Based on the novel 'VIPER THREE', it's an early, if not one of the first to challenge the motivation for going to war in VIET NAM. Great acting by some of the best, Burt Lancaster and Richard Widmark, who alone make it a 'must see' in my book. In addition to , Charles Durning, Paul Winfield, Burt Young (ROCKY) Joseph Cotton and others. The use of 'split screen' to show multiple events unfolding simultaneously, really helped in building the tension. It was the first movie I saw using it. It did seem to grind long a little at nearly two and one half hours, but that could have been due to my being a slightly restless and impatient 20 YR OLD. I haven't been able to catch it on TV whether it aired or not. Looking forward to its release on DVD in widescreen if not already out( I haven't found it). Love to get a petition going like the one for Rolling Thunder, but really don't know how.
67 Reviews
Exciting and gripping picture in which a maverick general takes a missile base hostage threatening to begin WWIII
ma-cortes27 December 2013
A renegade USAF general, Lawrence Dell (Burt Lancaster) and his band (Paul Winfield , Burt Young , William Smith) , escape from a military prison and take over an ICBM silo near Montana . They have invaded Silo 3 and are prepared to launch nine nuclear missiles . Head saboteur General Lawrence threatens to provoke World War 3 unless the government and President of the United States (Charles Durning , though Paul Newman was offered the role , but turned it down) carry out their conditions , as they demand the followings : ¨Ten million dollars , Air Force One (it was only painted on one side) and you Mr President¨ as he must reveal details of a secret meeting and confess the Vietnam policies and crimes .
Thrilling film about nuclear threatening that contains noisy action , suspense , intrigue , thrills and being pretty entertaining . One of the very few films made in the late 1970's to be shown with an intermission and an extended use of split screens functioning to a large degree in tightening the intrigue . The movie's weakest point is the television style and some ridiculous dialogues as when an enemy appears and Paul Winfield tells ¨Perhaps he might be a midget¨and Lancaster responds : ¨There are no midgets in the United States Air Force¨. Based on a novel by Walter Wager titled ¨Viper three¨ with interesting screenplay from Ronald M. Cohen and Edward Huebsch . The secret policy is closely based on the 1957 book "Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy" by Henry Kissinger, in which the future Secretary of State outlines a strategy committing the US to promoting regional conflicts to deter the Soviets' initiating full-scale war. Top-notch acting by Lancaster as a thinking madman who holds America to ransom by kidnapping atomic missiles . Burt Lancaster initially turned the script down when he was first approached about the project, but eventually agreed to do it after Robert Aldrich became attached to the picture. This is Burt Lancaster's fourth collaboration with director Robert Aldrich, after Apache (1954), Veracruz (1954) and Ulzana's raid (1972). Very good support cast such as Roscoe Lee Browne as James Forrest , Joseph Cotten as Secretary of State , Melvyn Douglas as Zachariah Guthrie , Richard Jaeckel as Capt. Stanford , William Marshall as Attorney General , Gerald S. O'Loughlin as Brig. Gen. O'Rourke , Richard Widmark as Gen. Martin and final film of Charles McGraw , Lionel Murton and Leif Erickson . Atmospheric cinematography by Robert Hauser , all of the scenes were shot with two cameras running . Thrilling and suspenseful musical score by the master Jerry Goldsmith .
The motion picture was professionally directed by Robert Aldrich , he even turned down a large salary and a 10% profit stake in ¨A bridge too far¨1977) in order to make this film and he finished the film ten days ahead of schedule . Here Robert Aldrich gave a tense and brilliant direction . Aldrich began writing and directing for TV series in the early 1950s, and directed his first feature in 1953 (Big Leaguer ,1953). Soon thereafter he established his own production company and produced most of his own films, collaborating in the writing of many of them . Directed in a considerable plethora of genres but almost all of his films contained a subversive undertone . He was an expert on warlike (Dirty Dozen , The Angry Hills , Attack , Ten seconds to hell) and Western (The Frisko kid , Ulzana's raid, Apache , Veracruz , The last sunset) . Rating : acceptable and decent movie , it's a must see for Burt Lancaster fans .
Thrilling film about nuclear threatening that contains noisy action , suspense , intrigue , thrills and being pretty entertaining . One of the very few films made in the late 1970's to be shown with an intermission and an extended use of split screens functioning to a large degree in tightening the intrigue . The movie's weakest point is the television style and some ridiculous dialogues as when an enemy appears and Paul Winfield tells ¨Perhaps he might be a midget¨and Lancaster responds : ¨There are no midgets in the United States Air Force¨. Based on a novel by Walter Wager titled ¨Viper three¨ with interesting screenplay from Ronald M. Cohen and Edward Huebsch . The secret policy is closely based on the 1957 book "Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy" by Henry Kissinger, in which the future Secretary of State outlines a strategy committing the US to promoting regional conflicts to deter the Soviets' initiating full-scale war. Top-notch acting by Lancaster as a thinking madman who holds America to ransom by kidnapping atomic missiles . Burt Lancaster initially turned the script down when he was first approached about the project, but eventually agreed to do it after Robert Aldrich became attached to the picture. This is Burt Lancaster's fourth collaboration with director Robert Aldrich, after Apache (1954), Veracruz (1954) and Ulzana's raid (1972). Very good support cast such as Roscoe Lee Browne as James Forrest , Joseph Cotten as Secretary of State , Melvyn Douglas as Zachariah Guthrie , Richard Jaeckel as Capt. Stanford , William Marshall as Attorney General , Gerald S. O'Loughlin as Brig. Gen. O'Rourke , Richard Widmark as Gen. Martin and final film of Charles McGraw , Lionel Murton and Leif Erickson . Atmospheric cinematography by Robert Hauser , all of the scenes were shot with two cameras running . Thrilling and suspenseful musical score by the master Jerry Goldsmith .
The motion picture was professionally directed by Robert Aldrich , he even turned down a large salary and a 10% profit stake in ¨A bridge too far¨1977) in order to make this film and he finished the film ten days ahead of schedule . Here Robert Aldrich gave a tense and brilliant direction . Aldrich began writing and directing for TV series in the early 1950s, and directed his first feature in 1953 (Big Leaguer ,1953). Soon thereafter he established his own production company and produced most of his own films, collaborating in the writing of many of them . Directed in a considerable plethora of genres but almost all of his films contained a subversive undertone . He was an expert on warlike (Dirty Dozen , The Angry Hills , Attack , Ten seconds to hell) and Western (The Frisko kid , Ulzana's raid, Apache , Veracruz , The last sunset) . Rating : acceptable and decent movie , it's a must see for Burt Lancaster fans .
They unWagered and lost...but...
orbitsville-114 January 2013
Things are far too strange here to just say "so bad it's good". Far, far too strange.
Instead, let's say there are three ways to make a film out of a Walter Wager novel. First we have the Telefon example: do a straight-up, linear, by-the-numbers thriller that is so straightforward and escapist that you get a rather wooden, unmemorable--if somewhat entertaining--potboiler. Nothing risked, nothing lost nothing gained. That's Telefon.
Or, there's the 58 Minutes/Die Hard 2 model: change main-character Malone to John McClane, keep the airport-in-jeopardy setting while massively rewriting the novel so it works as a movie sequel to something it wasn't even connected to in the first place, and make sure it's more exciting than Telefon. Your cinematic thriller has soul, and is safely attached to a successful franchise. And for goodness sakes, stay away from polemic, political commentary or deep meaning.
