“The Atomic Bowl,” “Memorial Day Massacre,” “Atomic Cover-up,” “The First Attacks Ads,” “Woody Guthrie and the Ghost of Tom Joad Today,” all via PBS

H o l l y w o o d   B o m b

Now coming to film festivals this autumn:   Topanga Film Festival, CA, Sept. 6,  Lebanese Independent Film Festival, Beirut, Sept. 8,    Miami Shorts Festival, Nov. 12.   More to come. 

“Absolutely terrific work.  What a great yarn. I didn’t know any of that backstory.”  — W.J. Hennigan, The New York Times

“Super entertaining and smart.”  –Rod Lurie, director of “The Outpost,” “The Contender,”  “Straw Dogs,” and other films.

“Today’s nuclear tensions make Mitchell’s storytelling more timely than ever.” — Will Bunch, The Philadelphia Inquirer

“You have made a beauty once again. Glad you brought light on this–it’s invaluable.” — Oliver Stone

A new film, completed in April 2026,  on the making, and unmaking, of the ‘most important’ movie–and nuclear fallout today.Based on an award-winning book: The incredible story of how America learned to stop worrying and love The Bomb.

Inspired by antinuclear scientists, and actress Donna Reed, MGM set out in 1946 to make the first A- bomb drama, “The Beginning or the End,” at a critical time. Louis B. Mayer called it “the most important” movie he would ever make. A nuclear arms race might have still been prevented. But the initial critique and warnings were soon destroyed, replaced by unintentionally humorous Hollywood hokum and pro-bomb propaganda, after unprecedented intervention by a famous general–and the President of the United States.

One might call it “doctored strange love..” This new film arrives as nuclear dangers have reached their highest level ever,according to The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

It is based on director Greg Mitchell’s award-winning book, “The Beginning or the End.” Mitchell’s previous five films since 2021 have all aired nationally via PBS. His “Atomic Cover-up” won numerous awards including the top prize from the Organization of American Historians.  “The Atomic Bowl,” was featured in The New Yorker and his two other films earned Emmy nods.  

Written and Directed by Greg Mitchell

Producers: Barbara Bedway, Greg Mitchell

Editor:  Andy Mitchell

 

“A master storyteller.” — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire

“Engaging–clear, economic and persuasive.” — David Sterritt, author and longtime chair, National Society of Film Critics

“”Fascinating but also, weirdly, enjoyable.” —  Harry Shearer

“Weaves together buried nuggets of history to shed a very different light on things we take for granted–such as a world with thousands nuclear weapons.” — Paul Rosenberg, Salon

“This new film is excellent, and a head trip. It’s a chilling tale about a movie that was neutered by interference. Very much a film to search out!” —Steve Kopian, Unseen Films

“Very good, and a great title. I did not know about the MGM movie at all!” –Stephen Talbot, director of “The Movement and the Madman” and producer of numerous Emmy-winning films for PBS Frontlilne.

“Tight, concise…revealing in further depth and detail this aspect of the nuclear cover-up.”  — Libbe HaLeve, Nuclear Hotseat podcast

“You’re doing an outstanding job in reminding us of these incidents we forget.”— Oliver Stone