Fail Safe (1964): cast, story & where to watch
1964 · Film · ★ 7.8
Released in 1964, Fail Safe is a thriller, drama and war film directed by Sidney Lumet, running about 112 minutes. “It will have you sitting on the brink of eternity!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Because of a technical defect an American bomber team mistakenly orders the destruction of Moscow. The President of the United States has but little time to prevent an atomic catastrophe from occurring.
Who’s in it. Fail Safe stars Henry Fonda as The President, Walter Matthau as Prof. Groeteschele, Fritz Weaver as Col. Cascio and Larry Hagman as Buck, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, Fail Safe has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Fail Safe page.
If you liked it. Fans of Fail Safe tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Fail Safe (1964)?
- In US, Fail Safe is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Fail Safe worth watching?
- Fail Safe holds an audience score of 7.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller, drama and war. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Fail Safe?
- Fail Safe stars Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver, Larry Hagman and Frank Overton.
- When was Fail Safe released?
- Fail Safe was released in 1964, with a runtime of about 112 minutes.