Oppenheimer (TV series)
Oppenheimer is a biographical miniseries in seven parts about J. Robert Oppenheimer, produced by the BBC. It was broadcast in the United Kingdom between 29 October and 10 December 1980, and in the United States from 11 May 1982 as a component of PBS' Masterpiece Theatre.[1] The series stars Sam Waterston as Oppenheimer.
| Oppenheimer | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Biopic |
| Written by | Peter Prince |
| Directed by | Barry Davis |
| Starring | Sam Waterston Edward Hardwicke David Suchet |
| Narrated by | John Carson |
| Composer | Carl Davis |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Peter Goodchild |
| Producer | Ruth Caleb (associate) |
| Cinematography | Rodney Taylor |
| Editor | Tariq Anwar |
| Running time | 7 x 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC |
| Original release | 29 October – 10 December 1980 |
Plot synopsis
The series depicts Oppenheimer's wartime role as head of the weapons laboratory of the Manhattan Project, during which he was under constant surveillance by the federal government because of his association with Communists. It culminates in a U.S. Atomic Energy Commission hearing in 1954, in which Oppenheimer is stripped of his security clearance.
Cast
- Sam Waterston as J. Robert Oppenheimer
- John Carson as Narrator
- Christopher Muncke as Colonel Kenneth Nichols
- Jana Shelden as Kitty Oppenheimer
- Kate Harper as Jean Tatlock
- Edward Hardwicke as Enrico Fermi
- David Suchet as Edward Teller
- Manning Redwood as Lieutenant General Leslie Groves
- Peter Whitman as Robert Serber
- Matthew Guinness as Hans Bethe
- Bob Sherman as Ernest Lawrence
- John Morton as Robert Wilson
- Garrick Hagon as Frank Oppenheimer
- Liza Ross as Jackie Oppenheimer
- Barry Dennen as Isidor Rabi
- Peter Marinker as Haakon Chevalier
- Sarah Brackett as Priscilla Duffield
Reception
Television critic John J. O'Connor wrote in The New York Times that Oppenheimer was "persuasively" played by Waterston, and that "the production is primarily interested in telling, quite absorbingly, one of the more puzzling and indeed astonishing stories of contemporary American history.[2] Baltimore Sun TV critic Bill Carter called it "never less than a fascinating portrait of a truly fascinating man." while criticizing a "choppy production technique that makes much of the film seem rather raw."[3]
The series was nominated for seven BAFTA Television Awards and won three (Best Drama Series or Serial, Best Film Editor (Tariq Anwar), and Best Original Television Music (Carl Davis)). It was nominated for two Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Limited Series and for Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special (Peter Prince). It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV (Sam Waterston).[4]
Major General Kenneth Nichols disputed his portrayal in the series, saying that it "portrayed me serving as a personal aide to Groves on frequent visits to Los Alamos," when he only did so once.[5]
References
- TV Guide: Oppenheimer. Retrieved 2022-04-09
- O'Connor, John J. (13 May 1984). "CRITICS' CHOICES". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- Carter, Bill (11 May 1982). "Intriguing PBS Look at 'Oppenheimer'". The Baltimore Sun. pp. C4. Retrieved 25 January 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- IMDB awards page
- The Road to Trinity: A Personal Account of How America’s Nuclear Policies Were Made by Kenneth D. Nichols (1987, Morrow, New York) ISBN 068806910X
External links
- Oppenheimer at IMDb