When a nuclear missile is launched by presumably Soviet forces toward Turkey, the beginning of the ultimate war to end all wars WW 3 is started. Powers Boothe, his girlfriend and copilot Rebecca DeMornay and their flight crew take off in a B 52 on what they believe is just another drill only to find out that this is the real deal. While they fly their mission toward Russia the US and Russia exchange nuclear blasts. The movie, originally made for HBO, tells a realistic tale of what could be if the controls of the nukes get in the wrong hands and with Russia, being the way it is today, this could be a prophetic movie. A very well done drama with some good acting, a little over the top by Booth, but it will keep you watching and most importantly make you think. On a scale of one to ten... 8
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goya-418 March 2001
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In this movie, the unexpected explosion of a missile pits the USA against the USSR. The tension escalates and escalates, with one retaliation following another, until global nuclear war becomes a very real possibility. Will cooler heads prevail ?
"By Dawn's Early Light" is not the most accomplished movie I ever saw. The acting, with a few exceptions, is unlikely to win an award and there are some moments of sheer scriptwriting stupidity. For instance, the movie contains an episode where a female co-pilot accidentally gets blinded, in one eye, by a light flash of extreme brightness. The poor woman is shocked and unwell - for at least two minutes. For the rest of the movie, she continues to pilot a hugely sophisticated plane, with considerable success. Ah, well, who needs depth vision, concentration or relief from pain ?
However the movie does have a raw, pulsing energy, especially when it comes to showing that particular intellectual and emotional hell which arises when people with responsible jobs need to take momentous decisions without having all the necessary facts. In the movie, pretty much everybody is swimming around in the dark, rattled and frightened - and this "pretty much everybody" includes men and women with access to weapons of unimaginable power.
Still a useful (and disquieting) cautionary tale about Mankind's tendency to self-destruct. -
Woodyanders27 February 2018A fanatical terrorist group explode a nuclear missile over a Russian city. This perpetuates a chain reaction of ever-escalating retaliation that could lead to a total nuclear holocaust. It's up to the blinded, but still savvy president (a typically fine performance by Martin Landau) and B-52 bomber pilots Cassidy (the always strong and commanding Powers Boothe) and Moreau (well played with sensitivity by Rebecca De Mornay) to avert this catastrophe before it's too late.
Director Jack Sholder relates the gripping story at a brisk pace, ably crafts plenty of nerve-rattling tension, and maintains a tough gritty tone throughout. Bruce Gilbert's taut and smart script makes the chilling point that both basic human error and well programmed technology serving its purpose a bit too well combined together could easily bring about a nuclear apocalypse. The excellent acting by the tip-top cast keeps this picture humming: James Earl Jones as the no-nonsense Alice, Rip Torn as the hawkish Colonel Fargo, Darren McGavin as incompetent acting president Condor, Jeffrey DeMunn as the sensible Harpoon, Peter MacNicol as loyal aide Sedgwick, Nicolas Coster as ramrod General Redding, and Glenn Withrow as the unsettled Tyler. Alexander Gruszynski's slick cinematography provides an impressive polished look. An on the money nail-biter. -
Doctor_Bombay7 April 1999There have been many global nuclear war stories, and this is not the best, but I've always loved this film.
It's a combination of cast and perspective. Whereas most films have a single strong storyline, and maybe a couple of smaller sub plots, this film bypasses that usual structure, preferring instead to use 3 or 4 main plotlines, all moving forward, all converging on the same point. Good non-traditional approach managed by a great non-traditional director, Jack Shoulder (The Hidden).
And for a film that did not go to theatres, this one has a strong cast: Powers Booth teams with Rebecca DeMornay to fly the nuclear bomber. James Earl Jones and Jeffrey DeMunn battle Darren McGavin and Rip Torn as they try to overthrow our world during the ensuing panic. And Martin Landau as the Prez trying to keep it all together.
