The China Syndrome (1979)

Director:

James Bridges

Writers:

Mike Gray (written by) &
T.S. Cook (written by) ...

Release Date:

16 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Today, only a handful of people know what it means... Soon you will know.

Plot:

A reporter finds what appears to be a cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear Power | Reporter | Television | Cameraman | Cover Up

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Kimberly Wells
Jack Lemmon	...	Jack Godell
Michael Douglas	...	Richard Adams
Scott Brady	...	Herman De Young
James Hampton	...	Bill Gibson
Peter Donat	...	Don Jacovich
Wilford Brimley	...	Ted Spindler
Richard Herd	...	Evan McCormack
Daniel Valdez	...	Hector Salas
Stan Bohrman	...	Pete Martin
James Karen	...	Mac Churchill
Michael Alaimo	...	Greg Minor
Donald Hotton	...	Dr. Lowell
Khalilah Ali	...	Marge
Paul Larson	...	D.B. Royce

Also Known As:

Le syndrome chinois (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
A Síndrome da China (Brazil) [pt]
China Syndrome (Japan: English title) [en]
Chinski syndrom (Poland) [pl]
Dünyanin kaderi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Das China-Syndrom (West Germany) [de]
El síndrome de China (Spain) [es]
Ha-Syndrome Ha-Sini (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Kína szindróma (Hungary) [hu]
Kiina-ilmiö (Finland) [fi]
Kina-syndromet (Sweden) [sv]
Kina-syndromet (Denmark) [da]
O Síndroma da China (Portugal) [pt]
Síndrome da China (Brazil) [pt]
Sindrome cinese (Italy) [it]
To syndromo tis Kinas (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

1000 N. Crescent Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

IPC Films

Trivia:

Richard Dreyfuss was originally cast as the cameraman but pulled out shortly before filming was to start and Michael Douglas, who also produced the film, was replaced in the role instead.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Hector's car is forced over the cliff you can see that the gas tank has been removed when his car stops tumbling.

Quotes:

Evan Mc Cormack: ...and let this lunatic wipe out a billion dollar investment? At least this buys time; it will take the press an hour to get here.
Bill Gibson: I wouldn't count on it.
Evan Mc Cormack: I'm counting on you to take care of the God damn press. Now you do your Job, and let me do mine.
Bill Gibson: Yes sir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Men in Black II (2002)

Soundtrack:

Somewhere in Between

What can really be said?

I normally don't comment on movies on IMDB, but in this case I feel like I should. I love movies, and I want to make them, and this movie is a perfect example of fine filmmaking.

This is one of the few movies that I have seen on the small screen (originally seeing it air on AMC, I believe, and then on the DVD I just watched) that made me get that feeling in the pit of my stomach. That little gnawing sensation that the director would hope you feel while watching his thriller.

Jack Lemmon's performance is a fine one, and Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas follow. I felt so much empathy of Lemmon, who's character Jack Godell, only wanted people to listen to his warning.

But what impresses me most about this film is the lack of a score, and this is also what makes it beautiful to me. Apart from the opening titles there are no background music to increase the tension, because none is needed. And while the credits run, white on black, in silence it drives the point home.

I use the movie as an example to anyone who says music makes the movie. I think the movie should make the movie and the music should only amplify that. But for The China Syndrome music is not necessary to get across the realism and the urgency depicted here. The characters portray all of this far better than the music ever could.

I highly recommend this movie, it is one of my favorites. If you like movies, you won't be disappointed. If you like movie soundtracks more, you might not want to give this one a go.