This brings us to our third case of filming a Walter Wager escapist thriller tome: attach thought-provoking socio-political concerns to the escapism. Try to address some lingering bitterness or cynicism in the US macro-psyche over, say, the Viet Nam war. Homegrown terrorists as anti-heroes, trying to out the government's secrets over a futile conflict that lingered on as a political peeing contest that cost too many lives, by way of a captured missile base. Rogue Major Burt Lancaster tries to stare down US President Charles Durning with nine nuclear warheads set to ferment, unless some dirty laundry is aired right quick. Of course it's previous administrations' decisions that Durning's version of the President is getting slapped around for, but that's all part of the...fun? Uh, no, sorry, all part of the moral conundrum. The fun is somewhere else in the movie...and quickly seeping out of the movie, the more director Robert Aldrich decides this is not just going to be escapist thrills.
Personally, I feel the movie gets most obviously unwieldy, and dangerously over-ambitious, once it starts to abandon Burt Lancaster, in favor of Charles Durning. There's a big shift in focus as soon as we start hanging out with Durning and his boardroom full of mucky-mucks--and shut-in Lancaster becomes sort of a bit player in the proceedings, even though he's got nine nuclear missiles. This switch in character focus directly corresponds to the diminishing thrills, and the emphasis on deeper questions and concerns that Robert Aldrich decided were in tune with the USA zeitgeist of 1977. Less booby-traps, ambushes, shoot-outs, torture sessions and stealth attacks gone wrong--more talk, talk, talk, by suits, suits, suits, sitting comfortably in chairs, chairs, chairs, who wants more coffee? Meanwhile, the split-screen effect used deftly during action sequences (much in the way of the TV show 24 years later) gives way to less suspenseful split-screen sequences showing Burt Lancaster almost looking bored while the President dithers.
Then the ending comes along and finds a really unexpected and daring way to combine stark cynical commentary with a shockingly brutal final confrontation such as you would find in only a truly bold and cutting-edge thriller. And so, I'm going to do what the movie does: I'm going to end a review of what sounds like a bad movie deserving its flop status by shifting gears and saying Bravo! Why? Well, 8 out of 10 for this because--despite everything wrongheaded about the project- -I can honestly say that there is no other thriller, or quasi-thriller stuffed with deep thoughts and dark commentary, quite like it. It's a glorious misfire. I didn't take it seriously, but it had me trying. More lively than Telefon, less cheesy fun than Die Hard 2, and a unique experiment: sort of Inside Man meets Sum Of All Fears meets Point/Counterpoint. Crashes and burns in one of the most compelling ways I've ever seen, and that ain't hay!
Instead, let's say there are three ways to make a film out of a Walter Wager novel. First we have the Telefon example: do a straight-up, linear, by-the-numbers thriller that is so straightforward and escapist that you get a rather wooden, unmemorable--if somewhat entertaining--potboiler. Nothing risked, nothing lost nothing gained. That's Telefon.
Or, there's the 58 Minutes/Die Hard 2 model: change main-character Malone to John McClane, keep the airport-in-jeopardy setting while massively rewriting the novel so it works as a movie sequel to something it wasn't even connected to in the first place, and make sure it's more exciting than Telefon. Your cinematic thriller has soul, and is safely attached to a successful franchise. And for goodness sakes, stay away from polemic, political commentary or deep meaning.
This brings us to our third case of filming a Walter Wager escapist thriller tome: attach thought-provoking socio-political concerns to the escapism. Try to address some lingering bitterness or cynicism in the US macro-psyche over, say, the Viet Nam war. Homegrown terrorists as anti-heroes, trying to out the government's secrets over a futile conflict that lingered on as a political peeing contest that cost too many lives, by way of a captured missile base. Rogue Major Burt Lancaster tries to stare down US President Charles Durning with nine nuclear warheads set to ferment, unless some dirty laundry is aired right quick. Of course it's previous administrations' decisions that Durning's version of the President is getting slapped around for, but that's all part of the...fun? Uh, no, sorry, all part of the moral conundrum. The fun is somewhere else in the movie...and quickly seeping out of the movie, the more director Robert Aldrich decides this is not just going to be escapist thrills.
Personally, I feel the movie gets most obviously unwieldy, and dangerously over-ambitious, once it starts to abandon Burt Lancaster, in favor of Charles Durning. There's a big shift in focus as soon as we start hanging out with Durning and his boardroom full of mucky-mucks--and shut-in Lancaster becomes sort of a bit player in the proceedings, even though he's got nine nuclear missiles. This switch in character focus directly corresponds to the diminishing thrills, and the emphasis on deeper questions and concerns that Robert Aldrich decided were in tune with the USA zeitgeist of 1977. Less booby-traps, ambushes, shoot-outs, torture sessions and stealth attacks gone wrong--more talk, talk, talk, by suits, suits, suits, sitting comfortably in chairs, chairs, chairs, who wants more coffee? Meanwhile, the split-screen effect used deftly during action sequences (much in the way of the TV show 24 years later) gives way to less suspenseful split-screen sequences showing Burt Lancaster almost looking bored while the President dithers.
Then the ending comes along and finds a really unexpected and daring way to combine stark cynical commentary with a shockingly brutal final confrontation such as you would find in only a truly bold and cutting-edge thriller. And so, I'm going to do what the movie does: I'm going to end a review of what sounds like a bad movie deserving its flop status by shifting gears and saying Bravo! Why? Well, 8 out of 10 for this because--despite everything wrongheaded about the project- -I can honestly say that there is no other thriller, or quasi-thriller stuffed with deep thoughts and dark commentary, quite like it. It's a glorious misfire. I didn't take it seriously, but it had me trying. More lively than Telefon, less cheesy fun than Die Hard 2, and a unique experiment: sort of Inside Man meets Sum Of All Fears meets Point/Counterpoint. Crashes and burns in one of the most compelling ways I've ever seen, and that ain't hay!
A fairly standard late-70s all-star cast Pentagon thriller
AlsExGal24 June 2023
And If it says Richard Widmark on the cast, you know he's going to play a top general, and even more ridiculously than in "The Swarm". Here, Burt Lancaster--playing the mad-dove equivalent of his mad-hawk general from "Seven Days in May"--hijacks a nuclear missile silo, demanding the President (Charles Durning, uncannily resembling the present-day Bill Clinton) as hostage, and threatens to launch it if the government doesn't release the secret memo of why we went to Vietnam.
The whole "Ironic patriotism" is laid on a little too thickly, as if the German filmmakers were trying a little too hard to make an American Picture, but the real problem is director Robert Aldrich: The ex-Baby Jane director didn't quite survive the 70's ("The Longest Yard", "The Choirboys"), the Aldrich touch was never elegant or subtle, and the opening "heist" scenes of hijacking the silo are spoiled by turning Lancaster's partners-in-crime into foul-mouthed cliche' thugs. Also, for almost half the film, Aldrich tries to borrow Brian dePalma's trick of split-screening parallel plots and phone conversations, but doesn't seem to understand how dePalma used them for "suspense"--Here, he just lets things play out like we're watching the movie on dual security cameras, or a film-school editing assignment of "How would you intercut these two scenes to make it more exciting.?"
Stil, worth a watch if it comes your way.
The whole "Ironic patriotism" is laid on a little too thickly, as if the German filmmakers were trying a little too hard to make an American Picture, but the real problem is director Robert Aldrich: The ex-Baby Jane director didn't quite survive the 70's ("The Longest Yard", "The Choirboys"), the Aldrich touch was never elegant or subtle, and the opening "heist" scenes of hijacking the silo are spoiled by turning Lancaster's partners-in-crime into foul-mouthed cliche' thugs. Also, for almost half the film, Aldrich tries to borrow Brian dePalma's trick of split-screening parallel plots and phone conversations, but doesn't seem to understand how dePalma used them for "suspense"--Here, he just lets things play out like we're watching the movie on dual security cameras, or a film-school editing assignment of "How would you intercut these two scenes to make it more exciting.?"
