Forbidden Area (1956) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A covert sabotage operation brings the United States and the Soviet Union to the edge of nuclear war before military action is restrained.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

The Infiltrator Arrives

Stanley Smith travels from the Soviet Union to Florida and obtains a kitchen position on an American air base. His covert role is established before the military threat becomes visible.

Key Events

• Little Chicago Preparation — Smith prepares for an undercover assignment as a Soviet explosives expert. Characters: Stanley Smith Location: Little Chicago outside Moscow
• Submarine Infiltration — Smith travels by submarine from the Soviet Union to the Florida coast. Characters: Stanley Smith Location: Atlantic coast near Florida
• Air Base Kitchen Post — Smith secures a kitchen position on an American air base. Characters: Stanley Smith, The Cook Location: Florida air base kitchen
• Pentagon Forbidden Area — Price and Simmons participate in a secret discussion about national defense. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Clark Simmons Location: Forbidden Area within the Pentagon

Warnings Behind Closed Doors

Inside the Pentagon's Forbidden Area, Price and Simmons discuss automatic retaliation and intelligence about a submarine attack. Their disagreement reveals uncertainty within the American defense structure.

Key Events

• Automatic Retaliation Plan — Price discloses a program for automatic retaliation using pre-targeted ICBMs. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Clark Simmons Location: Forbidden Area within the Pentagon
• Submarine Threat Report — Intelligence reports suggest a submarine-based Soviet nuclear attack. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Clark Simmons Location: Forbidden Area within the Pentagon
• B-99s Vanish — Five American B-99 bombers suddenly disappear from radar. Characters: Gen. Keaton Location: Military radar and air command
• Survivor Mentions Coffee — A survivor's final clue about coffee directs attention toward the bomber crews' thermoses. Characters: Gen. Keaton Location: Military investigation site

Bombs in the Coffee

The disappearance of five B-99 bombers leads to a coffee-related clue. Smith's pressure bombs and the murder of the cook expose the deadly mechanism behind the attacks.

Key Events

• Pressure Bomb Sabotage — Smith hides pressure bombs in thermoses set to explode at 25,000 feet. Characters: Stanley Smith Location: Florida air base
• Cook Is Murdered — Smith kills the cook after the cook notices his Russian tooth filling. Characters: Stanley Smith, The Cook Location: Florida air base kitchen
• Christmas Eve Prediction — Price concludes that the Soviet attack will come on Christmas Eve. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Clark Simmons Location: Forbidden Area within the Pentagon
• Prediction Rejected — Simmons dismisses Price's Christmas Eve prediction as a fairy tale. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Clark Simmons Location: Forbidden Area within the Pentagon

The Fleet Approaches

Price predicts a Christmas Eve attack while a large Soviet submarine fleet moves toward the American coast. Price travels to Florida and Keaton restores the B-99 operation.

Key Events

• Submarine Fleet Advances — A fleet of 600 Soviet submarines approaches while America is distracted by Christmas preparations. Location: Waters approaching the American coast
• Price Flies to Florida — Price flies to Florida to brief Keaton about the impending danger. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: Flight route to Florida
• B-99 Grounding Reversed — Keaton reverses the grounding order and pilots a B-99 while the crew searches for the bomb. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: Florida air base
• Thermos Retrieval Attempt — Smith tries to retrieve a coffee thermos from the control tower, arousing Price's suspicion. Characters: Stanley Smith, Col. Jesse Price Location: Air base control tower
• Thermos Bomb Exposed — Price confronts Smith and learns that the canisters also explode when opened. Characters: Stanley Smith, Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: Air base control tower

The Thermos Confrontation

Price catches Smith trying to recover a thermos and discovers that opening the canister would trigger an explosion. Smith is detained, the submarines are destroyed, and the bomber confrontation moves toward nuclear retaliation.

Key Events

• Thermos Bomb Exposed — Price confronts Smith and learns that the canisters also explode when opened. Characters: Stanley Smith, Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: Air base control tower
• Keaton Warned — Price warns Keaton not to open the thermos because it contains a bomb. Characters: Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: Air base control tower
• Smith Given Truth Serum — Smith is given truth serum after his sabotage is exposed. Characters: Stanley Smith, Col. Jesse Price, Gen. Keaton Location: American military facility
• Submarines Destroyed — American air and naval forces destroy the approaching Soviet submarines. Characters: Gen. Keaton Location: Coastal waters
• Retaliatory Bombers Advance — A national address reports that American bombers are approaching the Soviet Union. Characters: Gen. Keaton Location: Air command and international airspace
• Soviet Leadership Resigns — The Soviet Presidium resigns, and a new premier agrees to withdraw naval and air forces. Location: Soviet government
• Bombers Ordered Home — Keaton urges continued retaliation, but the order is given for the bombers to return. Characters: Gen. Keaton Location: Air command

Story Breakdown

• Smith's Infiltration — Smith enters the United States under cover and places himself near military aviation operations.
  • Soviet Preparation — Smith prepares as an explosives expert at Little Chicago outside Moscow.
  • Florida Cover — He reaches Florida by submarine and obtains a kitchen post on an air base.
• Pentagon Strategy — The secret Pentagon group considers automatic retaliation and the possibility of a Soviet nuclear attack.
  • ICBM Program — Price discloses plans for pre-targeted automatic retaliation using ICBMs.
  • Threat Assessment — Intelligence reports indicate that a submarine-based attack may be approaching.
• B-99 Sabotage — The disappearance of American bombers reveals a concealed attack against the air force.
  • Radar Disappearances — Five B-99 bombers vanish suddenly from radar.
  • Coffee Clue — A survivor's reference to coffee points toward the crews' thermoses.
• Smith's Deadly Cover — Smith protects his identity while using hidden explosives to disable American bombers.
  • Pressure Bombs — He conceals bombs in coffee thermoses designed to explode at altitude.
  • Cook's Murder — Smith kills the cook after the cook recognizes evidence of his Russian identity.
• Christmas Eve Crisis — Price identifies the timing of the attack while other officials doubt his assessment.
  • Price's Prediction — Price concludes that the Soviet attack will occur on Christmas Eve.
  • Simmons's Doubt — Simmons rejects Price's prediction as a fairy tale.
• Submarine Invasion — A massive Soviet submarine fleet approaches the American coast as the crisis becomes immediate.
  • Fleet Advances — Six hundred Soviet submarines move toward the coast.
  • Defense Mobilizes — Price briefs Keaton, who reverses the B-99 grounding and joins the search for the bomb.
• Thermos Confrontation — Price exposes Smith's sabotage and prevents a bomb from being opened.
  • Control Tower Suspicion — Smith's attempt to retrieve a thermos makes Price suspicious.
  • Keaton Warned — Price tells Keaton that the thermos contains a bomb that will explode when opened.
• Retaliation Averted — The immediate military threat is defeated, but the decision to continue nuclear retaliation remains contested.
  • Submarines Destroyed — American air and naval forces destroy the approaching Soviet submarines.
  • Bombers Recalled — The Soviet leadership agrees to withdraw forces, and the American bombers are ordered home.

Directed by

John Frankenheimer

Key Cast

• Charlton Heston — Col. Jesse Price
• Tab Hunter — Stanley Smith
• Diana Lynn — Catherine Hume
• Vincent Price — Clark Simmons
• Victor Jory — Rear Admiral Batt