Masterpiece and one of the greatest films of all time

I just finished watching Fail Safe (1964) and the first word that comes to mind is WOW! Masterfully directed by Sidney Lumet, the film has a great cast including Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, Fritz Weaver, Frank Overton, and Dan O'Herlihy. A technical malfunction mistakenly sends American planes on a mission to bomb Moscow. The President has limited time to try and either stop the bombing or prevent a possible nuclear war. The film is really dramatic and intense, with edge of your seat suspense and high stakes. The viewer doesn't know how things will go down until they do. The screenplay is pretty much flawless and the performances are all excellent. This is a really intelligent film with something worthwhile to say about the systems of politics and war and ultimately taking responsibility for our own actions. Fail safe is thrilling and chilling and very compelling. I was invested in the characters and the events that were happening. I don't throw around the m word very often, but I'm going to call this a masterpiece and add it to my list of favourite films. This is an essential film. 10/10