Nice story, good pace, strong finish. I like it. -
jtfsouth8 August 2000This movie was one that makes you really think about our leaders and what type of decisions they would make in regards to our Nations defense in time of war. It would actually scare the hell out of me if this is what is is really like.
Hell, dealing with some of these same type people I have in the military scares the crap out of me.
The movie had it's share of sub-plots that all made their way into the big story made the film better.
However, had this film been based on acting alone, it would not have done so well. The acting in some parts had seemed to be a bit overdone and unrealistic. Thank god for the decent story line or this movie would have truly flopped. -
karl_consiglio17 September 2007Quite a good movie considering the fact that it appears to me to be a low budget film. I like films that hit upon this theme of Nuclear Warfare. This is a serious Dr Strangelove. For those of you that like this kind of movie though I would recommend "Threads" which I definitely prefer, it brings us the situation from the people's experience whereas this gets the political situation and military situation. Someone, we are not entirely sure who, drops a nuclear bomb and The Soviet Union who immediately blame the states by hitting back and then so on and so forth, how are we going to end it type of thing. there are some parts though which are utterly non convincing like the way the president survives and his poor acting, and also the pilot on a mission to blow a civilization with his loving girlfriend as co pilot.
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cuffdaddy9 August 2003A great movie about how war can get out of hand very quickly. The book the movie was derived from "Trinity's Child" is EXCELLENT. It is ironic that the President was played by Martin Landau and in the book, the president was watching "Mission Impossible" when SAC HQ calls him. As you know, Martin Landau starred in "Mission Impossible. Also, James Earl Jones plays an Air Force SAC General in this movie. He also played an Air Force Lieutentant on board a B-52 in "Dr. Strangelove".
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digitalfury9 March 2019Good and realistic plot, with good actors and believable characters.
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das4177 December 2004I have never heard of this movie until recently. After watching it, I have decided that it is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. It's not too flashy or over dramatic (for the most part), and shows what would happen with our government if it were to respond to a nuclear strike.
The best thing about the movie was the fact that it was able to show both sides of the story without trampling, or placing too much emphasis on one of the other. The bomber crew and the political players were each given equal time in the story giving a more full picture of a world coming apart.
Powers Boothe is one of the more underrated actors. He had a strong performance in this movie. It would be good to see more of him. He plays the military officer role better then many others I have seen lately. Here he shows that he does deserve more because of the flair he gives his characters.
In comparison to Sum of All Fears, I say this was the better movie when it comes to nuclear warfare. This was a more realistic view of what it would be like. -
vdmb-8556215 June 2022What a goof. Women did not fly combat roles in the B-52 until after the Cold War. Must have been HBO early "woke" political correctness at work. Still a good story. Just somewhat less believable for the time period.
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exqzmee-3198030 December 2021I spent 27 years serving as a senior officer in the US Armed Forces. No way in hell would a old Colonel that's been passed over for BG ever have any Presidential influence. Zero!!!
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januaryman-129 October 2013By Dawn's Early Light is tautly paced and very suspenseful.
It chronicles a mistaken nuclear exchange and the aftermath. The cast is very strong and extensive. There is much intrigue at work in BDEL and it involves players you wouldn't expect.
My complaint about BDEL involves some improbable happenings in the relationship between pilot Booth and co-pilot de Mornay. There is early establishment that Booth is the alpha of the pair. That is quickly and inexplicably reversed very soon after. Suddenly de Mornay is ordering Booth around and he follows instruction with no hesitation. Second, de Mornay has one eye exposed to a nuclear flash. She says she is blind in that eye. No more mention of the injury for the rest of the film. No visible evidence of the retinal burns. No red eye. No swelling. No watering. Nothing resulting from this painful injury. Baffling.
Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this 1990 HBO production. Back in the day.... -
Very topical considering the current kerfuffle going on in Russia, this made-for-TV movie Soviet thriller is set during the Cold War where one bad decision could've led to World War III. Both sides in this long-running conflict between America and the Ruskies are constantly on edge wondering what the other is planning, and looking to take advantage of any hesitation or slip-ups. They call them 'wargames', but there's nothing fun about approaching potential armageddon...
