Product Description

This Emmy® winning, historically accurate drama tells the complex and moving story of the Manhattan Project. Racing against the Nazi war machine and enduring intense military and political pressure, Allied scientists wrestle with the challenge of creating the ultimate weapon. Leading the superb cast are Michael Tucker (L.A. Law) as Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck.) as mission chief J. Robert Oppenheimer, Brian Dennehy (Death of a Salesman) as General Leslie Groves, and David Ogden Stiers (MASH) as FDR. Also featuring Hal Holbrook (Mark Twain Tonight!), Hume Cronyn (12 Angry Men), and Tony Shalhoub (Monk).

Before the bomb can be perfected, Hitler's death and Germany's surrender remove one enemy from the equation. But Japan remains. Day One builds quietly to a shattering climax, as the scientists who developed the bomb out of patriotic fervor witness its grisly consequences.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49388 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-11-13
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 140 minutes

Amazon.com
The history of the atomic bomb--its conception, creation, and deployment--gets an impressively complex yet propulsive treatment in this compelling docudrama. Day One balances human drama, scientific history, and political machinations with uncommon skill and considerable smarts. From the moment that General Groves (Brian Dennehy, Presumed Innocent) is appointed to drive the Manhattan Project, the movie has a driving force; Dennehy presents a brusk and demanding man who never questions whether he is right or wrong. In contrast comes J. Robert Oppenheimer (David Strathairn, Good Night, and Good Luck), a fundamentally decent man whose conflicts about the consequences of the atomic bomb eat at him--Strathairn captures Oppenheimer's qualms even as his will to succeed drives him forward. Day One cunningly juxtaposes political meetings with scientific discussions, subtly comparing different paths of thought. The compressed script distills enormous debates without simplifying them and--even more striking--making the discussions feel like actual conversation, with irrational and expedient factors as significant as the weighty ideas. The story builds to considerable tension as the bomb is tested and, with highly debatable justification, used on a civilian population. Day One presents history at a breakneck pace, using human detail to keep the broad sweep of events grounded, without losing sight of that big picture. Rarely have momentous decisions been so well interlaced with human fallibility. Also featuring Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Michael Tucker (L.A. Law), and a powerhouse supporting cast of old-school character actors like Hume Cronyn, Barnard Hughes, and Hal Holbrook. --Bret Fetzer

Review
History written large --The New York Times

Review
Absolutely first-rate --The Washington Post

Customer Reviews

Can't watch it often enough
"Day One" is the best treatment so far of an overarchingly important era in American history: the development of the Atomic bomb and its use against Japan. Brian Dennehy gives the performance of his career as Gen. Leslie Groves, the military head of the Manhattan Project, and is superbly supported by a cast including Hume Cronyn, Richard Dysart and Tony Shalhoub (memorable as Enrico Fermi). The drama is first-rate, the pace brisk, the dialog crisp and to the point. Even more important, the history is mostly accurate--a real achievement given the controversial nature of this material. Top notch!

Superb casting, must see true historical story
Day One is the most believably and well casted movie I have viewed to date. The famous nuclear scientists of the 20th century are exceedingly well portrayed, peaking out with General Groves and Robert Oppenheimer's characters. For those who want to learn of the story behind the development of nuclear technology, both weapons, and later, peacetime uses for power generation and medicinal/health purposes, this story forms the foundation. I have personally viewed the movie at least 6 times since first seeing it on, I believe, an AT&T made for TV showing presentation, and each time, catch something I missed previously. Makes "Fat Man/Little Boy" seem amateurish and exposes the adjustments to factual data made in that movie that are commonly made to meet what the producer believes the audiance demands.

The Real Deal
Of all the films on WWII's Manhattan Project, this is the best, in my opinion. It's a no-nonsense account of the hardships, obstacles, and breakthroughs in producing the atomic bombs that ended the war. As far as I know, it's only available on VHS. That's a disadvantage, but no reason to avoid this excellent docudrama. An outstanding cast is complimented by attention to detail in creating an accurate period feel. Some other accounts that I've seen have a definite Hollywood aura to them, but not "Day One." If you're only going to see one film about The Bomb, this should be it. If you've seen the rest, then you really owe it to yourself to see the best.