The Atomic City

Director: Jerry Hopper Jerry Hopper

Overview

The city of the title is Los Alamos, where nuclear physicist Gene Barry lives and works. Terrorists kidnap Barry's son and demand that the physicist turn over the H-bomb formula. It's cat-and-mouse for a while, but when the FBI gets on the case, the criminals haven't got a chance. Outdated almost before its release, The Atomic City is still effective on a purely melodramatic level. There's a particularly tense climax played out along the mountain mesas surrounding Los Alamos.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/30/2011
UPC:	0887090030502
Original Release:	1952
Rating:	NR
Source:	Olive
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:25:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gene Barry	Dr. Frank Addison
Lee Aaker	Tommy Addison
Lydia Clarke	Martha Addison
Michael Moore	Russ Farley
Nancy Gates	Ellen
Milburn Stone	Harold Mann
Bert Freed	Emil Jablons
Frank Cady	Weinberg
Houseley Stevenson Jr.	Gregson
Leonard Strong	Clark
Jerry Hausner	Pattis
John Damler	Peter Rassett
George Lynn	Robert Kalnick
Olan Soule	Mr. Fenton
Anthony Warde	Arnie Molter
Leith Stevens	Composer

Technical Credits

Sydney Boehm

Jerry Hopper	Director
Joseph Sistrom	Producer
Sydney Boehm	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

When it was first released, The Atomic City probably benefited both from the wonder that surrounded the atomic bomb and the tremendous interest in the Rosenberg trial of the same general period. Seen nowadays, without that kind of social context and with decades of experience with "the bomb," Atomic's punch is considerably muted. While it is still tense and taut, it's mostly a rather routine thriller. Because it pretty much ignores controversy surrounding atomic bombs, as well as about the espionage in and by the U.S., it is extremely naïve and may strike some younger viewers as a bit laughable. Still, if one can ignore this and just allow one to be manipulated by the chain of events and by Jerry Hopper's straight-ahead, committed direction, Atomic can be a nice little diversion. The ending in particular is well done, but Hopper also keeps nerves a bit frayed at other key points. He's aided by strong performances from Gene Barry, Michael Moore and Milburn Strong, and by an impressively strong one from child actor Lee Aaker.