A lot of the movie is talking heads pondering the rapidly escalating situation in sombre tones, so if you're after an action-packed extravaganza, you'd best look elsewhere. For what it is though, the slower dramatic scenes and the sudden outbursts of violence mesh pretty well, regardless of some dull technical moments of explanation and a few dodgy performances (mostly from the supporting cast).
It's pretty absorbing, quite thoughtful and has absolutely no parallels with anything happening now or in the future.
Here's hoping, anyway.... 6/10. -
DanLives198030 March 2015I wanted to watch this movie based only on claims of authenticity. It just so happened that various members of its cast (Boothe, Jones, De Mornay, Torn & De Munn) made me believe it could even be one of those undiscovered gems that make you ask "why have I not seen this movie before?" Well I'll tell you why; it's LAME! Authenticity goes as far as the bomber plane Boothe and De Mornay are in control of. Apart from that, Boothe's dialogue alone would have made sure his character was grounded. Beyond that, it relies heavily on a lack of knowledge and suspension of disbelief.
It may have been good enough for an audience in 1990, but even a college student would be lambasted for making the same mistakes in a short film.
Tries to be serious. Silly as hell! -
degracia22 October 2000It's a shame that there are few movies that depict the procedures, tactics, and escalating stages of nuclear warfare in as much detail and accuracy as "By Dawn's Early Light." Adapted from the novel Trinity's Child, Jack Shoulder's "By Dawn's Early Light" hits all the right notes in portraying the professionalism, training, and courage of American nuclear forces. The film's numerous scenes, including the E-4 NEACP (National Emergency Airborne Command Post), RC-135 "Looking Glass" plane, and even the Strategic Air Command operations room are incredibly realistic and well-detailed. The numerous conflicting personalities depicted in the film also give it great texture, taking the film a step closer to reality. Cold War buffs and military fans are sure to get a kick out of this film, especially with its stunningly dramatic, hardcore finale. "By Dawn's Early Light" is proof that low budget constraints do not have to derail an entire film.
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welhof111 November 2021I love these types of movies. Loved Fail Safe. This one was good but just lacked some fire. It got confusing at times when they were referring to military jargon. I didn't know what the E4 was until the end. That end though, ugh. So unnecessary.
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magicsinglez23 December 2006A B-52 bomber crew is scrambled into action. After the plane takes off there is a nuclear strike on their base. The unthinkable has happened. They look back thru their bomb scope, and the base is gone. One of the crewman can't believe it. He thinks the base is still there. His wife and children are - were - down there. He can't believe it and they can't convince him the base is gone. He refuses to take his position on the plane. He's consumed with grief. Inconsolable he ejects himself out the bomber without a parachute.
Meanwhile the presidents helicopter has crashed and he's been injured. It's only been a limited nuclear war so far and he's determined to stop the war from escalating, the only problem is, he's no longer in control of the military.
The bomber continues on it's way to Russia, minus one crewman. The flight is almost exactly like the flight of the bomber in the movie 'Dr Strangelove' - "It's just one bomber Demitri", "I don't know why it's so hard to find it", "they're trained for that Demitri". Except in this flight, the female pilot convinces the crew to turn around and not drop their bombs on Russia. It turns out their inaction keeps the war from escalating and the president is able to regain control of the military. -
pc_kpr9 January 2000This is by far one of the best "Armageddon" movies of the 20th century. A superior cast lend due credit to the complex plots/subplots. The dialogue and direction are right from the military politico. Any vet will be on the edge of their seat!! A true-to-life humdinger!!
