The Fifth Missile

Last updated
The Fifth Missile
GenreDrama
Thriller
Based onThe Gold Crew
by Frank M. Robinson
and Thomas N. Scortia
Written by Eric Bercovici
Directed by Larry Peerce
Starring Robert Conrad
Sam Waterston
David Soul
Richard Roundtree
Jonathan Banks
Yvette Mimieux
Music by Pino Donaggio
Country of originItaly
United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerEric Bercovici
ProducerArthur Fellows
Production locations Malta
Cinecittà Studios, Arsenale Marina Militare di Taranto, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Cinematography Cristiano Pogany
EditorsMaureen O'Connell
Jack Tucker
Running time150 minutes
Production companiesBercovici/St.Johns Productions
Cinecittà
MGM/UA Television
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseFebruary 23, 1986 (1986-02-23)

The Fifth Missile is a 1986 television movie starring Robert Conrad, Sam Waterston and David Soul about an American ballistic missile submarine, based on the novel The Gold Crew by Frank M. Robinson and Thomas N. Scortia. With the exception of Cmdr. Van Meer, the ship's crew goes slowly insane due to exposure to paint chemicals onboard and believes a missile test exercise is, in fact, nuclear war. It explores the inability of U.S. command structures to control and prevent rogue submarine officers from launching ballistic missiles.

Cast


Related Research Articles

<i>Ohio</i>-class submarine Class of US nuclear ballistic missile submarines

The Ohio class of nuclear-powered submarines includes the United States Navy's 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and its four cruise missile submarines (SSGNs). Each displacing 18,750 tons submerged, the Ohio-class boats are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. They are also the third-largest submarines ever built, behind the Russian Navy's Soviet era 48,000-ton Typhoon class, the last of which was retired in 2023, and 24,000-ton Borei class. Capable of carrying 24 Trident II missiles apiece, the Ohio class are equipped with just as many missiles as, if not more than, either the Borei class (16) or the deactivated Typhoon class (20).

<i>K-19: The Widowmaker</i> 2002 film by Kathryn Bigelow

K-19: The Widowmaker is a 2002 historical submarine film directed and produced by Kathryn Bigelow, and produced by Edward S. Feldman, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Christine Whitaker and Matthias Deyle with screenplay by Christopher Kyle. An international co-production of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, the film takes place in 1961 and focuses its story on the Soviet Hotel-class submarine K-19.

USS <i>Patrick Henry</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Patrick Henry (SSBN-599), named after the American Revolutionary War figure and Founding Father Patrick Henry (1736–1799), was a George Washington class nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarine of the United States Navy. She was later converted into an attack submarine and redesignated SSN-599.

A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capability. They can fire missiles thousands of kilometers from their targets, and acoustic quieting makes them difficult to detect, thus making them a survivable deterrent in the event of a first strike and a key element of the mutual assured destruction policy of nuclear deterrence. The deployment of ballistic missile submarines is dominated by the United States and Russia. Smaller numbers are in service with France, the United Kingdom, China and India; North Korea is also suspected to have an experimental submarine that is diesel-electric powered.

USS <i>Ethan Allen</i> (SSBN-608) Submarine of the United States

USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608), lead ship of her class, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for American Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen.

USS <i>Sam Houston</i> (SSBN-609) Submarine of the United States

USS Sam Houston (SSBN-609/SSN-609), an Ethan Allen-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after Sam Houston (1793–1863), president of the Republic of Texas. Sam Houston was the US Navy's seventh ballistic missile submarine.

USS <i>Thomas A. Edison</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), an Ethan Allen-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the inventor Thomas Edison (1847–1931).

USS <i>John Marshall</i> Submarine of the United States

USS John Marshall (SSBN-611) was an Ethan Allen-class submarine, the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for John Marshall (1755–1835), the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. Originally a fleet ballistic missile submarine designated SSBN-611, she later was reclassified as an attack submarine and re-designated SSN-611.

USS <i>Georgia</i> (SSGN-729) Ohio-class submarine

USS Georgia (SSBN-729/SSGN-729), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine, is the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuclear submarine</span> Submarine powered by a nuclear reactor

A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" submarines. Nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for conventional submarines. The large amount of power generated by a nuclear reactor allows nuclear submarines to operate at high speed for long periods, and the long interval between refuelings grants a virtually unlimited range, making the only limits on voyage times being factors such as the need to restock food or other consumables.

USS <i>George C. Marshall</i> Submarine of the United States

USS George C. Marshall (SSBN-654), a Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for General of the Army George C. Marshall (1880-1959), who served as U.S. Secretary of State from 1947 to 1949 and as U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1950 to 1951.

USS <i>Casimir Pulaski</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633), a James Madison-class ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Casimir Pulaski (1745–1779), a Polish general who served in the American Revolutionary War.

USS <i>Sam Rayburn</i> James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine

USS Sam Rayburn (SSBN-635) was a James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine named for Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Sam Rayburn was in commission 2 December 1964 to 31 July 1989 carrying the Polaris missile and later the Poseidon missile. Following decommissioning, ex-Sam Rayburn was converted into a moored training ship for use at the Naval Nuclear Prototype Training Unit at Goose Creek, South Carolina.

<i>The Spy in Black</i> 1939 film by Michael Powell

The Spy in Black is a 1939 British film, and the first collaboration between the British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. They were brought together by Alexander Korda to make the World War I spy thriller novel of the same title by Joseph Storer Clouston into a film. Powell and Pressburger eventually made over 20 films during the course of their partnership.

<i>First Strike</i> (1979 film) 1979 American TV series or program

First Strike is a 1979 film created by KRON-TV and Chronicle Publishing Company under the broadcast division name "Chronicle Broadcasting Company" in partnership with the United States Department of Defense and the RAND Corporation. The film discusses the United States Armed Forces strategy for dealing with nuclear warfare and became far better known when various clips were edited into the 1983 TV film The Day After.

Trapped Beneath the Sea is a 1974 American made-for-television action drama film directed by William A. Graham. The screenplay concerns four men trapped in a mini-submarine in waters off the coast of Florida. Paul Michael Glaser, Joshua Bryant, Cliff Potts and Roger Kern play the victims. Lee J. Cobb and Martin Balsam are among those trying to rescue them. The film premiered as the ABC Movie of the Week on October 22, 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Submarine Squadron 15</span> Military unit

Submarine Squadron 15 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based at Naval Base Guam.

Submarine Seahawk is a 1958 World War II film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring John Bentley and Brett Halsey. The film was originally released as a double feature with Paratroop Command. The plot tells the story of a by-the-book officer who is ordered to take his submarine on a reconnaissance mission to locate a fleet of Japanese fighting ships the Allies have lost track of. At first, the rest of the crew resent his distant manner and the way he keeps avoiding taking on the Japanese.

<i>Assault on the Wayne</i> 1971 American TV series or program

Assault on the Wayne is a 1971 American Cold War-themed action thriller TV film starring Joseph Cotten, Lloyd Haynes, Dewey Martin, Leonard Nimoy and William Windom. It aired on January 12, 1971, in the ABC Movie of the Week space. The film was originally broadcast on the same night as All in the Family premiered.