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RUNTIME
Did you know
86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Fail Safe
2000 1h 26m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 89
DramaThrillerTV Movie
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Cold War tensions climb to a fever pitch when a U.S. bomber is accidentally ordered to drop a nuclear warhead on Moscow.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Walter Cronkite
Self - Host
Richard Dreyfuss
President
Noah Wyle
Buck
Brian Dennehy
Gen. Bogan
Sam Elliott
Congressman Raskob
James Cromwell
Gordon Knapp
John Diehl
Col. Cascio
Hank Azaria
Prof. Groeteschele
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Stephen Frears
- 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 🍿
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ERA
Did you know
26 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 6
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Stephen Frears, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 6
CAST
Did you know
Walter Cronkite and Richard Dreyfuss and Noah Wyle carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 6
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0235376 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 6
WILD
Did you know
Only 89 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Stephen Frears directs. John A. Alonzo behind the camera. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 226 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by Stephen Frears, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Walter Cronkite and Richard Dreyfuss and Noah Wyle carry the top of the cast.
- 5IMDB entry: tt0235376 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 6Only 89 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 7Classified under 8 themes, including "usa president", "based on novel or book", "nuclear war", "atomic bomb".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- John A. Alonzo
- Production design
- Richard Hoover
- Costume design
- Molly Maginnis
- Makeup / hair
- Kim M. Ferry
- Runtime
- 86 min · 1h 26m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- IMDB
- Fail Safe (2000)
Awards
- Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Stephen Frears
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Warner Bros. Television
US
- MA
Maysville Pictures
Key crew
- NovelEugene Burdick
- NovelHarvey Wheeler
- TeleplayWalter Bernstein
- Executive ProducerGeorge Clooney
- Co-Executive ProducerWalter Bernstein
- Coordinating ProducerAmy Minda Cohen
- ProducerTom Park
- Co-Executive ProducerHarvey Wheeler
- Associate ProducerEric J. Wilker
- Executive ProducerPamela Oas Williams
- Executive ProducerLaura Ziskin
- CastingBarbara Miller
- CastingAnthony Sepulveda
- Production DesignRichard Hoover
- Art DirectionTroy Sizemore
- Set DecorationAlice Baker
- Costume DesignMolly Maginnis
- Key Hair StylistKim M. Ferry
- Key Makeup ArtistMyke Michaels
- HairstylistAllen Payne
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- usa president
- based on novel or book
- nuclear war
- atomic bomb
- cold war
- air force
- moral dilemma
- russia
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2000-04-09
- Theatrical (limited)2000-04-09
- Physical2000-04-09
- TV2000-04-09
Also known as
International titles
- A Prova di ErroreIT
- Point LimiteFR
