Movie Type: Paranoid Thriller, Psychological Thriller
Themes: Terrorism, Kidnapping, Race Against Time
Main Cast: Gene Barry, Lydia Clarke, Michael Moore, Nancy Gates, Lee Aaker
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 84 minutes
Plot
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 Outdated almost before its release, The Atomic City is still effective on a purely melodramatic level.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. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
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. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
The Atomic City is a 1952drama film directed by Jerry Hopper, starring Gene Barry, Lydia Clarke. At Los Alamos, New Mexico, a nuclear physicist (Gene Barry) lives and works. Terrorists kidnap Barry's son and demand that the physicist turn over the H-bomb formula. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing (Story and Screenplay), Sydney Boehm being the nominee.
