The Atomic City

Year: 1952

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: English

Director: Jerry Hopper

DramaThriller

HELD FOR RANSOM! Kidnappers demand atomic secrets! Spies hold the son of a nuclear physicist (Gene Barry) hostage in exchange for the Los Alamos bomb formula.

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Timeline – The Atomic City (1952)

Trace every key event in The Atomic City (1952) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:39

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Movies with High-Stakes Moral Dilemmas like The Atomic City

Stories where personal duty clashes with immense external forces.If you liked the tense conflict in The Atomic City, explore more movies where characters face impossible choices. These films, often thrillers or dramas, create suspense by forcing a personal duty to clash with a larger responsibility, just like the struggle between family and national security.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically present a clear, immediate threat that forces a protagonist to weigh a deeply personal interest against a wider, often abstract, duty. The plot unfolds as a pressure cooker, where the character's internal debate is as gripping as the external stakes.

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Procedural Cold War Thrillers similar to The Atomic City

Thrillers grounded in the pervasive fear and secrecy of the Cold War era.Fans of The Atomic City will enjoy these other procedural thrillers steeped in Cold War anxiety. These movies share a tense atmosphere of secrecy and investigation, often featuring government agents, espionage, and the constant, shadowy threat characteristic of the era.

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Narrative Summary

Stories follow a methodical, often investigative, path to uncover a hidden threat tied to the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War. The narrative is driven by clues, interrogations, and the race to prevent a catastrophe, emphasizing realism and process over exaggerated action.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their specific historical context and narrative approach. They evoke the unique paranoia of the Cold War period and deliver suspense through a steady, procedural unfolding of events rather than pure action spectacle.

Unlock the Full Story of The Atomic City

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Atomic City in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Atomic City is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Atomic City Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Atomic City, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Atomic City

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Atomic City. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

The Atomic City Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About The Atomic City

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