb one of his own major cities in a retaliatory strike to prevent Armageddon. But, Fail-Safe does that, and with a straight-face and with absolute sincerity. And it comes across as absurd.

It did back then, anyway. These days, who knows what politicians are capable of? They keep surprising us every damn day, with some new absurdity and rather than apologizing, doubling-down on it. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a politician nuke an American City—especially one that didn't vote for them. That's what we've come to. Apes with nukes.

Well, the scene: It's a full 6 minutes (by Lumet's clocking on the film's commentary track) without a cut, just Henry Fonda and Larry Hagman (Lumet thought it was his first film—it wasn't, he'd been doing TV and theater for awhile), hashing it out with a telephone (the prop was the type of phone they use to relay orders on demolition sites using high explosives) between them without a net and the camera in both of their faces the whole time. It's a high-wire act, and they're both amazing in it.

But, again, you can't help but not think of the crazy: the Premier's coming on-line and asks "How are you?" or Hagman fumbling with his glasses because they won't work with his head-phones—and realizing the absurdity of THAT at a time like this. Fonda gives Hagman a reassuring smile before the phone-call, an odd reflex, and when the call's over, he grabs a glass of water and pushes the decanter to Hagman. This is farce. And they're playing it straight.

Sincerity just doesn't cut it when you're presenting something that beggars the imagination.

The Set-Up: Something's gone wrong! An unidentified aircraft has entered American air-space! No worries! It's an off-course civilian airliner. But Air Force jets have been scrambled—apparently not the only thing—and one of them, Group 6, is on-course to bomb Moscow due to a computer glitch. The president (unnamed, but played by Henry Fonda) is sequestered to a bunker buried far beneath the White House with his translator, Peter Buck (Larry Hagman). There, after learning that USAF attempts to knock down the bombers have been unsuccessful, he calls the Soviet Premier to tell him the bad news.

Action.

THE PRESIDENT: Buck, I'll talk to the Soviet premier now.

PRESIDENT: You'll translate what he says to me. He'll have his own translator telling him what I say...

PRESIDENT: but I want something more from you. -

BUCK: Yes, sir, whatever I can do. -

PRESIDENT: I think The premier will be saying what he means...but sometimes there's more in a man's voice than in his words.

PRESIDENT: There are words in one language that don't mean the same in another. You follow me? -

BUCK: I think so, sir.

PRESIDENT: It's very important the premier and I understand each other. I don't have to tell you that. So I want to know what he's saying and what you think he's feeling.

PRESIDENT: Any inflection of his voice, any tone... any emotion that adds to his words... I want you to let me know.

BUCK: Yes, sir. I'll do my best. -

PRESIDENT: I know you will.

PRESIDENT: It's all any of us can do. Don't be afraid to say what you think. Don't be afraid all this is too big for you.

PRESIDENT: It's big, but it still depends on what each of us does. History lesson number one.

THE PRESIDENT: I'll talk to Moscow now.

The phone beeps.

BOGAN: It's the premier, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Chairman, this is the president of the United States. Do you hear me clearly?

BUCK (translating): Fine, Mr. President. How are you?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm calling you on a matter of great urgency. I hope it turns out to be a small matter... but it's the first time it's happened. If it's misunderstood, it could be...

BUCK (translating): Does it have to do with the aircraft... we have detected flying towards Russia?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, Mr. Chairman.

BUCK (translating): I suppose it's another of your off-course reconnaissance flights. Mr. President, we have warned you again and again...that this constant flying of armed aircraft...

THE PRESIDENT: This is a mistake, a serious mistake.

BUCK (translating): ...over Soviet territory...It cannot...

THE PRESIDENT: I say, it's a mistake.

BUCK (translating): Very well. Tell me. Tell me the mistake.

THE PRESIDENT: A group of our bombers each loaded with two 20-megaton bombs...is flying towards your country.

BUCK (translating): We shall watch with great interest...while you recall them.

THE PRESIDENT: So far we have been unable to recall them.

BUCK (translating): Are...are the planes being flown by crazy men?

THE PRESIDENT: We're not sure. It...it, it might be a mechanical failure. All I can tell you is that it's an accident. It's not an attempt to provoke war. It's not part of a general attack.

BUCK (translating): How do I know you do not have hundreds of other planes...coming in so low our radar cannot pick them up?

THE PRESIDENT: Because I hope to prove to you that it's an accident...that we take full responsibility...that we're doing everything we can to correct it.

BUCK (translating): Go on.

THE PRESIDENT: You must have seen...that we sent fighter planes to shoot down the bombers.

BUCK (translating): American fighters...to shoot down American bombers?

THE PRESIDENT: That is correct.

BUCK (translating): And you gave that order?

THE PRESIDENT: I did.

BUCK (translating): How do I know that the planes were not simply diving... to a low altitude to escape our radar?

THE PRESIDENT: On our plotting board, the action could only be interpreted...as planes out of control.

THE PRESIDENT: You have the same equipment we do. What did it tell you?

BUCK (translating): It did not tell us what is in your mind, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm telling you that.

BUCK (translating): And you ask me to believe you?

THE PRESIDENT: You must believe me.

BUCK (translating): You ask for belief at a curious time.

THE PRESIDENT: If we don't trust each other now, Mr. Chairman... there may not be another time.

BUCK (translating): We saw, we saw your planes fall into the sea. I wanted only to hear your explanation...and whether it was done at your own order.

BUCK (translating): It is a hard thing to order men to their death, is it not?

THE PRESIDENT: It is.

BUCK: Sir, there's someone trying to persuade him it's a trick. They want him to strike back at once.

BUCK (translating): Soviet airspace has still not been violated, Mr. President. But if it is, we will be forced to shoot down your bombers.

BUCK (translating): And then we will come to full alert with all our missiles and planes.

THE PRESIDENT: I understand that. I hope you're able to shoot down our bombers. But I urge you not to take any steps that cannot be recalled.

BUCK (translating): You know we must protect ourselves.

THE PRESIDENT: You also know that if you launch missiles, we must do the same. If that happens, there'll be very little left of the world.

BUCK (translating): I understand. Is there anything more you wish to say?

THE PRESIDENT: If I may make a suggestion...I will arrange to open a conference line between our headquarters in Omaha and your similar officials in the Soviet Union. We will do all we can to help you.

BUCK (translating): We do not need your help. We are...

BUCK (translating): ...perfectly capable of defending our country.

THE PRESIDENT: As you wish, but I must tell you what my people tell me. No matter what you do...at least one of the planes will get through to the target.