The Beginning or the End

The Beginning or the End

Behind a forbidden door is a terrifying secret!

NR 1947 · 112 min · ★ 6.4 · Drama, Documentary, History, War

The research, development, and deployment of the first atomic bomb, as well as the bombing of Hiroshima, are detailed in this docudrama.

Directed by Norman Taurog · Written by Frank Wead

Your Rating

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 34m together

The Beginning or the End

Broadway Melody of 1940

Both from Norman Taurog.

More from Norman TaurogSee all →

That's Entertainment, Part IIThat's Entertainment, Part II · 1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
★ 7.01976
MovieDocumentaryMusic
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical numbers.
Broadway Melody of 1940Broadway Melody of 1940 · 1940
Broadway Melody of 1940
★ 6.91940
MovieMusicRomance
Johnny Brett and King Shaw are an unsuccessful dance team in New York. A producer discovers Brett as the new partner for Clare Bennett, but Brett, who thinks he is one of the people they lent money to, gives him the name of his partner.
You're Never Too YoungYou're Never Too Young · 1955
You're Never Too Young
★ 6.61955
MovieComedy
When an aspiring barber becomes inadvertently involved in the theft of a valuable diamond, necessity forces him to masquerade as a 12 year-old child - with humorous consequences.
Strike Me PinkStrike Me Pink · 1936
Strike Me Pink
★ 6.61936
MovieComedy
Meek Eddie Pink becomes manager of an amusement park beset by mobsters.
Move AlongMove Along · 1926
Move Along
★ 6.61926
MovieComedy
Dreamy little comedy as down-on-his-luck Ham looks for work, gets thrown out of his rooming house and tries to make it on the street -- in the best, gag-filled 20s comedy style.
The Adventures of Tom SawyerThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer · 1938
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
★ 6.61938
MovieFamilyAdventure
Tom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberry Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River, pretending to be pirates, attending their own funeral and witnessing a murder.
Room for One MoreRoom for One More · 1952
Room for One More
★ 6.61952
MovieComedyFamily
Anne and "Poppy" Rose have three quirky kids. Anne has a generous heart and the belief in the innocence of children. To the unhappy surprise of her husband she takes in the orphan Jane, a problem child who already tried to kill herself once.
Jumping JacksJumping Jacks · 1952
Jumping Jacks
★ 6.51952
MovieComedy
Nightclub entertainer Hap Smith has a new act since his former partner Chick Allen joined the army. With his lovely new female partner, Hap now plays a clownish parody of a soldier. When Chick organises a soldier show at Fort Benning, he realizes he needs his former partner's help—so, to get onto the base, Hap impersonates a hapless real soldier, but circumstances force them to prolong the masquerade, creating an increasingly tangled Army-sized SNAFU.
Living It UpLiving It Up · 1954
Living It Up
★ 6.51954
MovieComedyMusic
Homer Flagg is a railroad worker in the small New Mexico town of Desert Hole. One day, he finds an abandoned automobile at an old atomic proving ground. His doctor and best friend, Steve Harris, diagnoses him with radiation poisoning and gives Homer three weeks to live. A big city reporter hears of Homer's plight and convinces her editor to provide an all-expenses paid trip to New York.
G.I. BluesG.I. Blues · 1960
G.I. Blues
★ 6.51960
MovieMusicComedy
Stationed in West Germany, soldier Tulsa McLean hopes to open a nightclub once he's discharged. Although he may lack the capital for such a venture, a chance to raise the cash comes his way through a friendly wager. Local dancer Lili is a notorious ice queen, and Tulsa bets everything he has that a friend of his can earn her affections. But when the friend is dispatched to Alaska, it's up to Tulsa to melt Lili's heart.
Men of Boys TownMen of Boys Town · 1941
Men of Boys Town
★ 6.41941
MovieDrama
Father Flanagan raises funds, helps a disabled boy, and saves an older boy from reform school.
Don't Give Up the ShipDon't Give Up the Ship · 1959
Don't Give Up the Ship
★ 6.41959
MovieComedy
The Navy expects a veteran to pay for the ship he commanded, as they have no record of its return.
The CaddyThe Caddy · 1953
The Caddy
★ 6.31953
MovieComedyMusic
Although the son of a skilled golfer and an outstanding player in his own right, Harvey Miller is too nervous to play in front of a gallery, so he acts as coach and caddy for Joe Anthony, his girlfriend's brother.
Blue HawaiiBlue Hawaii · 1961
Blue Hawaii
★ 6.01961
MovieMusicComedy
Just discharged GI Chad Gates returns to Hawaii, where he becomes a tour guide, defying his mother's wishes for him to join the family business.
Tickle MeTickle Me · 1965
Tickle Me
★ 6.01965
MovieComedyMusic
A singing rodeo rider takes a job at an all-female dude ranch, where he gets involved with a physical trainer and a treasure hunt for gold in a ghost town, leading to a showdown with kidnappers.
Young Tom EdisonYoung Tom Edison · 1940
Young Tom Edison
★ 5.91940
MovieDrama
Inventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Tom's only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.

