'The Brink of War' tells story of Reagan-Gorbachev nuclear discussions
New Film "The Brink of War" Revives Story of Reagan-Gorbachev Diplomacy
A new documentary film is bringing renewed attention to one of the most consequential diplomatic encounters of the Cold War, chronicling how President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev forged an unlikely partnership during the 1980s.
"The Brink of War," directed by Michael Gunn, focuses on the October 1986 Reykjavik summit in Iceland, where the two leaders came closer than anyone thought possible to eliminating nuclear weapons entirely. The film features Jeff Daniels as Reagan and Jared Harris as Gorbachev.
The documentary traces the evolution of the Reagan-Gorbachev relationship, which began with their first meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in November 1985. It was in Reykjavik, however, that the two leaders began to truly trust each other, setting the stage for unprecedented arms control agreements.
"What blew me away about the story when Secretary Schultz told me about it was that these were two guys who had every reason to hate each other, had every reason to be enemies, and they sat down in a room together and tried to make a better world," Gunn said.
Former Secretary of State George Schultz, portrayed in the film by J.K. Simmons, served as a key consultant for the production. Gunn spent countless hours interviewing Schultz, who provided declassified transcripts that shaped the script.
"He gave me the declassified transcripts that informed the script. He's a hero of mine. The movie is dedicated to him, for him, for his public service," Gunn said.
While no final agreement emerged from Reykjavik, the summit proved pivotal. It established a framework for subsequent meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev and ultimately led to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which required both nations to destroy an entire class of nuclear weapons.
After the Iceland summit, Reagan reflected on the breakthrough. "For the first time on the highest level, we and the Soviets came close to an agreement on real reductions of both strategic and intermediate-range weapons," he said at the time. "We were in sight of an historic agreement on completely eliminating the threat of offensive ballistic missiles by 1996."
Gunn believes the Reagan-Gorbachev dynamic holds lessons for modern geopolitics. "The reason I wanted to do it really, truly, was because I think these days we've gotten so good at yelling at one another that we are not talking anymore," he said.
The director hopes viewers will leave the theater with a sense of optimism. "I think the lesson for today is that we have to continue dialogue," Gunn said. "As tough as it gets, I want people to walk out of the theater with hope that if we engage, if we're strong, if we are seeking peace in a genuine way and we find a genuine partner that we can make a better, safer world even today."
"The Brink of War" opens in theaters August 14.