a a member of the baby boom generation i live a a child with the specter of nuclear war hanging over me . a i type this i remember how and at 12 year of age just how frightened i be during the cuban missile crisis . just before this global crisis occur a book be create which be so well write that i do not believe it will ever be improve upon in any medium . that book be fail safe by eugene burdick and harvey wheeler . the movie version release in 1964 faithfully represent the book a it be write and you felt the coldness of what i believe be the best third person narrative description i have ever read . the third person narrative of the book be almost like a character in the story and it be palpable and cold and and horrible in it indifference and be capture in the 1964 movie perfectly . i be very very disappointed with the liberty take with the tv version and not only do they change part of the story ( an unforgivable crime when present a masterpiece ) and but to my taste the casting be way off the mark . for instance and henry fonda play an excellent portrayal of the president in the movie version . richard drefuss wasn not even on the same planet with fonda performance and his over acting ruin the seriousness of the situation fonda cool disposition in his performance ( like the book ) be like finger on a chalkboard that increase the nervous intensity of the 64 movie to the sublime . i think the tv version be a desperate attempt to remake the movie and employ the same effect . but it do not work . i can not in good conscience recommend the tv version as much a i would the 1964 movie version or good yet the book and but i feel the tv version do score one home run . it make people aware of this little gem . i feel sorry for those who have never read the book or see the 1964 movie before because a you know ( without include spoiler ) you can not experience this story twice the same way .