Adventures of a Mathematician (2020) Movie Script
So we have a method
of solving neutron fusion...
Tell me, Stan,
what's the point of hiking when you have
these fantastic new binoculars?
The air around here gives me headaches.
Don't get a stroke.
It would be a loss given
your special mind.
Oh.
Do you know this one?
A religious man wants to know
whether sex on Sabbath is a sin.
Somehow he's not sure if sex
is work or pleasure.
So he goes to a priest.
And the priest reads for hours
in the Bible.
Then he says, "My son,
after a long Bible reading,
I'm sure sex is work,
and therefore not allowed on Sunday."
The man thinks, "What does this
priest actually know about sex?"
So he goes to a minister,
he gets the same answer,
but he still is not convinced.
Then he looks for the ultimate authority:
a man with thousands of years
of knowledge.
A rabbi.
The rabbi looks at him and then says...
"My son, sex is clearly pleasure."
"How can you be so sure if
nobody else is?" the man asks.
The rabbi turns to him and goes...
"Oh, if sex would be work,
my wife would leave it to the maid."
That's right.
By the way, have you found a way
to calculate the impact yet?
We're still struggling with
the final stages of the chain reactions.
Transfer me into your group.
I could solve it in a heartbeat.
Operator. How can I help?
Can you please connect me
with Lvov in Poland?
Certainly, sir.
Thank you.
I got math class...
There's no connection at the moment.
Oh.
Are the lines still up?
I have no information about that, sir.
Thank you.
Shouldn't you be in bed?
I have to finish my essay about Lvov.
Uh-huh.
Stasiu?
I don't want to tell them that I'm Jewish.
Well, then don't.
There are wonderful things
to say about Lvov.
Tell them about your brother,
a brilliant mathematician,
and his friends from the Scottish caf.
Cheer up.
I don't like it here.
I have a surprise for you.
What surprise?
From Stefka?
Hm?
- Oh, come on.
- Wait.
Out loud, please.
Okay, I'll read it aloud.
Read it.
"Dear brothers.
I hope you're both well
and not teasing each other too much.
Stasio, I'm very proud of you.
So are Mom and Dad.
I'm sending the photo you asked for.
Please thank Johnny for his help
with the bank.
Dad is still working.
Everything is fine in Lvov.
The Russians don't do much,
they bring food and supplies.
Also Mom is getting better.
The new doctor is helping her a lot..."
If everything's fine
why aren't they coming?
Stefania will come.
She told me so.
Mom also feels better.
But we can't rush it.
All you can do is work hard
at school and get good grades.
Understand?
Understand.
Go to sleep.
Calculus is the boring part
of mathematics.
But you can do fascinating things with it.
You can, for example, compose music.
And even, more importantly,
go to Las Vegas and win card games.
I'll show you something.
Gambling is all about probability.
Here are 33 cards.
Twenty-two are black
and only 11 are red.
Now, George,
let's imagine that your job
is to find the red cards.
For every dollar you bet,
I would give you double
the amount if you win.
A quick digression:
if your budget is one dollar,
how much money you could possibly win?
- It doubles every time, right?
- Uh-huh.
I can't do that in my head.
I'm not a genius.
2,048.
But...
how do you know whether
you should keep playing?
I go with my gut.
Think of it.
Thirty-three cards.
Eleven are red.
One in every three is red, right?
Which means that your chances of losing
are twice as likely than winning.
Try.
And I've got a higher chance
with the second card I pick.
Exactly.
But it doesn't matter how it turns out.
Every game you play tells you something.
Just play more card games.
And learn mathematics.
Let's continue next time.
- Goodbye, Mr. Ulam.
- Goodbye.
Here.
Did you have a chance to think about
my friends from Poland?
We could use them here.
They are willing to teach.
I've made some calls,
but it's not looking promising.
And with the recent situation
between Germany and Russia,
things could get more difficult.
- What do you mean?
- You haven't heard?
Hitler's invaded Russia.
You lazy son of a bitch.
You are teaching Catholic
and Protestant kids gambling tricks,
and telling them what
they learn in Harvard
is an unimportant part of mathematics.
Well, I try my best, Johnny.
How is Marietta?
Not good.
She loves you. She's only confused.