Stil, worth a watch if it comes your way.
Excellent conspiracy film.
eddy-2820 September 2004
Rating 4**** out of 5
Robert Aldrich's "Twilight's Last Gleaming" based on the novel Viper 3 by Walter Wager is the story of General Dell, played superbly by Oscar winner Burt Lancaster, who was an ex-military officer during the Vietnam War. His intentions are to take control of an underground nuclear silo and expects certain demands to be made including ten million dollars in cash and the to use the President of the United States as a hostage. A fine war film with Jerry Goldsmith's excellent score, makes Twilight's Last Gleaming a very recommended motion picture which should be viewed today, especially at the height of the recent terrorism attacks with great performances by Oscar nominees Burt Young, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Joseph Cotton, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Jaeckel and Charles Durning as the President.
Robert Aldrich's "Twilight's Last Gleaming" based on the novel Viper 3 by Walter Wager is the story of General Dell, played superbly by Oscar winner Burt Lancaster, who was an ex-military officer during the Vietnam War. His intentions are to take control of an underground nuclear silo and expects certain demands to be made including ten million dollars in cash and the to use the President of the United States as a hostage. A fine war film with Jerry Goldsmith's excellent score, makes Twilight's Last Gleaming a very recommended motion picture which should be viewed today, especially at the height of the recent terrorism attacks with great performances by Oscar nominees Burt Young, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Joseph Cotton, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Jaeckel and Charles Durning as the President.
An intelligent if overlong thriller.
Hey_Sweden23 December 2016
Walter Wagers' novel "Viper Three" is the basis for this solidly entertaining movie about Lawrence Dell (Burt Lancaster), a renegade former Air Force general who's broken out of prison. In the company of three other men - Willis Powell (Paul Winfield), Augie Garvas (Burt Young), and Hoxey (William Smith) - he manages to infiltrate an ICBM silo near Montana. His intention is to threaten to start WWIII if the U.S.A. does NOT come clean regarding the "real" reasons that they started the Vietnam war.
Many conversations between the P.O.T.U.S. (Charles Durning) and his top aides follow, as well as a couple of attempts to subdue Dell and his comrades. These are spearheaded by Martin MacKenzie (Richard Widmark), a Commanding General who is a thorn in the side from Dells' past.
Durning, as a highly principled President, and Winfield, as a smart, savvy man who actually has to educate the somewhat naive Dell on the reality of what they're facing, are the MVPs in this incredible array of top notch actors. Although this viewer was a little dismayed to see big bad Bill Smith removed from the story awfully early, he was thoroughly impressed to see so much talent in one place. And that extends to the character actors in small parts. (Keep your eyes peeled for a young John Ratzenberger.)
Jerry Goldsmiths' majestic score is perfect accompaniment for a compelling narrative that provides some food for thought. After all, the desire for a government that is actually open and honest with its citizens is something many of us - not just Americans - would dearly like to see. Director Robert Aldrich handles everything in style; this is a very well directed film, especially in a few genuinely tense sequences. The only real criticism that this viewer would level at "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is that it does go on an awfully long time.
Interestingly, this was filmed on location in Germany.
Seven out of 10.
Many conversations between the P.O.T.U.S. (Charles Durning) and his top aides follow, as well as a couple of attempts to subdue Dell and his comrades. These are spearheaded by Martin MacKenzie (Richard Widmark), a Commanding General who is a thorn in the side from Dells' past.
Durning, as a highly principled President, and Winfield, as a smart, savvy man who actually has to educate the somewhat naive Dell on the reality of what they're facing, are the MVPs in this incredible array of top notch actors. Although this viewer was a little dismayed to see big bad Bill Smith removed from the story awfully early, he was thoroughly impressed to see so much talent in one place. And that extends to the character actors in small parts. (Keep your eyes peeled for a young John Ratzenberger.)
Jerry Goldsmiths' majestic score is perfect accompaniment for a compelling narrative that provides some food for thought. After all, the desire for a government that is actually open and honest with its citizens is something many of us - not just Americans - would dearly like to see. Director Robert Aldrich handles everything in style; this is a very well directed film, especially in a few genuinely tense sequences. The only real criticism that this viewer would level at "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is that it does go on an awfully long time.
Interestingly, this was filmed on location in Germany.
Seven out of 10.
Ten Years Ahead Of Its Time, but still as powerful
projectthor23 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is a highly exciting and fairly riveting computer hardware and political thriller, which has some deeply disturbing, if not cynical things to say about some of the powers that be in the United States Governemnt. It also handles the subject of nuclear hijacking and terrorism really well. Like The Flight Of The Phoenix and The Dirty Dozen, Robert Aldrich's direction delivers the goods in this potboiler of a political thriller. One that was seriously laced with both liberal and conservative politics. Indeed, this cinematic masterpiece is very explosive, brutal, violent, and doesn't hold back on anything. One of the finest in action cinema.
The action in the film begins on a Sunday Morning in Autumn in 1981 (the near future for this 1977 release) and centers on former US Air Force Brigadier General Lawrence Dell (the late Burt Lancaster), a Vietnam veteran who served five years as a POW. Upon his return, Dell became a vocal advocate of disclosing the truth behind US involvement in Southeast Asia and IndoChina in the hope that a post-Watergate America would forgive its government and have renewed faith in its leaders. Regarded as a dangerous embarrassment by the higher-ups, Lawrence Dell is framed on a manslaughter charge and sent to prison. Still determined, he recruits three inmates (played by the late Paul Winfield, Burt Young, and William Smith) to help him escape and take over a nearby SAC base in Montana, that he helped design. Once in control of the base, and armed with the launch codes, Dell non-negiotiably demands from the SAC Command Center that U.S. President David Stevens (Charles Durning) reveal the truth about the Vietnam War to the American people by reading National Security Council document 9759 on national television. SPOILER ALERT! A security file revealing the United States of America's real reasons for entering the Vietnam Conflict in the first place. Files, it would seem, that no one in the United States Government, wants to be made open to the general public. If these demands that the top-secret Vietnam War files are not made public, Dell promises, at the turn of two keys, to send the nine Titan missiles to their targets in the Soviet Union.
In many ways, the plea for 'open' government and revealing the shameful, if not truthful, secrets of both a controversial war and former administrations makes this science fiction/action thriller the first film of the Carter administration.
Twilight's Last Gleaming is a stunning indictment of the arrogance, if not bureaucratic close-mindedness, of certain government decision makers and the lengths to which they will go to maintain both the "business as usual" stance and the "covering up of the brutal truth". At the same time it also dramatizes both the cynicism of the Post Watergate Seventies and the danger of our unthinking faith in technology. Tellingly, it comes as a deep shock to the military that their usually reliable computer systems and detailed procedures seem to have gone haywire on the day of the siege (of the missile silo that Dell and his people are in), leaving them powerless to stop Dell.
Robert Aldrich's film--shot in the former West Germany with no cooperation from the US military--is a fascinating, tension-filled effort. One that could be accurately described as a Cold War thriller with a serious social commentary that was ten years ahead of its time. Especially with the United States and the United Kingdom Of Great Britain still recovering from the loss of the Vietnam War.
