Fail Safe – Criterion Blu-ray Review

After a critically acclaimed and auspicious debut with 12 Angry Men (1957), director Sidney Lumet was launched on a legendary career. Coming in just shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fail Safe is a very somber look at what might happen if a misunderstanding leads us into nuclear combat. Originally released on DVD by Sony years ago, Criterion has licensed the film for inclusion into their collection and given the movie its Blu-ray debut.

The Production: 4.5/5

During a VIP visit at the Strategic Air Command headquarters at Omaha, a radar picks up an unidentified aircraft entering American airspace. It turns out to be a civilian aircraft, but a technical error apparently alerts a bomber group led by Col. Jack Grady (Edward Binns) to attack Moscow. With attempts to recall the bomber failing and tensions rising over what to do next, the President (Henry Fonda) contacts the Chairman of the Soviet Union in an attempt to avert a full scale nuclear war; the proposal that is offered up is shocking, but it might be the only way to avoid a full scale nuclear Armageddon should Grady and his men successfully complete their mission…

Made during the height of Cold War tensions, Fail Safe is very straightforward at depicting the potential of an error causing an all out nuclear combat. Amazingly, the movie bears some similarities to another film showing a potential nuclear combat between the US and the Soviet Union, the classic black comedy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964); the parallels were so apparent that it was also the subject of a lawsuit aimed at this movie, delaying its release. Similarities aside, this movie generates tension almost right from the very beginning and highlights the shortcomings of both hawkish and dovish mentalities in approaching nuclear combat; they’re basically rendered moot once a mechanical failure causes both sides to uneasily work together to try to avert a global catastrophe. Better yet, Sidney Lumet doesn’t seem to overstate the main point of the story nor does he meet it half way in his direction; in fact, some of the limitations he had in making the movie (a modest budget and a limited number of sets) only seem to enhance the story and tension rather than detract from it. While problems during its release prevented it from reaching greater heights, Fail Safe should now be looked at as one of the great movies of the 1960’s and as a realistic look at what might happen in an all-too-real nightmare of nuclear combat (a scenario this writer hopes never comes to pass).

Getting top billing here, Dan O’Herlihy is great as the Air Force general tasked with both trying to avert potential catastrophe and carrying through Plan B once it become clear that it might be the only option to prevent a full scale nuclear war; it would be one of his best performances in a career that included an Oscar nominated performance in The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1952) and cult appearances in Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) and RoboCop (1987). As the President of the United States trying to stop nuclear war, Henry Fonda lends an air of grace, gravitas and conviction to the part; he would also play the President in the AIP disaster picture Meteor (1979). Walter Matthau has a notable part as the gung ho political professor and Department of Defense advisor advocating for a limited nuclear strike; it would serve as another stepping stone towards his eventual Oscar winning breakthrough part in The Fortune Cookie (1966). Other notable parts include Frank Overton as the USAF general in charge of the Omaha command center, Fritz Weaver (in his film debut) as an unsteady colonel, Edward Binns as Colonel Grady, Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing himself) as the President’s interpreter, Sorrell Booke (in pre-Boss Hogg mode here) as the congressman with a front row seat to the chaos, William Hansen as the Secretary of Defense, Janet Ward as Grady’s frantic wife, Dana Elcar as a guest of a Washington D.C. party, and Dom DeLuise in an early role as a technical sergeant stationed at Omaha.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

The film is presented in its original 1:85:1 aspect ratio for this release, taken from a brand new 4K digital restoration. Film grain is organic and sturdy throughout with grays and blacks strong and inky and fine details rendered faithfully as well. There’s next to no instances of scratches, dirt, or print damage present which makes this a major upgrade over the previous DVD and likely the best the movie will ever look on home video.

Audio: 5/5

The original monaural soundtrack is presented on a PCM track for this release. Dialogue is both strong and clear and the sound effects mix also has clarity and fidelity without being obtrusive (there’s no music score in the movie). Problems like distortion, hissing or crackling are either very minimal or nonexistent, which makes this another improvement over the DVD and likely the best the movie will ever sound on home video.

Special Features: 3/5

Commentary by director Sidney Lumet – Carried over from the 2000 Columbia/TriStar DVD, the director talks about some of the background details of the movie, including some difficulties with procuring stock footage.

Fail Safe and the Cold War (19:30) – This newly filmed feature has critic J. Hoberman looking at the movie’s place in cultural and historical context, as well as its place in the subgenre of Cold War and nuclear paranoia films.

“Fail Safe” Revisited (16:00) – Also carried over from the Columbia/TriStar DVD, this brief retrospective featurette covers some of the details on the film’s production; those interviewed here are Lumet, screenwriter Walter Bernstein, actor Dan O’Herlihy and George Clooney, who appeared in the 2000 TV remake of the movie.

Foldout featuring an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri

Notably missing here is the film’s original theatrical trailer, which was present on the Columbia/TriStar DVD.

Overall: 4/5

While it was underappreciated during its initial run, Fail Safe has emerged as not only one of director Sidney Lumet’s best works, but as one of the best movies of the 1960’s. Criterion has done another great job with this release, with their standard high marks in both visual and audio presentation and a decent slate of both new and legacy special features. An easy upgrade over the previous DVD and very highly recommended.