MovieChat Forums > The Manhattan Project (1986) Discussion > Letting the timer run out.

Letting the timer run out.

posted 16 years ago by ThrowingChicken
7 replies | jump to latest

Let me preface by saying I haven't seen this movie in years, so this might be more clear than I remember.
At the end of the movie when they let the timer run out, are they trying to say that the bomb was dismantled but the timer was still running separately, or that the bomb just didn't work? I've always liked the idea that throughout the whole movie the kid just made a dud.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] babygap5 16 years ago

I believe that the timer was still running, but they had disabled the explosives part.

"By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me."

[–] jm1681 16 years ago

Umm...They don't let the timer run out ;)

"The inerasable scars, left by the palms of my hands"

[–] caligulathegod 16 years ago

Yeah, the timer stopped on the date of the first atomic test.

[–] janX9 16 years ago

"Yeah, the timer stopped on the date of the first atomic test"

WOW, I never knew that, cool fact. On July 16, 1945 (7:16:45), the atomic bomb was tested at Trinity, Los Alamos

grrr arg

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sage2112 8 years ago

Maybe you're confused because Lithgow's character did mention the option of just letting it run down. But he bet on the bomb NOT being a dud and decided they better go ahead and disarm it.