Burt Lancaster contributes a fine performance as the righteous, populist Brigadier General. One can definitely understand why this right-winged patriot resorts to such methods to reveal the truth, and the extraordinary lengths that go with such tactics. Charles Durning, as always(when he plays heroic and sympathetic characters)is superb as the saintly President Of The United States, who comes to empathize Lancaster's viewpoints and high hopes. Paul Winfield offers some sound wisdom as convict Willis Powell. Burt Young has some minor comic moments as the other convict(his messing up of his fake identity to the Military Police guards at the missile silos is memorable). And finally Richard Widmark is excellent as the SAC General who goes out of his way to stop Dell from starting the nuclear countdown to World War III.
Further more, the late Jerry Goldsmith composes his usual, if not excellent soundtrack for the film, and veteran director Aldrich uses some remarkable split-screen techniques that add to the film's tension and speed up the complicated expository passages.
The film also has an extraordinary cast of familiar character actors that consist of Shane Rimmer, the late Ed Bishop, Phil Brown, the late William Hootkins, John Ratzenberger, Garrick Hagon, and a range of familiar screen legends that include the late William Marshall, Gerald S. O'Laughlin, the late Leif Erickson, the late Richard Jaeckel, the late Melvyn Douglas, and the late Charles Aidman.
Despite some minor impossibilities, Twilight's Last Gleaming is both a gripping right-winged and left-winged action conspiracy drama that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very bitter end. Especially where it "SPOILER ALERT" involves some members of a shadowy branch of American Special Forces, determined not to have that secret document about the bush wars in Vietnam revealed.
The action in the film begins on a Sunday Morning in Autumn in 1981 (the near future for this 1977 release) and centers on former US Air Force Brigadier General Lawrence Dell (the late Burt Lancaster), a Vietnam veteran who served five years as a POW. Upon his return, Dell became a vocal advocate of disclosing the truth behind US involvement in Southeast Asia and IndoChina in the hope that a post-Watergate America would forgive its government and have renewed faith in its leaders. Regarded as a dangerous embarrassment by the higher-ups, Lawrence Dell is framed on a manslaughter charge and sent to prison. Still determined, he recruits three inmates (played by the late Paul Winfield, Burt Young, and William Smith) to help him escape and take over a nearby SAC base in Montana, that he helped design. Once in control of the base, and armed with the launch codes, Dell non-negiotiably demands from the SAC Command Center that U.S. President David Stevens (Charles Durning) reveal the truth about the Vietnam War to the American people by reading National Security Council document 9759 on national television. SPOILER ALERT! A security file revealing the United States of America's real reasons for entering the Vietnam Conflict in the first place. Files, it would seem, that no one in the United States Government, wants to be made open to the general public. If these demands that the top-secret Vietnam War files are not made public, Dell promises, at the turn of two keys, to send the nine Titan missiles to their targets in the Soviet Union.
In many ways, the plea for 'open' government and revealing the shameful, if not truthful, secrets of both a controversial war and former administrations makes this science fiction/action thriller the first film of the Carter administration.
Twilight's Last Gleaming is a stunning indictment of the arrogance, if not bureaucratic close-mindedness, of certain government decision makers and the lengths to which they will go to maintain both the "business as usual" stance and the "covering up of the brutal truth". At the same time it also dramatizes both the cynicism of the Post Watergate Seventies and the danger of our unthinking faith in technology. Tellingly, it comes as a deep shock to the military that their usually reliable computer systems and detailed procedures seem to have gone haywire on the day of the siege (of the missile silo that Dell and his people are in), leaving them powerless to stop Dell.
Robert Aldrich's film--shot in the former West Germany with no cooperation from the US military--is a fascinating, tension-filled effort. One that could be accurately described as a Cold War thriller with a serious social commentary that was ten years ahead of its time. Especially with the United States and the United Kingdom Of Great Britain still recovering from the loss of the Vietnam War.
Burt Lancaster contributes a fine performance as the righteous, populist Brigadier General. One can definitely understand why this right-winged patriot resorts to such methods to reveal the truth, and the extraordinary lengths that go with such tactics. Charles Durning, as always(when he plays heroic and sympathetic characters)is superb as the saintly President Of The United States, who comes to empathize Lancaster's viewpoints and high hopes. Paul Winfield offers some sound wisdom as convict Willis Powell. Burt Young has some minor comic moments as the other convict(his messing up of his fake identity to the Military Police guards at the missile silos is memorable). And finally Richard Widmark is excellent as the SAC General who goes out of his way to stop Dell from starting the nuclear countdown to World War III.
Further more, the late Jerry Goldsmith composes his usual, if not excellent soundtrack for the film, and veteran director Aldrich uses some remarkable split-screen techniques that add to the film's tension and speed up the complicated expository passages.
The film also has an extraordinary cast of familiar character actors that consist of Shane Rimmer, the late Ed Bishop, Phil Brown, the late William Hootkins, John Ratzenberger, Garrick Hagon, and a range of familiar screen legends that include the late William Marshall, Gerald S. O'Laughlin, the late Leif Erickson, the late Richard Jaeckel, the late Melvyn Douglas, and the late Charles Aidman.
Despite some minor impossibilities, Twilight's Last Gleaming is both a gripping right-winged and left-winged action conspiracy drama that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very bitter end. Especially where it "SPOILER ALERT" involves some members of a shadowy branch of American Special Forces, determined not to have that secret document about the bush wars in Vietnam revealed.
The silo is isolated
bkoganbing27 November 2014
Twilight's Last Gleaming is a rather far fetched and fanciful tale about a rogue general taking over a missile silo, isolating it from remote control at the Pentagon and White House and having 9 Titan missiles with atomic warheads at your command. Burt Lancaster who was railroaded into a murder conviction to silence him escapes with Paul Winfield, Burt Young, and William Smith and they take over the missile silo and issue demands.
The film is fascinating in one respect how this crisis is isolated from the knowledge of the public. The deliberations over the Cuban Missile Crisis had nothing on this and even that went public. The closest real happening in our history was when Grover Cleveland went missing for about 5 weeks to have cancer surgery and that never came out in his lifetime. Of course it worked out far better for Grover than it did for this president.
Charles Durning plays the fictional president David Stevens and what Lancaster demands of him is not just the usual money extortion. He wants a document read from a National Security Council meeting from the Vietnam war years which would have a calamitous impact on a lot of people and our national credibility involving our very reasons for being in Vietnam. Durning did not even know the existence of it as his presidency is way in the future. But sly old time Defense Secretary Melvyn Douglas knows and as it works in these cases his reputation and national security seem to blend in.
Another sly man from the past is Air Force General Richard Widmark who was once Lancaster's superior. Other members of the cabinet include Secretary Of State Joseph Cotten and Attorney General William Marshall.
Despite Oscar winners and big box office names like Widmark and Cotten, walking away with the acting honors here is Charles Durning as the president who is thrust into a crisis involving the distant past for him. His scenes with military aide Gerald O'Loughlin have some real feel and poignancy for both men.
Twilight's Last Gleaming though far fetched is well worth a look.
The film is fascinating in one respect how this crisis is isolated from the knowledge of the public. The deliberations over the Cuban Missile Crisis had nothing on this and even that went public. The closest real happening in our history was when Grover Cleveland went missing for about 5 weeks to have cancer surgery and that never came out in his lifetime. Of course it worked out far better for Grover than it did for this president.
Charles Durning plays the fictional president David Stevens and what Lancaster demands of him is not just the usual money extortion. He wants a document read from a National Security Council meeting from the Vietnam war years which would have a calamitous impact on a lot of people and our national credibility involving our very reasons for being in Vietnam. Durning did not even know the existence of it as his presidency is way in the future. But sly old time Defense Secretary Melvyn Douglas knows and as it works in these cases his reputation and national security seem to blend in.
