The Fifth Missile

The Fifth Missile
GenreDrama
Thriller
Based onThe Gold Crew
by Frank M. Robinson
and Thomas N. Scortia
Written byEric Bercovici
Directed byLarry Peerce
StarringRobert Conrad
Sam Waterston
David Soul
Richard Roundtree
Jonathan Banks
Yvette Mimieux
Music byPino Donaggio
Country of originItaly
United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerEric Bercovici
ProducerArthur Fellows
Production locationsMalta
Cinecittà Studios, Arsenale Marina Militare di Taranto, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy
CinematographyCristiano Pogany
EditorsMaureen O'Connell
Jack Tucker
Running time150 minutes
Production companiesBercovici/St.Johns Productions
Cinecittà
MGM/UA Television
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseFebruary 23, 1986 (1986-02-23)
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The Fifth Missile is a 1986 television movie starring Robert Conrad, Sam Waterston and David Soul about an American ballistic missile submarine, based on the novel The Gold Crew by Frank M. Robinson and Thomas N. Scortia. With the exception of Cmdr. Van Meer, the ship's crew goes slowly insane due to exposure to paint chemicals onboard and believes a missile test exercise is, in fact, nuclear war. It explores the inability of U.S. command structures to control and prevent rogue submarine officers from launching ballistic missiles.