The Day After

Helen Oakes: My God. It's 1962 all over again. The Cuban Missile Crisis. Do you remember Kennedy on television, telling Khrushchev to turn his boats around? Dr. Russell Oakes: "Full retaliatory response." He didn't bat an eye. Helen Oakes: We were in New York, in bed... just like this, remember? 118th Street. Dr. Russell Oakes: Meatball sandwiches from Sharky's. Helen Oakes: Your last year's residency. I swear we made Marilyn that night. Dr. Russell Oakes: We got up, and went to the window to look for the bombs. Helen Oakes: It didn't happen. It's not going to happen now. Dr. Russell Oakes: Nah. People are crazy, but not that crazy. Helen Oakes: Well... do you want to know from crazy? The Donnelly's left today for Guadalajara. Dr. Russell Oakes: Guadalajara? Helen Oakes: I swear it. I spoke to Herb as they were pulling out. He said they were dovetailing their vacation with the rising international tensions. Dr. Russell Oakes: Aw, cut it out! Helen Oakes: I'm not kidding. Well, they too

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Landowska: There is a rumor that they are evacuating Moscow. There are people even leaving Kansas City because of the missile base. Now I ask you: To where does one go from Kansas City? The Yukon? Tahiti? We are not talking about Hiroshima anymore. Hiroshima was... was peanuts! Dr. Russell Oakes: What's going on? Do you have any idea what's going on in this world? Dr. Landowska: Yeah. Stupidity... has a habit of getting its way.

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Airman: You know what that means, don't you? Either we fired first and they're going to try to hit what's left, or they fired first and we just got our missiles out of the ground in time. Either way, we're going to get hit. Airman Billy McCoy: So what are we still standing around here for? Sergeant: Where do you want to go? Airman Billy McCoy: Well, how about out of here for starters? I've got to get my wife and my kid! Sergeant: We're still on alert, Billy! No one leaves this facility. Not until the choppers get here to take us back to Whiteman and to the shelters... Airman Billy McCoy: [cutting him off] Are you kidding me, man? The bombs will be here before the choppers will! Listen to me. Listen to me, man. The war is over! It's over. We've done our job. So what are you still guarding? Huh? Some cotton-pickin' hole in the ground all dressed up and nowhere to go? Airman: He's right! Airman Tommy: What about Starr and Boyle? Sergeant: What about them? Airman Tommy: What are they doing

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Cynthia: What's going on? Joe Huxley: Those are Minuteman missiles! Cynthia: Like a test, sort of. Like a warning? Joe Huxley: [shakes his head, staring at the missiles in awe and disbelief] They're on their way to Russia. They take about 30 minutes to reach their targets. Aldo: So do theirs, right?

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Sam Hachiya: [intensely] What did you see? You come from Kansas City. What did you see? Dr. Russell Oakes: [in shock] I was on the freeway, about 30 miles away. I'm not sure...it was high in the air, directly above downtown. Like the sun...exploding.

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Joe Huxley: Hello? Hello, is anybody there? Is anybody there? [No reply, only radio static can be heard] This is Lawrence. This is Lawrence, Kansas, is anybody there? [Still no reply, only radio static] This is Joe Huxley, I'm broadcasting out of the science building at the University of Kansas, is anybody there? [radio static] I...have an atmosphere report for whoever's listening. Dr. Oakes...do you read? Come in, Dr. Oakes, do you hear me? Dr. Russell Oakes: Yes, Joe. Joe Huxley: We're holding fast at just a hair under...uh...fifty rads per hour. I thought that it would have diminished by now. I...I guess that means we're picking up a lot of fallout from...Titan missile bases in Wichita and wherever else...out west...that's way the wind blows. Straight towards St. Louis. Dr. Russell Oakes: Uh-huh. When will it be safe to move people to other buildings? Joe Huxley: [hesitates, then shakes his head grimly]...it'll never be safe. Dr. Russell Oakes: [disbelieving] Come on, Joe. Joe Huxle

The Day After (1983 film), CC BY-SA 4.0