No, she's in love with
this young physicist.
She said I bore her.
But she still brings me my favorite food.
I don't get it.
Do you know why Jesus is not a Hungarian?
Why not?
Because they could not find
three wise men and a virgin.
What about your family?
Well...
I tried to convince them to leave,
but my father doesn't want
to go to the U.S.
You know, these stubborn Poles.
Do they have enough money
to get out of Lvov?
Yes.
Yes.
But I want to send them more,
and I don't know whether
they want to extend my fellowship.
I bet you gave them good reasons not to.
- Hello.
- Hi.
Hey, Stan. You want to join us?
We're French, Lithuanian, Bulgarian.
We need a Pole.
And since you're the only one
I know and like...
- What are you playing?
- Belote.
Well, let me watch a few rounds first,
and then I can show you how to win.
The bloody French
together with Chamberlain
could have stopped him in 1938.
Who wanted to go to war again?
Come on.
He invaded Czechoslovakia
and no one helped.
Remember, eight million dead
in the Great War.
There were a lot of reasons
not to go to war.
In any case, my friends,
the Germans will have trouble
to hold all this territory.
They don't have the resources
for world war.
- You're sure about that one?
- Of course.
But they have a lot of good
scientists and engineers.
Isn't it in the end just men
fighting against other men?
Well, she has a point there.
They lose scientists every day.
- I'm going to have a drink.
- They'll feel it soon.
Europe is dying, my friends.
Come on, don't talk like that.
He's underestimating the U.S.
Do I know you?
It would be stupid of me to deny this.
Oh, would it?
I am Stan.
I'm Franoise.
And what does Stan do?
I'm a mathematician.
Mm.
I've only met physicists and chemists,
but never a mathematician.
Can one make a living out of that?
Well, the question is,
can we all make a living without it?
I teach in Harvard.
In Harvard?
That's impressive.
I don't have permission to stay,
because the college I'm studying
at is for women,
and not so well recognized like Harvard.
And, unfortunately,
I'm not a genius scientist like yourself.
So, what are you doing?
I like to write.
Oh.
What do you write about?
I come from a Jewish family,
and there's a lot
to write about these days.
Yes.
But tell me...
I don't know a thing
about the theory of relativity,
for example.
Oh.
It's actually very simple.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
Could you imagine that nobody else
is here in the room,
and that we are the only two planets
in the universe?
Nothing is certain then,
because there are no fixed points.
Everything you say is true
from the perspective of your planet,
and everything I say is true
from the perspective of mine.
The only thing we know for sure
is that the speed of light
is the same everywhere...
and for everyone.
Well, that is the basic idea.
And the rest are just
complicated consequences.
Come on, Stan.
You should go.
We should continue this conversation.
Who knows?
We probably will.
Get over here.
You're better off writing a telegram.
The lines to Poland are very fickle.
Sir?
Could you please try it one more time?
Who knows? Maybe God throws
the dice for me.
I need to speak to her.
You don't have any other address?
No, I haven't.
It's the house of Michal Ulam.
He's an architect.
Stasio?
Stefka?
How are you?
It's so good to hear your voice again.
How is Adam?
He likes it here. It is all good.
Tell me, how is my little nephew, Josi?
He eats a lot, he's happiest then.
A typical Ulam.
Listen...
I transferred more money since last time.
Take our parents and go by train.
I heard the Germans are close.
It's in every newspaper.
You have to leave Lvov.
I'll take care of it.
I have to plan it.
I need to find a route.
I don't know where to go.
Don't take too long.
Talk to Uncle Michal, go to the West.
Can I speak to Dad?
He's out at the moment.
All will be good, Stasio.
Why are little brothers always so worried?
You're just one year older.
Don't lecture me.
I used to do that to you. Remember?
Yes, I remember.
Don't show all the time how smart you are.
That always got you in trouble.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again.
Me too.
Is that your sister?
Yes.
She is beautiful.
I teach here while my hometown
is invaded by Germans.
I should become a soldier.
Do you want us to lose the war?
Our skill is not fighting, Stan.
You have a brain.
Use it.
That's how we can help.
What do you mean?
There is a place in the West
where they are hiring a lot
of mathematicians right now.
They need people like us.
Which place?
