IMDb > The China Syndrome (1979)
The China Syndrome
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The China Syndrome (1979) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 29 | slideshow) Videos (see all 3)
The China Syndrome (1979) -- A modern nightmare nearly becomes reality in this timely, tension-filled story about an incident at a nuclear power plant. Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon star.
The China Syndrome (1979) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   9,390 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Mike Gray (written by) &
T.S. Cook (written by) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The China Syndrome on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 March 1979 (USA) more
Genre:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
DGA Board Member Kim Kurumada Dies
 (From The Wrap. 22 November 2009, 1:49 PM, PST)

Movie Maverick Melnick Dead At 77
 (From WENN. 15 October 2009, 12:16 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Still Relevant After (Nearly) 25 Years more (73 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
122 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
All of the music in the film, including the title song "Somewhere In Between" by Stephen Bishop, comes from normal sources of music within the film: car radios, barroom jukeboxes, television commercials, etc. There is no traditional "soundtrack" of music that the audience can hear but the characters cannot. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Jack sets down his coffee cup, just after the earthquake, the handle points towards the edge of the counter. In the close up the handle points to the corner. more
Quotes:
Evan Mc Cormack: Scram the son of a bitch. more
Soundtrack:
Somewhere in Between more

FAQ

How does the movie end?
Is this movie based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
30 out of 37 people found the following comment useful.
Still Relevant After (Nearly) 25 Years, 2 September 2003
Author: A. Bowdoin Van Riper (abvr) from Georgia, USA

This is *not* a great film about nuclear power. It plays too fast and loose with reality for that--especially in a cringe-inducing scene where two scientists describe the consequences of a reactor accident. The catastrophic damage they describe is (even opponents of nuclear power would agree) a worst-case scenario, not the inevitable result of a breakdown in the reactor cooling system. Three-Mile Island suffered such a breakdown, and the surrounding "area the size of Pennsylvania" remained habitable.

That said, this *is* a great (and surprisingly subtle) film about complex technological systems, how they fail, and how the organizations that manage them go awry. Subtle? Well: 1) Jack Godell, the whiste-blowing hero, is a flawed and self-doubting normal human being rather than a crusader in shining armor; 2) His co-workers at the plant (as opposed to the "suits" they work for) are sympathetic working-class guys who gripe (as does everybody now and then) about burdensome government regulations and the clueless public; 3) The flaws in the plant are subtle, not glaring. The film, in other words, plays a lot fairer than you'd expect given its reputation (and pedigree).

Does this film have a definite whiff of late-70s, post-Watergate America about it? Sure. Does it have a political edge? Yes. For all that, though, it's still (sadly) relevant--our technology, and the people who are supposed to make it work, still fail us. See the movie, then skim the recent (August 2003) report on the Columbia disaster; the more things change. . .

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (73 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The China Syndrome (1979)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Far Fetched Crap AsHimself
FAQ's bill-2261
Michael Small's unused music is now available! fawvincent
Any Other Nukes Seen This Movie? tspencer227
Nuclear safety Rammu
Ironic reference to Pennsylvania rricci
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Spin Live Free or Die Hard King of the Rocket Men The Running Man GoldenEye
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Thriller section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.