Another sly man from the past is Air Force General Richard Widmark who was once Lancaster's superior. Other members of the cabinet include Secretary Of State Joseph Cotten and Attorney General William Marshall.
Despite Oscar winners and big box office names like Widmark and Cotten, walking away with the acting honors here is Charles Durning as the president who is thrust into a crisis involving the distant past for him. His scenes with military aide Gerald O'Loughlin have some real feel and poignancy for both men.
Twilight's Last Gleaming though far fetched is well worth a look.
I Saw This In The Theater
cwcsquaredcwc20 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the few films I saw in its original release in the theater where the audience actually applauded at the end. Burt Lancaster and Richard Widmark were excellent, and the cast of actors is incredible. The film uses an innovative split screen effect throughout. The viewer sees what is transpiring in two, three and even four places simultaneously. This heightens the suspense, as we see approaching threats that the characters cannot. Lancaster's Dell character is superb. He basically dominates the entire film, if one can believe how he got stuck in prison in the first place. The end shocked most in the theater, but one can see it coming and understand that it could really happen, under the circumstances. Another governmental cover-up.
I'm not sure if it is a spoiler, so I checked the box, just in case.
I'm not sure if it is a spoiler, so I checked the box, just in case.
Late great Aldrich
JasparLamarCrabb21 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A great late career film from Robert Aldrich. Three convicts escape from a military prison and commandeer a nuclear missile silo in Montana, holding the US hostage until it exposes the country's true motives for its involvement in Vietnam. Aldrich, one of Hollywood's great liberals lays an anti-government stance on pretty thick while making a tense, highly enjoyable thriller. Burt Lancaster, as a general railroaded by the government on a murder-one rap, is the head con with Paul Winfield and Burt Young joining him as ne'er do wells with very short fuses. Charles Durning is a rather too good to be true President and his cabinet is populated by the likes of Joseph Cotten, William Marshall and Melvyn Douglas. They don't really have much to do (or say). The focus of the film lies in the test of wills between Lancaster and military goon Richard Widmark. It's a taut, highly suspenseful film despite Aldrich's inflammatory preaching. Lancaster is dynamite as a self righteous career soldier, disillusioned with his own government and demanding that it come clean. Winfield & Young offer great support and William Smith appears briefly as one of Lancaster's unlucky cohorts. Set in the US but filmed in Germany. Gerald S. O'Laughlin, Richard Jaeckel and Charles McGraw are in it too. The rousing score is by Jerry Goldsmith.
Worst of Hollywood on military subjects
maxsmodels22 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was a waste of some very talented people. I liked all of the actors but the people who wrote this movie knew nothing of ICBM security or launch protocols. Even when I was 16 it seemed to be full of holes.
First off, the missileers cannot launch missiles without a series of codes. These codes must be sent to the launch team before they can arm anything. NORAD controls that. If a missile crew got the wild idea to do an independent launch, the computers and arming systems would not work until the code was called in.
The Air Force does not have a bunch of armored vehicles ready to roll in (including the surplus USMC Ontose recoiless rifle carrier they painted blue and used).
The snipers had stock M-16s with screw-on scopes. Cheezy.
Even if you can overlook all of that by saying procedures had changed and gotten lax and we had decided to remove the external consent requirement to launch there are 2 BIG issues that were missed.
One: all the Air Force had to do was open fire on the missiles and they would have burned and probably blown up on the pads (without setting off the nukes, they have a VERY specific initiation process that is NOT triggered by heat). It is all NASA can do to keep rockets and missiles from blowing up on a perfect launch. In case you did not know, a missile is 90% pressurized fuel tank. poke a hole in it and it'll never fly, at least not far. Small arms fire could do it, but artillery or anti-tank missiles would be best.
Two: There is no way the president is ever going to be handed over as a hostage.
All of that is just technical trivia. The idea that America would enter a war and stay in it until we had lost 50,000 men just to show the evil commies we were serious is beyond absurd. To buy that requires just plain gullibility. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of American History knows that the war in Viet Nam lasted over 3 presidential administrations, yet the movie makes us believe that one decided to keep us in the until no less than 50,000 Americans died and so it became policy.
Nothing about this forgettable film is timeless or relevant. It is a piece of junk that preyed on cold war fears of nuclear missiles and government mistrust (which were very much in the public consciousness in post Viet Nam, Post Watergate America).
If you want to see Burt Lancaster and Charles Durning together in a much netter movie, see Tough Guys.
First off, the missileers cannot launch missiles without a series of codes. These codes must be sent to the launch team before they can arm anything. NORAD controls that. If a missile crew got the wild idea to do an independent launch, the computers and arming systems would not work until the code was called in.
The Air Force does not have a bunch of armored vehicles ready to roll in (including the surplus USMC Ontose recoiless rifle carrier they painted blue and used).
The snipers had stock M-16s with screw-on scopes. Cheezy.
Even if you can overlook all of that by saying procedures had changed and gotten lax and we had decided to remove the external consent requirement to launch there are 2 BIG issues that were missed.
One: all the Air Force had to do was open fire on the missiles and they would have burned and probably blown up on the pads (without setting off the nukes, they have a VERY specific initiation process that is NOT triggered by heat). It is all NASA can do to keep rockets and missiles from blowing up on a perfect launch. In case you did not know, a missile is 90% pressurized fuel tank. poke a hole in it and it'll never fly, at least not far. Small arms fire could do it, but artillery or anti-tank missiles would be best.
Two: There is no way the president is ever going to be handed over as a hostage.
All of that is just technical trivia. The idea that America would enter a war and stay in it until we had lost 50,000 men just to show the evil commies we were serious is beyond absurd. To buy that requires just plain gullibility. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of American History knows that the war in Viet Nam lasted over 3 presidential administrations, yet the movie makes us believe that one decided to keep us in the until no less than 50,000 Americans died and so it became policy.
Nothing about this forgettable film is timeless or relevant. It is a piece of junk that preyed on cold war fears of nuclear missiles and government mistrust (which were very much in the public consciousness in post Viet Nam, Post Watergate America).
If you want to see Burt Lancaster and Charles Durning together in a much netter movie, see Tough Guys.
I enjoyed Twilight's Last Gleaming
jasonhaworth3 June 2005
I disagree that the political statement in the movie is misplaced. It was one of the first movies from the Hollywood mainstream to address the atrocities in Vietnam (such as the Mai Lai massacre for those who are not familiar with history). I think the film showed the pain and anger many vets felt when they returned. Beyond the social statement, I think the film is good thriller that stands the test of time. There are some minor problems with the plot such as the security at the silo, but those come up when one tries to analyze the film instead of enjoying the ride. Lancaster and Widmark are, as usual, very good in the picture which alone makes the picture worth seeing.
Flawed film, but served as catharsis for former Vietnam Vets
sljones448 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I 'm going to counterbalance the previous two reviews. The only reason it's considered "absurdist left-wing" fodder, is that the two reviewers still didn't understand the hatred of that war of course being divided into this left wing-right wing B.S. wedge that the 2 term administration has firmly slammed into the American Consciousness. The original reviewer doesn't realize that several Vietnam Vets overran the Pentagon, went to Washington D.C. and literally threw their medals. This was a film, that was a catharsis for many overwhelming numbers of PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY FOUGHT THE WAR experienced.
The movie is a cat and mouse thriller with Burt Lancaster demanding attention from the White House by controlling a missle silo/bunker complex. As a former Air Force General with high security clearance, he knows how to complete the mission. The film is a study on why a decorated General threatens to start WW III.
On the opposite side of the fence lies the President, played by Charles Durning whose aim is to stop him. The supporting actors are outstanding on all accounts, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Burt Young, Melvin Douglas, to name a few. The actors making up the presidents cabinet are outstanding. The cabinet/advisors must decide- is the General a mad man or can he pull off his threat of missle launch. What is his agenda? The ending is a shocking, uncompromising statement on what happens in a political chess match. The military adviser tells the president, the buck stops here.... you are responsible, even for past transgressions from a previous presidency. I like the fact that a military person says " our way of life can survive the truth."
The movie is a cat and mouse thriller with Burt Lancaster demanding attention from the White House by controlling a missle silo/bunker complex. As a former Air Force General with high security clearance, he knows how to complete the mission. The film is a study on why a decorated General threatens to start WW III.
On the opposite side of the fence lies the President, played by Charles Durning whose aim is to stop him. The supporting actors are outstanding on all accounts, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Burt Young, Melvin Douglas, to name a few. The actors making up the presidents cabinet are outstanding. The cabinet/advisors must decide- is the General a mad man or can he pull off his threat of missle launch. What is his agenda? The ending is a shocking, uncompromising statement on what happens in a political chess match. The military adviser tells the president, the buck stops here.... you are responsible, even for past transgressions from a previous presidency. I like the fact that a military person says " our way of life can survive the truth."
Absurd
chip9813 January 1999
The premise is silly and its interpretation of the cause of the Vietnam War (revealed at the end) is utterly preposterous--perfect Burt Lancaster material. Can't criticize the production values; special effects are pretty good and the dialogue isn't bad, so it's fairly watchable if you're not a persnickety curmudgeon like me. However, that this otherwise air-headed flick rates well with a lot of viewers is proof that the U.S. is turning into a nation of ignoramuses. Want to know why "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is silly? You can't hold the nation hostage with a dozen of its own ICBM's; even a Boy Scout troop can shoot them down with .22's at launch. Want to know why the Vietnam War turned into a mess? Read Col. Summer's "On Strategy: A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War" and forget the Hollywood historians.
Outstanding
mikehipkins26 April 2001
In the 1960's three "nuclear" movies stand out: Dr. Strangelove, Fail Safe, and the much under rated Bedford Incident. All tried in their own ways to raise awareness of the implications of both the Cold War, the mind set of Nuclear Warriors and their political masters, and the dangers implicit in the possession of nuclear weapons. While Twilights Last Gleaming is not as good as these three, it is an excellent well crafted film that not only explores the mind set of the military and politicians, but also how a power structure will protect itself, particularly from that most dangerous of threats: the truth. Its also explores ONE of the reasons that once in Vietnam, the US found it so hard to get out. If you enjoy this one, check out another Burt Lancaster movie, CONTROL. Again, an excellent treatment of a nuclear subject.
You Live Here Mr. President, You Gotta Go!
gattonero97517 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Director Robert Aldridge really put quite a cast for this film. But most in a cast had very brief or bit Cameo roles at best but they were still in the picture.
I must say it was quite shocking and now I've heard everything to hear Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning, Richard Jaeckel, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield and Gerald S. O'Loughlin to be dropping the F-bomb, that S bomb, the Mother F bomb, Etc. I never thought in a million years of watching millions of movies I would here and see these classic gentleman use that type of language but it was great!
sadly this was the last movie for the great Leif Ericson and Charles McGraw. they both had brief roll in this film but they did great with that time they didn't appear till an hour had elapsed. Same thing with the late great William Marshall who a lot of people don't know this but is Paul Winfield real life cousin they did not share any scenes together but this was the only film that they were in it together.
I was really surprised to see one of my all-time favorite Stars appear right at the beginning of the movie none other than bad boy big boy William Smith but he did not last not even 15 minutes and he was killed off. Also another one of my favorite actors mr. Roscoe Lee Browne who also appears at the beginning of the film talking with the president for no more than about 5 minutes and then he was completely gone and never came back.
While there were no major women roles in this film there had two actresses who had filmed major roles for this film but their scenes were deleted!? The president's wife and who would have been first lady was to be played by Vera Miles. And also actress Pippa Scott had a major role but her scenes were deleted as well.
All in all the film is very long but it keeps you glued and interested based just on this fantastic cast in this film. the music by Jerry Goldsmith was excellent it reminded me of like Planet of the Apes so I gave it that science fiction tension feel to it.
The only problem I have with this film is that in the end when they meet the demands of the so-called terrorists they want the president as a hostage why did it not feel the president with a bulletproof vest and wired him so they can hear everything that he was talking but I know that Lancaster or his cronies would have discovered the wire or taken off the vest but here's that issue also again why wouldn't Lancaster Ask for a bulletproof vest for he and his cronies? I would have! so there are some big potholes in the script and from what I heard militaristicly it's not very valid and in a lot of ways but if you can Overlook that then you should be able to enjoy yourself if you don't know too much about weapons and whatnot all in all it's still a wonderful achievement for director Robert Aldrich in getting such a fantastic and diverse cast as always and it's highly recommended.
I must say it was quite shocking and now I've heard everything to hear Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning, Richard Jaeckel, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield and Gerald S. O'Loughlin to be dropping the F-bomb, that S bomb, the Mother F bomb, Etc. I never thought in a million years of watching millions of movies I would here and see these classic gentleman use that type of language but it was great!
sadly this was the last movie for the great Leif Ericson and Charles McGraw. they both had brief roll in this film but they did great with that time they didn't appear till an hour had elapsed. Same thing with the late great William Marshall who a lot of people don't know this but is Paul Winfield real life cousin they did not share any scenes together but this was the only film that they were in it together.
I was really surprised to see one of my all-time favorite Stars appear right at the beginning of the movie none other than bad boy big boy William Smith but he did not last not even 15 minutes and he was killed off. Also another one of my favorite actors mr. Roscoe Lee Browne who also appears at the beginning of the film talking with the president for no more than about 5 minutes and then he was completely gone and never came back.
While there were no major women roles in this film there had two actresses who had filmed major roles for this film but their scenes were deleted!? The president's wife and who would have been first lady was to be played by Vera Miles. And also actress Pippa Scott had a major role but her scenes were deleted as well.
All in all the film is very long but it keeps you glued and interested based just on this fantastic cast in this film. the music by Jerry Goldsmith was excellent it reminded me of like Planet of the Apes so I gave it that science fiction tension feel to it.
The only problem I have with this film is that in the end when they meet the demands of the so-called terrorists they want the president as a hostage why did it not feel the president with a bulletproof vest and wired him so they can hear everything that he was talking but I know that Lancaster or his cronies would have discovered the wire or taken off the vest but here's that issue also again why wouldn't Lancaster Ask for a bulletproof vest for he and his cronies? I would have! so there are some big potholes in the script and from what I heard militaristicly it's not very valid and in a lot of ways but if you can Overlook that then you should be able to enjoy yourself if you don't know too much about weapons and whatnot all in all it's still a wonderful achievement for director Robert Aldrich in getting such a fantastic and diverse cast as always and it's highly recommended.
United States Toupee Force
inspectors7116 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
If you look at the noggins of most of the old actor dudes at the conference table in the Oval Orifice, you'll notice that the ratio between fake and real is pretty one-sided.
If you look at Robert Aldrich's Twilight's Last Gleaming as anything other than a noisy, over-acted, bit of historical/hysterical/nuclear/psychobabble nonsense, then you need to go back to What Makes a Movie Good school.
I saw this chunk of concrete way back when Showtime was cheap and, if you jimmied the dial on the cable box, you could see stuff on the Playboy Channel. I thought I'd give this movie, which I enjoyed a whole long time ago, a chance to please me again.
It didn't. The dialogue was ripe with "Charlie One Foxtrot Belvedere, you have the soccer ball!" and "You've got the power, you big, fat, toupeed, M-Fer!" Burt Lancaster plays, well, Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning looks as if even he doesn't believe he's The President, and there's this black guy who plays Durning's butler, who has played butlers forever, and gets to well-up with tears when Durning, all 400 lbs of him, takes one for the team.
Never once did I buy into this drivel, a story of an imprisoned USAF general who escapes, takes over a ICBM site in Sheep's Gonads, Montana, and attempts to extort the US Government into releasing the minutes of a meeting in the early 60s, where it was decided to, as a national policy, destroy South Vietnam in order to save it so that the Russians will know we sure mean business!
The only thing longer and more tedious than that last sentence was the movie, 145 minutes of old actors strutting about in air force duds and business suits with really wide lapels.
Maybe the most upsetting thing about this blob of congealed sweat is that it's from the director who gave us The Dirty Dozen and The Longest Yard. Right around the time TLG was released, Robert Aldrich directed the movie of the Joseph Wambaugh book The Choirboys. The book was searing, heart-breaking, and hilarious--Wambaugh's style--and the movie was just stupid, an ersatz comedy without the broken heart.
So, enough said. Except, the moment when I knew I was in trouble re-watching Twilight's Last Gleaming after 40+ years. Lancaster and his merry band of saboteurs show up at the gate of the missile site, and they fake having the ubiquitous blue Dodge pickup with USAF on the side break down. Someone calls out to help push the beast through the gate, and you can hear somebody saying that the truck isn't going to move itself, put yer backs into it!
Nobody is pushing. The truck is still. The only thing moving is the actor's mouth as his voice is looped in.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Lee Marvin wouldn't have let the bad guys slack off when that D200 needed a shove!
If you look at Robert Aldrich's Twilight's Last Gleaming as anything other than a noisy, over-acted, bit of historical/hysterical/nuclear/psychobabble nonsense, then you need to go back to What Makes a Movie Good school.
I saw this chunk of concrete way back when Showtime was cheap and, if you jimmied the dial on the cable box, you could see stuff on the Playboy Channel. I thought I'd give this movie, which I enjoyed a whole long time ago, a chance to please me again.
It didn't. The dialogue was ripe with "Charlie One Foxtrot Belvedere, you have the soccer ball!" and "You've got the power, you big, fat, toupeed, M-Fer!" Burt Lancaster plays, well, Burt Lancaster, Charles Durning looks as if even he doesn't believe he's The President, and there's this black guy who plays Durning's butler, who has played butlers forever, and gets to well-up with tears when Durning, all 400 lbs of him, takes one for the team.
Never once did I buy into this drivel, a story of an imprisoned USAF general who escapes, takes over a ICBM site in Sheep's Gonads, Montana, and attempts to extort the US Government into releasing the minutes of a meeting in the early 60s, where it was decided to, as a national policy, destroy South Vietnam in order to save it so that the Russians will know we sure mean business!
The only thing longer and more tedious than that last sentence was the movie, 145 minutes of old actors strutting about in air force duds and business suits with really wide lapels.
Maybe the most upsetting thing about this blob of congealed sweat is that it's from the director who gave us The Dirty Dozen and The Longest Yard. Right around the time TLG was released, Robert Aldrich directed the movie of the Joseph Wambaugh book The Choirboys. The book was searing, heart-breaking, and hilarious--Wambaugh's style--and the movie was just stupid, an ersatz comedy without the broken heart.
So, enough said. Except, the moment when I knew I was in trouble re-watching Twilight's Last Gleaming after 40+ years. Lancaster and his merry band of saboteurs show up at the gate of the missile site, and they fake having the ubiquitous blue Dodge pickup with USAF on the side break down. Someone calls out to help push the beast through the gate, and you can hear somebody saying that the truck isn't going to move itself, put yer backs into it!
Nobody is pushing. The truck is still. The only thing moving is the actor's mouth as his voice is looped in.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Lee Marvin wouldn't have let the bad guys slack off when that D200 needed a shove!
Entertaining & Thought-Provoking
marko19 September 1999
While this movie has been criticized as a product of Lancaster's political ideology, it is too entertaining to dismiss as a simple political polemic. Gen-Xers may not remember a time when we were always just a few minutes away from a nuclear launch. This film captures some of that tension (and explains why the Strategic Air Command insisted in psychatric screening of all personnel who had access to nuclear weapons!) A plot device about the secret origins of the Vietnam war has been roundly criticized by some. But anyone who has read the early works of Henry Kissinger or the Pentagon Papers will not find it far-fetched at all. Great end title score!
Inacuuracies in a Great Movie
richard_hackney8 December 2006
I love this movie - I love any nuclear warfare movie as it shows the deadly consequences. I have really huge collection from Strangelove, Day After, Testament, Day after Trinity, Bedford Incident, China Syndrome, you name it and this one is my favorite - it is so thrilling that I found myself rewinding it in numerous places. Even though it is a VHS copy, my copy is excellent, DVD quality.
I think an obvious fault in this movie is when Dell, Powell, etc. get checked at the main gate. Only a name and soc sec no are given ??? This is totally implausible. The guard would either know who Sgt McKenzie was or probably have a photo list of each possible approved entrant to the silo. There is no way this could have happened.
Another interesting movie insertion was the "gold" atomic bomb to blast out the silo doors. I believe gold is credible for use as a tamper (device to reflect neutrons back into the core for enhanced fission and gold is cleaner than uranium which is normally used. However, why the bubble levels???? This makes no sense to me. A small atomic bomb should be independent of horizontal or vertical position
I think an obvious fault in this movie is when Dell, Powell, etc. get checked at the main gate. Only a name and soc sec no are given ??? This is totally implausible. The guard would either know who Sgt McKenzie was or probably have a photo list of each possible approved entrant to the silo. There is no way this could have happened.
Another interesting movie insertion was the "gold" atomic bomb to blast out the silo doors. I believe gold is credible for use as a tamper (device to reflect neutrons back into the core for enhanced fission and gold is cleaner than uranium which is normally used. However, why the bubble levels???? This makes no sense to me. A small atomic bomb should be independent of horizontal or vertical position
An excellent political satire
MOscarbradley15 June 2017
Despite the thick-ear dialogue, lack-lustre performances from most of the cast, (Charles Durning being the notable exception), and the frankly ridiculous premiss of a renegade general taking over a nuclear missile silo and holding the US government to ransom, Aldrich's dip into the Cold War paranoia genre is surprisingly good, working both as a highly suspenseful thriller, (Aldrich makes great use of split screens), and as a reasonably serious picture on American foreign policy. It's also funny enough to work as political satire and I'm not sure that Aldrich took it all that seriously. It may not be in the same class as either "Seven Days in May" or "Fail Safe" and television dramas such as "The West Wing" and "House of Cards" are much closer to the mark on what goes on in the Oval Office than anything here but it's also far from negligible and if it's hardly Aldrich's best film it's still well worth seeing.
CONSPIRACY THRILLER...FILE UNDER: PENTAGON PAPERS - SNOWDEN
LeonLouisRicci8 September 2021
It's Become Clear, Over the Years, that the Government Continues Hiding Important "Truths" from the Public.
It is No Longer a "Conspiracy Theory" but an Undeniable Fact.
These Fictional Film Accounts are have Become an Echo of Reality and Not a Question Mark from the Fringes of Anarchy.
This 1977 Film from Robert Aldrich with a Stellar Cast, and a Long Running-Time, comes from the Post-Watergate, Post Pentagon Papers Reality.
The Stakes here are a Multiple Nuclear Warhead Launch from the United States. Initiated by a Former Army General and other Death-Row Inmates that Escaped and Commandeer a Missile Silo.
The Demand is that the Government Come "Clean" about the Real Reasons Behind America's Involvement in the Viet Nam War.
They Can Do This by Way of SECRET Papers, Hidden from Everyone but the "Need to Know".
The General (Burt Lancaster) Orders the President to Go on TV and Read the Papers that were Heretofore Unacknowledged.
Or He will Launch 9 Nuclear Missiles.
Aldridge and His Strong Cast are Wrapped Around a "Gleaming" Lighting System that Reminds of a TV Production.
With Multiple Split-Screens and a Lot of Speeches.
The Patina is Slick to a Fault and the Length Stretches Things a Bit.
But it is a Suspenseful Scenario Professionally Pulled-Off, for One-More Movie Shout-Out that We, the People, are being Lied Too.
Resulting in the Destruction of Untold Soldiers and Civilians.
It's Still a Problem to this Day.
See the recently uncovered "Afghan Papers".
May Seem Somewhat Dated but Definitely Worth a Watch.
It is No Longer a "Conspiracy Theory" but an Undeniable Fact.
These Fictional Film Accounts are have Become an Echo of Reality and Not a Question Mark from the Fringes of Anarchy.
This 1977 Film from Robert Aldrich with a Stellar Cast, and a Long Running-Time, comes from the Post-Watergate, Post Pentagon Papers Reality.
The Stakes here are a Multiple Nuclear Warhead Launch from the United States. Initiated by a Former Army General and other Death-Row Inmates that Escaped and Commandeer a Missile Silo.
The Demand is that the Government Come "Clean" about the Real Reasons Behind America's Involvement in the Viet Nam War.
They Can Do This by Way of SECRET Papers, Hidden from Everyone but the "Need to Know".
The General (Burt Lancaster) Orders the President to Go on TV and Read the Papers that were Heretofore Unacknowledged.
Or He will Launch 9 Nuclear Missiles.
Aldridge and His Strong Cast are Wrapped Around a "Gleaming" Lighting System that Reminds of a TV Production.
With Multiple Split-Screens and a Lot of Speeches.
The Patina is Slick to a Fault and the Length Stretches Things a Bit.
But it is a Suspenseful Scenario Professionally Pulled-Off, for One-More Movie Shout-Out that We, the People, are being Lied Too.
Resulting in the Destruction of Untold Soldiers and Civilians.
It's Still a Problem to this Day.
See the recently uncovered "Afghan Papers".
May Seem Somewhat Dated but Definitely Worth a Watch.
Cringe worthy effort. Has aged VERY badly.
johnjms-712946 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Lancaster called the film "All the President's Men Part Two... a very powerful political piece couched in highly melodramatic terms."
I call it a laughable film, so unintentionally funny as to make it popcorn worthy. It's shot like an episode of ABC's old S. W. A. T. show from the 1970's. Beyond Lancaster and Charles Durning (as the President no less), it's cast not even like a 'movie of the week', but more like an episode of "The Love Boat". From Cliff Klavin, to Dr. Daystrom from the Star Trek TOS episode about the M-5 unit, it's a hodgepodge of B and C actors. The dialogue is cheesy, the performances hilarious, including the Lieutenant from "THE ROOKIES", the concepts are absurd, the processes are ludicrous, and the ending is eye rolling. You could EASILY cut it down by 45 minutes. The characters are cardboard cutout clichés. And from the start you're left with questions like "How did they ever even get this 'plan' off the ground??"
Back to the dialogue. They use profanity as if it were a new found toy. This was still in an era where the use of profanity in films was rather new. Here it seems forced and shoe horned into the script. The deliveries are awful.
Look for the scene where the President fawns of a painting his wife did. The painting looks a step above a 'Paint by Numbers" beginner project. This film is ABSOLUTELY "Ghoul" worthy. I read the Paul Newman turned down the role of the President. He made a wise choice.
Lancaster lumbers around during the entire picture, looking as if he's trying to remember he played a better General in SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. For a 'smart' General who knows all the ins and outs, he seems shockingly unaware that he should maybe, just maybe, instead of pacing around back and forth, pay attention to the security camera's to see the shocking idea of snipers essentially just running in plain sight to their positions. Luckily for the military, that's the one point where Paul Winfield decides to take a nap. Just absolute lazy writing in order to get the story to the desired conclusion. Which by the way, is ambivalent at best.
Gerald S. O'Loughlin, best known as the Lieutenant in "THE ROOKIES" ABC 1970's show, puts in a particularly poor performance, especially at the end. His crying actually made me laugh out loud. I've seen better performances at elementary school plays. And I actually LIKE Gerald S. O'Loughlin.
This story is a mess from the get-go. It's perfect for a Mystery Science Theater show. It was poorly received in the 1970's, and has aged even worse. Art is by it's very nature, subjective. But anyone who thinks this film is high quality calls their taste into question. I give it a 2 out of 10 because it's a fun film to watch with a friend(s) to laugh at. Only films that don't even reach that level deserve a single star.
Look for the scene where the President fawns of a painting his wife did. The painting looks a step above a 'Paint by Numbers" beginner project. This film is ABSOLUTELY "Ghoul" worthy. I read the Paul Newman turned down the role of the President. He made a wise choice.
Lancaster lumbers around during the entire picture, looking as if he's trying to remember he played a better General in SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. For a 'smart' General who knows all the ins and outs, he seems shockingly unaware that he should maybe, just maybe, instead of pacing around back and forth, pay attention to the security camera's to see the shocking idea of snipers essentially just running in plain sight to their positions. Luckily for the military, that's the one point where Paul Winfield decides to take a nap. Just absolute lazy writing in order to get the story to the desired conclusion. Which by the way, is ambivalent at best.
Gerald S. O'Loughlin, best known as the Lieutenant in "THE ROOKIES" ABC 1970's show, puts in a particularly poor performance, especially at the end. His crying actually made me laugh out loud. I've seen better performances at elementary school plays. And I actually LIKE Gerald S. O'Loughlin.
This story is a mess from the get-go. It's perfect for a Mystery Science Theater show. It was poorly received in the 1970's, and has aged even worse. Art is by it's very nature, subjective. But anyone who thinks this film is high quality calls their taste into question. I give it a 2 out of 10 because it's a fun film to watch with a friend(s) to laugh at. Only films that don't even reach that level deserve a single star.
2007 release of Twilight's Last Gleaming is much awaited
avfred8 July 2006
I've been waiting 10 years to see this film again. Great news that it might be released in 2007 in its full glory. Twilight's Last Gleaming is one of the films that had a profound effect on me, partly because I was a Vietnam-era student and partly because of the intense subject matter.
This film by Robert Aldrich deserves a wide audience, particularly in this time (George W. Bush administration) when the themes it presents are so current. Questions abound: Who is a terrorist? What has our government done in the name of freedom? What are we prepared to do to maintain secrecy? I can't wait. Moreover, the ending will again hit me between the eyes.
This film by Robert Aldrich deserves a wide audience, particularly in this time (George W. Bush administration) when the themes it presents are so current. Questions abound: Who is a terrorist? What has our government done in the name of freedom? What are we prepared to do to maintain secrecy? I can't wait. Moreover, the ending will again hit me between the eyes.
a bit dated but still stands
pilot100919 June 2019
Absolute swill
tjmac_otr16 February 2020
While I understand movie makers getting some facts and visuals wrong with regard to the military there comes a tipping point where it slides into looking more like satire and certainly isn't entertainment. The acting is pathetic at times.....like Bert Young's entire performance (which is about 50% grunting noises and such)
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