Having not seen Fail Safe before, settling down after lunch to watch a film about a military computer error which results in a squadron of American SAC bombers being sent to Moscow, at first seemed like an unusual pick. But Sidney Lumet’s ensemble piece is far more than it seems. Seen entirely from the American’s point of view, we seen how all the people involved react to the impending disaster and the fallout from their choices.
Beginning with a dream sequence of a bull being killed in a bull fight, a traumatised Brigadier General Warren A. "Blackie" Black wakes up confused about who the bull is and who the matador is. The dream foreshadows what is to happen later, especially when it revealed that he has to attend a meeting at the Pentagon. Morbid straight talking Professor Groeteschele, scientist who claims to know what will happen if there was nuclear war is also attending a meeting at the Pentagon. Further setting up the impending feeling of doom.
Various politicians and military personnel are assembled at the Pentagon, as well as officers at the Strategic Air Command at an airbase in Nebraska. During a visit to the base, the early warning radar indicates that an unidentified aircraft has entered USA airspace. The aircraft is soon identified as a civilian airliner that has gone off course. But due to a computer error, a bomber group receives orders to attack Moscow. Everyone tries in vain to contact the pilots but due to the Soviets jamming their radios, the bombers pass the fail safe point and won’t turn back. What follows is a nail biting and harrowing film that focuses between the bombers, the airbase, the Pentagon and the President in a small room with just a phone and his interpreter. Desperate attempts to warn the Russians this isn’t war, this is a mistake, are all in vain. With no where to turn, the President does the only thing he can, offer to sacrifice an American city to make up for the destruction of Russia.
Set during the Cold War the characters represent various attitudes of the day. The terrifying thought of war and the death of millions is overwhelming, but the ones who hold their composure in the face of such tragedy, the film focuses of the lengths that people will go to avoid a war no one really wants and the misplaced trust we put in machines. It’s unsettling to think of the loss of life all because of a computer error.
The film which we got to see had been restored using a 35mm Original picture Negative, a 35mm Duplicate Negative and 35mm Original Soundtrack Masters. Previously there had been three reels of original negative missing. But in the 15 years when restoration first began, two have been located. The challenge of of making the image quality of the replacement material match the surviving negatives was achieved by Colourist Sheri Eisenburg at Roundabout where she referenced archival prints to achieve an authentic look of the film.