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James Bridges (1936) directed
The Paper Chase (1973), an adaptation of
John Jay Osborn's 1971 novel,
and the dystopian political thriller
The China Syndrome (1979), released
a few days before the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.
Kimberly (Jane Fonda) is a young TV reporter who is popular with viewers but mostly covers simple stories. She is sent to write a piece about a nuclear power plant with her politicized cameraman Richard (Michael Douglas). They witness from a distance a serious accident and see the man in charge, Jack (Jack Lemmon), panic in the control room.
We then see what is happening in the control room. Jack can't figure out what is causing the incident until he realizes that the needle of a gauge is stuck.
Kimberly and Richard are not allowed to film, but
Kimberly signals to Richard to film unseen.
Back at the TV station, Kimberly's boss refuses to
broadcast the video or even let her talk about the incident.
Richard, however, steals the video and talks about it to anti-nuclear activists.
Jack is investigated but cleared of all responsibility.
He casually meets Kimberly at a pub and tells her that there never was any danger.
The investors in the nuclear plant pressure Jack to reopen it immediately because every day of non-operation is a huge monetary loss. Jack notices a leak of radioactive water and refuses to obey. He finds documents showing that the inspector in charge didn't do due diligence when he inspected the equipment.
Jack now opens up to Kimberly and admits that the nuclear plant is not safe.
Jack agrees to provide to them the documents that prove it, so that they can be used at a hearing where a new nuclear plant is about to be approved.
However, Kimberly's coworker who obtains the document from Jack is chased by
a car that caused him to crash and almost die. The documents never reach Kimberly
at the hearings.
Jack realizes what has happened and drives to the nuclear plant, but realizes
that he is being chased too, and narrowly manages to escape.
Kimberly offers to interview him at the plant. Jack steals a gun from a security
guard to shut down the plant and locks himself in the control room, while his
superiors call the police.
Kimberly arrives and starts interviewing Jack live
on television
(we see the split screen of the TV station, showing Kimberly getting ready and
the action), but the police breaks in and shoots Jack dead.
Jack's superiors tell the press that Jack went crazy and sabotaged the plant,
but Jack's closest coworker tells the truth. Kimberly comments that Jack died
a hero, but the broadcast cuts to a commercial, implying that nobody truly cares for Jack's sacrifice.
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