FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY (THE SHADOW MAKERS)

US, 1989, 127 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia, John Cusack, Laura Dern, John C.Mc Ginley, Natasha Richardson.
Directed by Roland Joffe.

Fat Man and Little Boy were the names given to the two atomic bombs developed in the Manhattan Project. This is the story of the project (from Roland Joffe, director of The Killing Fields and The Mission, and from Bruce Robinson, writer of The Killing Fields as well as Withnail and I). Paul Newman is gruffly effective as General Groves, the military chief in charge of the Manhattan Project. Dwight Schultz is Robert Oppenheimer. The film focuses on the interaction between the two men in the context of the project.

Reviewers thought that the personal conflict took over from the picture of scientists working against time to produce the bombs and the conflict between science and moral issues. These are certainly raised, especially by the character played by John Cusack.

This story was told in Norman Taurog's 1947 The Beginning or the End, with Brian Donlevy as Groves, Hume Cronin as Oppenheimer and Tom Drake as the John Cusack character.

This is a serious film, splendidly photographed. It is not a documentary - documentaries have been made about the Manhattan Project and Oppenheimer, especially The Day After Trinity - but this is a film recalling personnel and history in a dramatic interpretation. It will appeal more to the serious-minded audience.

1.The impact of the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project? For the United States, for Japan, for the world in the atomic age? Looking at the Manhattan Project in retrospect?

2.The title of the film and its focus on the bombs? The significance of the alternate title?

3.Re-creating the sense of period, the desert locations, the laboratories for the Manhattan Project, the deserts for the testing? The film's detailed look at the technology?

4.The perspective of the screenplay, on the project, the bomb, the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, the consequences? From the perspective of the late '80s? The writer and the director not making a documentary but interpreting history? The significance of the cast?

5.The focus of the film for and against the Manhattan Project? The developments of technology and science in the period? The idealism of the project, of the scientists and their collaboration? The background of the war in the Pacific? The bomb and the loss of lives and the saving of lives? Ushering in the nuclear age?

6.The focus on General Groves and Paul Newman's interpretation? Presence? His Pentagon job and his leaving the Pentagon? Gruff manner and style? Conservative and authoritarian? His relationship to Washington? His commission? The contacts, interviews with the scientists, building up the team, his manner with them, questions of supplies and logistics? His relationship to each of the team, putting pressure to bear? Relaxation? Securities and penalties? Discipline? The interactions with the scientists, discussions, in the laboratories, meals? Progress of the project? The trials and tests? Being out in the field? Secrecy? His penalties against breach of secrecy? The protests of the scientists? His clashes with Oppenheimer?

7.Oppenheimer and his reputation, character, vision? The tense relationship between himself and his wife and family, his wife living on the base? The domestic scenes? His relationship with Jean, her communist background, his visits to San Francisco, orders to break the relationship? The impact of her suicide? His leftist reputation? With General Groves, the clash of ideals, of leadership? His work with the team? The exhilaration of insight and work, theories? Questions of discipline? The passing of time, the pressures on him?

8.The portrait of the team, the background of the scientists present, their study and expertise, their interactions, international backgrounds, tension, pressures, the experiments and trials? The leadership of Oppenheimer?

9.Michael Merriman and his character, work, keeping the journal for his father and the voice-overs? His perspective on the project? Audience sympathy with him? His relationships, Kathleen? Questions? The petition, Oppenheimer's reaction, the accident with the radiation, Kathleen and her love, trying to help, the doctor and his verdict? Death?

10.The portrait of Oppenheimer's wife, love for her husband, family, on the base, the tensions? Reconciliations? The contrast with Jean, her love and friendship, the communist background, the visits to San Francisco, the break of her relationship with Oppenheimer, her decision to kill herself?

11.Themes of progress, scientific possibilities, laboratory work, theories? Accidents and their consequences, tests? Personal involvement in such a project and its repercussions? The emphasis on the ending of the war? As a criterion for moral issues?

12.The clashes between Groves and Oppenheimer, mutual understanding, the talk in the cafeteria, class differences? The question of implosion? The personal view of the project and the objective view?

13.Themes of doubts and scruples, careers? The bases for Oppenheimer's final decision? The test and the use of the bomb? The Pandora's box opened? The consequences and fear in the nuclear age?