Oppenheimer is a movie about history. On this coming Sunday, it has a chance to make history.
Christopher Nolan’s epic is nominated for 13 Academy Awards, one shy of the all-time mark, giving it a chance to break Titanic’s record of 11 wins. Obviously, Oppenheimer is being hailed as a tremendous piece of movie-making.
But, as with any biopic, it’s prudent to ask one very important question: How accurate is it?
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J. Robert Oppenheimer’s quest to build an atomic bomb is one of the most important developments in human history. The renowned theoretical physicist’s work moved the world into the nuclear age.
We’ve seen time and again how easy it is for Hollywood to take shortcuts, or invoke creative license for dramatic effect. People who know this story say that’s not the case with Oppenheimer.
“Christopher Nolan did everything right in this movie,” says Rob McCoy, C.E.O of the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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McCoy’s building just off the Vegas Strip … and about 80 miles away from the Nevada desert where nuclear testing was conducted after the end of World War II … houses a full-size replica of the Oppenheimer Gadget, part of a full display that tells the true story of the Manhattan Project that culminated in history’s first manmade nuclear event (code-named Trinity).
This is one of those moments in history that is so intense, filmmakers don’t have to go outside the box. So, Nolan didn’t. Even Oppenheimer’s family members gave the film their seal of approval.
“I had that conversation with J. Robert Oppenheimer's two grandchildren,” says McCoy. “We actually had them here for a special event. Dorothy Oppenheimer Vanderford is actually a member of our museum, and they felt it was accurate to an extent. They thought it was a spectacular movie. Charles Oppenheimer, the grandson, actually went to the set and had multiple conversations with Christopher Nolan.”
Most notably, they say the film captures the philosophical and ethical quandaries Oppenheimer’s team dealt with as they developed the most destructive force ever conceived. And there’s an interesting side effect of the film’s success. It’s sparked a hunger for knowledge about what happened 80 years ago in the New Mexico desert, and how it changed the world.
“We saw a noticeable uptick in attendance and interest in all things atomic. And it was interesting. The average age of our visitor actually plummeted,” says McCoy. “It was heartwarming to come down here in the main gallery and actually see folks in their twenties and thirties who, because they had seen the movie, wanted to learn more about Trinity, about Oppenheimer, and about the atomic age. We’re not teaching this stuff in the classroom so it is incumbent upon this institution to teach.”
And, to remind us of how terrifyingly powerful these weapons are.
Oppenheimer is streaming on Peacock now.
