Fail Safe
A lesser-known cousin to Dr. Strangelove featuring such a similar premise that Stanley Kubrick sued the filmmakers. Both films were released in 1964 — Dr. Strangelove in January, Fail Safe in October — just two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the U.S. and the USSR came perilously close to nuclear war.
In Lumet’s version, it’s not a mad general but a computer malfunction that sends American bombers toward Moscow. An unnamed U.S. president (Henry Fonda) must act swiftly to avert global catastrophe and make the most devastating decision of his career. While Kubrick’s film was a dark comedy, Fail Safe plays it straight, with a deadly serious tone and a devastatingly emotional finale.
Fonda once again portrays a noble, tormented patriot, while Walter Matthau, best known for his comic roles, delivers a chilling turn as Professor Groeteschele, a cynical, Kissinger-like strategist and the film’s answer to Dr. Strangelove.
before the screenings intro by Podkast amerykański hosts
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Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was one of the most versatile and prolific filmmakers in American cinema. Born in 1924, he directed dozens of feature films, many of which still stand out today for their powerful performances, social awareness, and psychological depth. A frequent nominee for both the Academy Awards and the Palme d'Or, Lumet received the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for 12 Angry Men (1957) and was honored with a lifetime achievement Oscar in 2004.
Selected filmography
1957 12 gniewnych ludzi / 12 Angry Men
1964 Czerwona linia / Fail Safe
1973 Serpico
1975 Pieskie popołudnie / Dog Day Afternoon
1976 Sieć / Network
1982 Werdykt / The Verdict
Cast & Crew