More Like This

Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb MovieTrinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie · 1995
Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
★ 7.21995
MovieDocumentaryHistory
"Trinity and Beyond" is an unsettling yet visually fascinating documentary presenting the history of nuclear weapons development and testing between 1945-1963. Narrated by William Shatner and featuring an original score performed by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, this award-winning documentary reveals previously unreleased and classified government footage from several countries.
The Beast from 20,000 FathomsThe Beast from 20,000 Fathoms · 1953
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
★ 6.61953
MovieDramaHorror
The controlled explosion of an atomic bomb in the Arctic Circle awakens a frozen dinosaur that will wreak havoc in New York City.
Battles Without Honor and HumanityBattles Without Honor and Humanity · 1973
Battles Without Honor and Humanity
★ 7.31973
MovieCrimeAction
In the teeming black markets of postwar Japan, Shozo Hirono and his buddies find themselves in a new war between factious and ambitious yakuza.
Thirteen DaysThirteen Days · 2000
Thirteen Days
★ 7.02000
MovieHistoryThriller
The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962—the nuclear standoff with the USSR sparked by the discovery by the Americans of missile bases established on the Soviet-allied island of Cuba.
Iron Eagle IIIron Eagle II · 1988
Iron Eagle II
★ 4.51988
MovieActionAdventure
Chappy Sinclair is called to gather together a mixed Soviet/U.S. strike force that will perform a surgical strike on a massively defended nuclear missile site in the Middle East. Chappy finds that getting the Soviet and U.S. Pilots to cooperate is only the most minor of his problems as he discovers someone in the Pentagon is actively sabotaging his mission.
The Sum of All FearsThe Sum of All Fears · 2002
The Sum of All Fears
★ 6.42002
MovieThrillerAction
When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia among American CIA officials, so CIA director Bill Cabot recruits a young analyst to supply insight and advice on the situation. Then the unthinkable happens: a nuclear bomb explodes in a U.S. city, and America is quick to blame the Russians.
Fail SafeFail Safe · 1964
Fail Safe
★ 7.81964
MovieThrillerDrama
Because of a technical defect an American bomber team mistakenly orders the destruction of Moscow. The President of the United States has but little time to prevent an atomic catastrophe from occurring.
Empire of the SunEmpire of the Sun · 1987
Empire of the Sun
★ 7.51987
MovieDramaHistory
Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.
Rhapsody in AugustRhapsody in August · 1991
Rhapsody in August
★ 7.11991
MovieDrama
An elderly Nagasaki hibakusha spends a summer caring for her four grandchildren, whose curiosity about the 1945 bombing stirs buried memories and moral questions. When an American nephew from Hawaii visits, the family confronts grief, guilt, and the possibility of reconciliation across generations.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter