1979 US drama neo-noir thriller film by James Bridges
For the nuclear meltdown concept, see Nuclear meltdown.
The China Syndrome
Promotional poster
Directed by
James Bridges
Written by
Mike Gray
T. S. Cook
James Bridges
Produced by
Michael Douglas
Starring
Jane Fonda
Jack Lemmon
Michael Douglas
Cinematography
James Crabe
Edited by
David Rawlins
Music by
Stephen Bishop
Production companies
IPC Films
Major Studio Partners
Distributed by
Columbia Pictures
Release date
March 16, 1979 (1979-03-16)
Running time
122 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$5.9 million[1]
Box office
$51.7 million[2]
The China Syndrome is a 1979 American disaster thriller film directed by James Bridges and written by Bridges, Mike Gray, and T. S. Cook. The film stars Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, Michael Douglas (who also produced), Scott Brady, James Hampton, Peter Donat, Richard Herd, and Wilford Brimley. It follows a television reporter and her cameraman who discover safety coverups at a nuclear power plant. "China syndrome" is a fanciful term that describes a fictional result of a nuclear meltdown, where reactor components melt through their containment structures and into the underlying earth, "all the way to China".
The China Syndrome premiered at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or while Lemmon received the Best Actor Prize.[3] It was theatrically released on March 16, 1979, twelve days before the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, which gave the film's subject matter an unexpected prescience. It became a critical and commercial success. Reviewers praised the film's screenplay, direction, and performances (most notably of Fonda and Lemmon), while it grossed $51.7 million on a production budget of $5.9 million. The film received four nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards; Best Actor (for Lemmon), Best Actress (for Fonda), Best Original Screenplay and Best Art Direction.[4]
^"The China Syndrome". Sunnycv.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^"Box Office Information for The China Syndrome". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
^"Festival de Cannes: The China Syndrome". Festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
^"The China Syndrome (1979): Awards". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
and 28 Related for: The China Syndrome information
TheChinaSyndrome is a 1979 American disaster thriller film directed by James Bridges and written by Bridges, Mike Gray, and T. S. Cook. The film stars...
up chinasyndrome in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ChinaSyndrome may refer to: "Chinasyndrome", a nuclear meltdown scenario so named for the fanciful...
from a quote in the 1979 film TheChinaSyndrome, which stated, "It melts right down through the bottom of the plant—theoretically to China, but of course...
Havana syndrome (also known as "anomalous health incidents") is a disputed medical condition reported primarily by U.S. diplomatic, intelligence, and military...
such as California Suite (1978), TheChinaSyndrome, and The Electric Horseman (both 1979). In 1980, Fonda starred in the smash hit comedy 9 to 5 alongside...
(1963), The Great Race (1965), Save the Tiger (1973, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor), TheChinaSyndrome (1979), Missing (1982), and Glengarry...
established character actor in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as TheChinaSyndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), Tender Mercies (1983), The Natural (1984), and Cocoon...
been idealised in Japanese culture, the syndrome has also affected travellers from other countries such as China, South Korea, and Singapore. Hiroaki Ota...
TheChinaSyndrome, Wall Street, The Return of the Living Dead, Invaders from Mars and The Pursuit of Happyness, but was perhaps best known as the signature...
nominee: once for Best Original Screenplay for TheChinaSyndrome and once for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Paper Chase. Bridges was born February 3, 1936...
based on the 1960 short story of the same name by James Clavell. TheChinaSyndrome – this has been described as a "gripping 1979 drama about the dangers...
the film's producers. Douglas went on to produce films including TheChinaSyndrome (1979) and Romancing the Stone (1984), for which he received the Golden...
arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) is a sudden unexpected death of adolescents and adults caused by, as the name implies, a cardiac arrest. However, the exact cause...
black belt. She appeared on the cover of Ebony Magazine seven times. She appeared in the Jane Fonda film TheChinaSyndrome. "Bitter About Ali ('i Call...
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multi-systemic genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue. Those with the condition tend to be tall and thin, with...
on the New York stage. He made his film debut in Hercules in New York (1970). Herd's first major film role was in the thriller TheChinaSyndrome alongside...
Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), The ChinaSyndrome (1979), Tribute (1980), and Missing (1982). Nominated for 21 Golden...
prominent roles included The Godfather Part II (1974), The Hindenburg (1975), F.I.S.T. (1978), TheChinaSyndrome (1979), The War of the Roses (1989), Skin...
in advertising the film included "A fast drive to Paradise turns into a nuclear nightmare!" and "Mad Max meets TheChinaSyndrome". The film was rated...
The 52nd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1979 and took place on...
(single not contained in the above album, 1959) "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"/"I Cover the Waterfront" (single, 1960) "The Apartment"/"Lemmon Blues"...
The first known cases occurred in November 2002, and thesyndrome caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. In the 2010s, Chinese scientists traced the virus...
Officer Michael Doyle Women in White (1979, TV Movie) - Bartender TheChinaSyndrome (1979) - Herman De Young Strange Behavior (1981) - Shea McClain's...
Jeff Logan The Waltons (1978–1981, TV Series) .... Jefferson Davis 'J.D.' Pickett Barney Miller (1979, TV Series) .... Finney TheChinaSyndrome (1979) ...
Dream". The Terre Haute Tribune. Terre Haute, Indiana. April 3, 1976. p. 10. Retrieved October 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. "2001 Academy Awards". The Index-Journal...
finish clean-up and demolish the plant by 2052. On March 15, 1979, twelve days before the accident, the movie TheChinaSyndrome premiered and was initially...
portrayed onscreen. The Day After was the idea of ABC Motion Picture Division President Brandon Stoddard, who, after watching TheChinaSyndrome, was so impressed...
Global Information