Fail-Safe Page #6

---

attack and won't care what Mar said.

Mr. Secretary,

I am convinced...

when the Russians know bombs will fall

on Moscow, they will surrender.

They know that whatever they do then,

they cannot escape destruction.

Don't you see, sir?

This is our chance.

We never would have made

the first move deliberately...

but Group Six has made it for us

by accident.

We must take advantage of it.

History demands it.

We must advise the president

not to recall those planes.

They're flaming out.

He's firing anyway.

There goes number two.

Mr. President,

the fighters have not succeeded.

Theyve gone down into the sea.

What are the chances of our bombers

getting through to Moscow?

We've made the calculations

a hundred times:

What they have in the way of defense,

what are planes are capable of doing.

The Vindicators fly so fast, the Russian

won't be able to use all their defenses.

One or two of the bombers

will get through.

Thank you.

Buck, I'll talk

to the Soviet premier now.

You'll translate

what he says to me.

He'll have his own translator

telling him what I say...

but I want something more

from you.

- Yes, sir, whatever I can do.

- The premier says what he means...

but sometimes there's more

in a man's voice than in his words.

There are words in one language

that don't mean the same in another.

- You follow me?

- I think so, sir.

It's very important the premier and I

understand each other.

I don't have to tell you that.

So I want to know what he's saying

and what you think he's feeling.

Any inflection of his voice,

any tone...

any emotion that adds to his words...

I want you to let me know.

- Yes, sir. I'll do my best.

- I know you will.

It's all any of us can do.

Don't be afraid

to say what you think.

Don't be afraid all this

is too big for you.

It's big, but it still depends

on what each of us does.

History lesson number one.

I'll talk to Moscow now.

It's the premier, sir.

Mr. Chairman, this is the president

of the United States.

Do you hear me clearly?

Fine, Mr. President.

How are you?

I'm calling you

on a matter of great urgency.

I hope it turns out

to be a small matter...

but it's the first time

it's happened.

If it's misunderstood,

it could be...

Does it have to do

with the aircraft...

we have detected

flying towards Russia?

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

I suppose it's another of your

off-course reconnaissance flights.

Mr. President,

we have warned you repeatedly...

that this constant flying

of armed aircraft...

This is a serious mistake.

I say, it's a mistake.

Very well.

Tell me the mistake.

A group of our bombers each loaded

with two 20-megaton bombs...

is flying towards your country.

We shall watch with great interest...

while you recall them.

So far we have been

unable to recall them.

Are the planes being flown

by crazy men?

We're not sure.

It might be a mechanical failure.

All I can tell you

is that it's an accident.

It's not an attempt to provoke war.

It's not part of a general attack.

How do I know you do not have

hundreds of other planes...

coming in so low

our radar cannot pick them up?

Because I hope to prove to you

that it's an accident...

that we take full responsibility...

that we're doing everything we can

to correct it.

- Go on.

- You must have seen...

that we sent fighter planes

to shoot down the bombers.

American fighters

to shoot down American bombers?

That is correct.

- And you gave that order?

- I did.

How do I know that the planes

were not simply diving...

to a low altitude

to escape our radar?

On our plotting board, the action

could only be interpreted...

as planes out of control.

You have the same equipment we do.

What did it tell you?

It did not tell us what is

in your mind, Mr. President.

I'm telling you that.

And you ask me

to believe you?

You must believe me.

You ask for belief

at a curious time.

If we don't trust each other now,

Mr. Chairman...

there may not be

another time.

We saw your planes

fall into the sea.

I wanted only

to hear your explanation...

and whether it was done

at your own order.

It is a hard thing to order men

to their death, is it not?

It is.

Sir, there's someone trying

to persuade him it's a trick.

They want him

to strike back at once.

Soviet airspace has still not

been violated, Mr. President.

But if it is, we will be forced

to shoot down your bombers.

And then we will come to full alert

with all our missiles and planes.

I understand that. I hope you're able

to shoot down our bombers.

But I urge you not to take any steps

that cannot be recalled.

You know we must

protect ourselves.

You also know that if you

launch missiles, we must do the same.

If that happens, there'll be

very little left of the world.

I understand.

Is there anything more

you wish to say?

If I may make a suggestion...

I will arrange to open

a conference line...

between our headquarters

in Omaha...

and your similar officials

in the Soviet Union.

We will do all we can

to help you.

We do not need your help.

We are perfectly capable

of defending our country.

As you wish, but I must tell you

what my people tell me.

No matter what you do...

at least one of the planes

will get through to the target.

What is the target?

Moscow.

I'll call you back when I see

what our fighters do.

How's the formation holding,

Sullivan?

Everyone in line, sir.

- How far from the border?

- Two minutes.

We better start spreading out.

Number six plane in the lead.

Flynn.

Right here, Colonel.

- Go to work.

- Roger.

Project the Soviet fighter planes.

Give me tight scale

on the Russian border.

- That does it.

- They've crossed the border.

Well, Buck,

we're into Soviet territory.

A technical state of war

now exists.

Give me Enemy Defense Performance.

This is Enemy Defense

Performance Desk, General Bogan.

How do you read

the situation?

Our number six plane

carrying defensive equipment...

and masking devices

has moved into the lead.

All those new blips you see

are decoys that it's dropped.

Have the Russian fighters

launched any missiles?

Not yet. You'll see their missiles

on your scope as tiny dots...

that appear suddenly

and then disappear.

There go some of them now.

You can see

they're confused by the decoys.

They're still not grouping

where the real planes are.

Can you wipe the decoys off the screen

so we see just their planes and ours?

There you are, General.

They're still going after decoys.

Our boys aren't making it easy.

Good.

They've picked up

one of our planes now.

Get them. Get them!

Knock that off!

This isn't some damn football game!

Remember that!

That plane's in trouble.

It looks like the Soviets

have a very slow missile...

with a much longer range

than we thought they had.

The slowness of speed

made our missile calculate...

they must be drones or decoys...

so it ignored them

and went after the fighters.

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes