Fail Safe

Story of the U.S.'s accidental atomic bombing of the U.S.S.R. And their retaliation on the U.S. Based on the book by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler. Stars Henry Fonda and Walter Matthau., Due to a defect in an electronic signalling system, a wing of SAC bombers flies an attack mission on Moscow. The Pentagon decides to release top secret information to help the Russians shoot the planes down. Nevertheless, one plane slips through and bombs the Soviet city. To make amends, the President orders U.S. bombers to annihilate New York City. (Does not circulate)

A computer error causes one American bomber group to receive orders for an attack on Moscow. Attempts to rescind this order fail because a new Soviet countermeasure jams American radio communications. The President of the United States (Henry Fonda) struggles to find a resolution that will stop the Soviet Union from counterattacking. He offers to sacrifice an American target to appease the Soviets, and he orders an American bomber towards New York City. A single American bomber reaches Moscow and destroys it.