The Manhattan Project

"Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work."

1986 1h 58m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 122

Science FictionThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A gifted high school student steals plutonium from the secret nuclear weapons facility in his home town in order to construct his own nuclear bomb, win a national science fair, and expose the government's secrets.

“Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work.”

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Cast

John Lithgow
John Mathewson
Christopher Collet
Paul Stephens
Cynthia Nixon
Jenny Anderman
Jill Eikenberry
Elizabeth Stephens
John Mahoney
Lt. Col. Conroy
Richard Jenkins
Radiation Controls Officer
Sully Boyar
Night Guard
Timothy Carhart
Relief Guard

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Marshall Brickman
Writers: Marshall Brickman, Thomas Baum
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 22% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Marshall Brickman, shot by Billy Williams. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Nina Feinberg shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

John Lithgow and Christopher Collet and Cynthia Nixon carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0091472 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Marshall Brickman directs. Billy Williams behind the camera. Philippe Sarde scores. Nina Feinberg cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 22% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Marshall Brickman, shot by Billy Williams. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Nina Feinberg shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6John Lithgow and Christopher Collet and Cynthia Nixon carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Paul Stevens' high school science project has gotten a little out of hand. He just built an atomic bomb. Now he's got 11 hours to make sure it doesn't work.".
8IMDB entry: tt0091472 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 12 themes, including "helicopter", "bomb", "plutonium", "laser".