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GeorgiaDixie6 June 2015"By Dawn's Early Light" is one of the best nuclear thriller's around. It came out as the Cold War was ending, but it is even more prevalent now, as it opens with accidental launch by Russian dissidents. The current situation in Ukraine comes to mind. In any case, the movie does a great job, especially for made-for-TV (HBO) film that also has pretty good special effects for the time and budget. The acting is top notch, with special nods going to James Earl Jones as the tough, fair, and smart Major General Alice, Powers Boothe as the determined Major Cassidy flying the main B-52, and Martin Landau as the President trying to do the right thing. Also, the short appearance of Nicolas Coaster as General Renning at the beginning to the film is also notable. This is a great nuclear thriller, right up there with the classic Dr. Strangelove but from a different perspective. Highly recommended!
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kcterrell-2504626 December 2021We have Powers Booth playing Powers Booth, this time as a Superfortress Pilot. Strangely, his persona works here. Fast-paced, dramatic, and tension-filled, for sure. But that's not enough to save the confusing and distorted story. First of all, the attempt to set-up sexual tension between Booth and De Mornay ends up in Death Valley at 1:00 am - dry and cold. But, that's turns out to be a minor fault. Anyone trying to pay attention to geography, location, who's where, and who's been bombed, will be quickly confused. You cannot immerse the audience into the confusion and chaos of the story line. It just doesn't work. As for the story line, itself, there's is no clear explanation for how the Secretary of Interior becomes President, and how he gains control of our entire nuclear arsenal in a moment of crisis. Kudos to Rip Torn and Landau, and loved Jones' anger ("Will someone give me a cigarette? A REAL cigarette!"). Other potential contributions are misused, most notable McNichol who becomes a wasted fly on the wall. All in all, the direction and loose script make for a disappointing film, which could have been oh so much better.
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timdalton00712 January 2018The Cold War and the ever-looming threat of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union inspired many works of its time. These included films that explored just how a nuclear war might begin with such classic 1960s films as dark comedy Dr. Strangelove and the more serious Fail Safe. Coming at the tail end of the Cold War in 1990 between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the break up of the Soviet Union, HBO's By Dawn's Early Light was the last triumphant grasp of that sub-genre of Cold War storytelling as it told a gripping tale of potential Armageddon on the edge of peace.
Based on the 1983 novel Trinity's Child by William Prochnau, it's a movie made from the same mold as those aforementioned Cold War nightmares. A nuclear detonation over a Russian city triggers an immediate response from the Soviet Union, setting in motion nuclear strikes and counter-strikes. The movie follows numerous threads, one being a B-52 bomber piloted by Major Cassidy (Powers Boothe) and Captain Moreau (Rebecca De Mornay) who are romantically involved as well as being co-pilots. Meanwhile in Washington is the American President (Martin Landau) who from the moment a call from NORAD awakens him tries to maintain control over a situation that very soon gets out of control. Flying above the country are the two Doomsday Planes, the Air Force's Looking Glass with the general callsign Alice (James Earl Jones) and the E-4B Nightwatch command plane. On board the latter is the Secretary of the Interior (Darren McGavin) who becomes acting President and faces a difficult choice thanks to conflicting military advisers including an admiral with the callsign Harpoon (Jeffrey DeMunn) and hawkish military adviser Colonel Fargo (Rip Torn).
It's a packed plot, to say the least. Credit goes to scriptwriter Bruce Gilbert who took Prochnau's novel and faithfully adapted it for the screen adding only the romance subplot which is perhaps the movie's biggest weakness as it adds little but distracting cheesy moments. Beyond that, however, Gilbert and director Jack Sholder graft a gripping tale built around the dilemmas many of them face and the debates about the merits (if one can call it that) of how nuclear war might play out. The film is rarely static though and features the occasional punch of action from nuclear explosions to Soviet fighters pursuing the B-52. Indeed, time has revealed thanks to declassified documents and interviews in books such as Garret Graff's Raven Rock that some of the concerns in the film about Continuity of Government, the line of presidential succession, and confusion over who was in charge of fighting such a war were legitimate The result is that whatever else can be said for the movie it is never dull.
It's also well acted. Being made for TV and on a cable channel in cable's early days one might not have expected much. Instead, the movie features a top-notch cast. Boothe and De Mornay are believable as pilots of a B-52 though even the chemistry between them never overcomes the cheesiness of the romance subplot. Landau is well suited as the President who finds himself in a remarkable situation with Landau playing not just dignity but also the internal debate and even frustration that goes with the job. Elsewhere, both Jones as Alice and DeMunn's Harpoon carry all of the presence a fine character actor can bring to the part as he deals with conflicting orders and trying to make the right decision. McGavin's acting president is an interesting character, a novice thrown in on the deep end who gives into the idea of fighting this most destructive conflict to "win it all". Rip Torn's performance as the hawkish Colonel Fargo is especially neat and convincing, never dipping into potential Strangelove parody territory but as someone who is thinking about nuclear war like it's just another conflict. The cast is rounded off nicely by Peter MacNicol as the President's military aide, Nicolas Coster as the general in charge of NORAD, and the various actors playing the crews of the various aircraft in question. It's a solid cast which brings the story nicely to life on a human level.
The film's production values, though low budget, are also solid. The sets, especially for NORAD and the White House in the film's opening half hour or so, are neither flashy or completely convincing with the White House situation room, in particular, being a casualty of the budget. On the other hand, the interiors of all the aircraft involved are quite convincing if not always entirely accurate portrayals of the real aircraft but they get the point across nicely. The special effects, all important here with brief depictions of nuclear devastation and aircraft in flight, are all solid for the pre-CGI era with the model shots looking particularly good. The score from composer Trevor Jones is sparse but effective while the aforementioned mention direction from Sholder makes the most of the film's budget to great effect.
By Dawn's Early Light ranks as being among the last great nuclear war films of the Cold War era. From a fully plotted, tense script to strong performances and solid if low budget production values, it was also perhaps the last movie to depict the outbreak of war between the US and the Soviet Union. While the production values and unfortunate romantic subplot keep it from the level of a Fail Safe, it remains worth a watch even now. For with the renewed tensions regarding nuclear weapons, perhaps its plot isn't as relegate to the past as we would like it to be. -
srooks115 November 2021Chaos reigns in this confusing tale of missteps that bring the world to the edge of nuclear war.
The technology even for 1990 was old. Sets were not too realistic. The love story between the B-52 pilot and his female pilot was not believable. The cast included many reliable actors from the 1970's and 1980's. They deserved a better script. -
elquemas12 February 2003Having flown on board NEACP and the now defunct Looking Glass as well as worked in the former SAC underground Command Post, I could not help but reminisce of the 'old' days in Blue. From the EAM's (Emergency Action Message) to the SIOP (Single Integrated Operation Procedures) procedures, the feel of authenticity was great. This is not the best of apocalyptical films I have seen and the acting left something to be desired (Powers Boothe HAS done better) While I disagree with the way the NCA (National Command Authority) was portrayed, it's still not too bad a movie. Better acting, remove the sexual issue between the Pilot and the Co-Pilot, and much better special effects would have made this a better film.
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mike_7120 January 2008I have been looking for a world war iii thriller for years. I came across a list on wikipedia of nuclear war based movies. So I finally located this one which looked the most promising on the list considering its good actors and being produced by HBO who is known for excellent miniseries. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint! We are talking about no joke nuclear war and started in a way you can swallow. No annoying love stories, just one close relationship between a b52 pilot and his co-pilot but at least its done in flight. All and all a great thriller. If you are a wwiii movie junkie like me, you MUST see this film!
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Sylviastel17 August 2015This made for television movie is about the Soviet Union during the Cold War years attacking America with nuclear bombs. The cast is first rate with Emmy winners James Earl Jones and Powers Boothe along with Rebecca DeMornay, Martin Landau, Rip Torn, Darren McGavin, Peter McNichol, Nicolas Coaster, Daniel Benzali, and others. The film is outdated now sincere Cold War has been over for some time. The film shows the fear of nuclear attacks during the Cold War. The film shows the possibility of life and terror. I didn't get the ending of the film at all as to what really happened to the planes. They do give you final notes about what was going on. Thank God, it's not based on reality.