when the china syndrome be release and plenty of right wing critic and pro nuke supporter blast this film and particularly since it three lead star be all know for their liberal politics and their overt distrust of nuclear power . but it only take two week and a near catastrophic accident at three mile island to shut those critic up . fonda and douglas be the l. a. news crew that witness a potentially nasty accident at the ventana nuclear power plant . douglas film the event through the plant soundproof glass while but the tv station will not air the footage and fear a massive lawsuit . it be thus up to fonda and douglas to get at the truth and despite a massive attempt by the plant owner to cover up the accident . but a conscientious shift supervisor ( jack lemmon ) have uncover certain defect in the plant pump support structure . he believe that these defect be the cause of the accident and that and though it would be extremely costly and lengthy and if repair aren not make and the next accident could be apocalyptic . but he can not get anyone who work with him to believe his story . the result be a nightmarish climax that pull various political and technological and and human interest story together in one disturbing package . while obviously quite politically liberal in nature and the china syndrome and well direct and co write by james bridge ( the paper chase ) and be also fundamentally a message movie about the inherent danger of put technology and nuclear power together . fundamentally and nuclear power can never be make safe because people can never be perfect . that be what the film be say while and in a highly entertaining and suspenseful way and it say it brilliantly .