The Fifth Missile

I saw this film when it first ran. I was amazed at the quality of the script and the acting especially since this was a "made for TV" movie. Such films suffer generally from a low budget and more rigid timetable for production.

Robert Conrad played a character in this film that was a complete departure from his previous "macho" personas. In this film he is the protagonist, but a man with many weaknesses. His weakness becomes a strength when the medication he is taking keeps him from becoming paranoid and psychotic like those around him who are overcome with a mind altering intoxication caused by a chemical in paint used on the ship. As the men around him begin planning to use a nuclear device, he, as the only sane one, has to stop them.

This film is gripping and very well directed. It could have been a very successful Indy film. I join all others when I say I wish it were on DVD.

Yes, it is a bit cheesy. But it's suspenseful and entertaining, and one of my favorites; there are some excellent actors in the film, and they do a commendable job given the limitations of plot and characters. It's interesting to see David Soul in a 'bad guy' role; I thought he was quite believable--and rather chilling--as the ever-more-paranoid CO. Robert Conrad is a long-time favorite--I think he brings his character to life very well; and Sam Waterston has been star quality in everything of his I've watched--movies or TV.

I watch this movie every so often but our tape (a VHS TV copy I got) is such poor quality it's difficult to fully enjoy it. This is a movie I think they should put out on DVD; maybe it wouldn't be universally sought after, but I'm sure there are lots of people like me out there who like this sort of film so there WOULD be a market for a DVD version. I'll keep hoping!

Robert Conrad, a commander on a submarine, is called into The Pentagon for secret information about his next assignment. They tell him he's going to be involved in a test case mission: a pre-recorded tape is going to hidden aboard the vessel, and messages will be released to the crew in intervals to make them believe WW3 has started. The ship will then fire four dummy missiles at Russia, which will show that the United States is ready if the Cold War escalates. Only Robert Conrad, the ship's captain, David Soul, and a psychologist, Richard Roundtree, are aware that all the information is fake; the rest of the crew will think it's real! When the first messages start coming in and David Soul takes them seriously, it makes everyone question what's real and what's fake. . .

Believe it or not, that's the short version of a plot teaser. There's a lot more to the setup, but I wanted to tell you just enough to get you excited. The Fifth Missile is a very fun, exciting, suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat during the entire ride—and I've already seen it twice! While the crew flounders underwater, each trying to hold onto their sanity, Sam Waterston and Yvette Mimieux try to solve the mystery from dry land. Even though this is a television movie from the 1980s, Eric Bercovici's script isn't as cheesy as one would expect. There are lots of twists and turns, and countless moments that will make you gasp. I highly recommend this psychological thriller, and since I'm deathly afraid of water and still enjoyed the movie, you can be sure it'll live up to my review.

It's interesting that someone made a comparison of the "Fifth Missile" to the Star Trek episode. It should be pointed out that the original Star Trek TV episode in which the crew of the Enterprise undergoes a space madness while orbiting planet Si 2000 is entitled "The Naked Time", not the "Naked Now". The "Naked Now" refers to the first regular Star Trek The Next Generation episode in which the Enterprise-D encounters a science vessel. This episode, though, does refer to and is based on the "Naked Time" original series one.

Now, to the Firth Missile. While the reactions of the crew in the Star Trek episodes were based on those similar to alcohol intoxication, the crew's condition on board the Montana was caused by a much more serious situation, namely the paint vapors emitted by the faulty bulkhead finish. There are few places where such a reaction could have more serious consequences than among a crew who has responsibilities as serious as a crew on a ballistic missile submarine, and of course this is what makes the film so suspenseful and such a thriller. The plot is very believable. At the same time, this film, along with "Crimson Tide", "The Day After", "By Dawn's Early Light", "The Hunt For Red October", "Ice Station Zebra", and many other similar movies give us much insight into how easily things could go wrong and just how easy it could be for a nuclear holocaust to begin. Thankfully such an event has not occurred and (God willing) such an event will not happen.

When I first saw this years ago on network TV, I knew the story seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember where I saw it. Then "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" was released on DVD and it came to me: there was an episode where a 'sister' submarine was destroyed and the Seaview was sent to investigate. Along the way the Admiral (Richard Basehart) becomes an unstable paranoid -- much like David Soul in "Fifth Missile". I forgot the specifics, but as with this movie the plot device of 'something in the air' is used to create a tense situation on the submarine.

Good performances from a solid cast of pros makes this an interesting TV movie. Had there been a larger budget this could have made an excellent theatrical film. Some obviously poor special effects and a dull soundtrack are overlooked because the plot's tension keeps things moving.

This film is ripe for DVD distribution.