If it's Las Vegas, I'm in.
These guys over there
want to end this war.
Once and for all.
I never thought about you,
because you would have to do it alone.
Only wives and children are allowed.
What about Adam?
Could I bring him?
That's impossible, Stan.
It's your call.
Mr. Ulam.
Mr. Ulam.
What?
This is all we need
for the exam, right?
Oh, yes.
Just keep applying this.
Practice every day,
and you should be fine.
- I'll take it.
- Thank you, Adam.
You're very welcome.
May I ask you something?
Of course.
How is your family?
I haven't heard from them in a long time.
A while ago I got a telegram
from my brother.
He managed to get to London,
and he joined the Free French Forces.
- He's a soldier?
- No, he's a journalist.
But he decided to join the army.
I'd also like to join them.
Good.
But even a soldier has to sleep.
- Good night, Francoise.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What is it?
You know, I asked Johnny about the job.
- Yes?
- I got it.
Congratulations.
However...
it would mean...
it would mean moving
to the other side of America.
Thank you.
Why don't we get married.
Excuse me?
That way you could stay in the U.S.
It sounds extreme, I know, but...
actually it could just be on paper.
You don't have to come with me.
You are totally free to stay here.
I'm serious.
You're weird.
Doesn't it make sense?
But, Stan, this is not an equation.
Maybe it doesn't sound so romantic.
Not so romantic?
You're funny.
Look at it as an adventure.
If you are looking for an adventure,
go and climb a mountain.
Wouldn't it be better to stay in
a safe country?
No, I can't.
Listen...
I like your sense of humor,
and I wouldn't ask just anybody
to marry me.
Oh, thank you.
I'm very happy to hear that.
Look, you could stay here
as a married woman.
- You don't have to tell anybody.
- No?
And if you fall in love,
we can get a divorce.
Living divorced as a woman?
What a nice life on top of all that.
Then we can stay married.
No problem.
So?
No.
Definitely not.
How long are you staying there?
I really don't know.
- A few weeks?
- Yes.
Maybe longer.
Uncle Zygmunt will take care of you.
You'll see, you'll love New York.
There you go.
One ticket to Penn Station, please.
- Return?
- No.
Two dollars, please.
Thanks.
- Thank you.
- Did you bring your ring,
Mrs. Ulam?
- My ring?
- Yes.
Of course I did.
Oh, it's a nice one.
And you know what?
Johnny told me how wonderful
is the climate there.
You should've married Johnny.
- Really?
- Yes.
Hm.
Papers.
Go ahead.
Anybody interested in playing cards
in the evening
and discussing the state of the universe?
No way.
I can't afford to play you.
I'm already recovering from last week.
Come on, Jack.
No.
I'll let you win,
and make sure you don't lose money.
Don't ask me. I'm broke.
Klaus?
I'd rather go back to Germany.
Then go back to Germany.
Leave the guy alone.
Gentlemen.
Has anybody seen my brown notepad?
The brown one?
Small one, right?
With all the brilliant ideas in it?
Yes, Jack. Where is it?
I don't know. I haven't seen it.
Edward, do you mind
if we all go and work outside?
The weather is beautiful.
Very often you're late.
You take breaks whenever you want.
We have to make progress here
and prove that my idea works.
Did you think about the interaction
between the electrons and the gas?
I asked you to come up
with an approach for it.
Tomorrow. I'm almost done.
I'll come by at your house.
Like you already said yesterday.
I don't understand your concept.
A hydrogen bomb requires far more energy
than the atomic one.
Where does the energy come from?
Well, I suggest that before you are trying
to prove that my idea doesn't work,
you should show to all of us
what they first teach to a student
from the famous Lvov school in Poland.
Maybe I've missed it,
but respect seems to be absent
from your repertoire.
Edward, the atomic bomb seems
like a firecracker next to this.
What's the purpose?
You get out now.
What?
Get out!
I am fed up with you!
You're here to help, and you don't.
Let us work.
I hear they're going to detonate it
from the top of a tower.
I think they're
already building a site there.
You've seen it?
I call him M.A.N.I.A.C., which means,
"Mathematical And Numerical
Integrator And Computer."
You can run all sorts of programs on it,
not just one.
It's like a new instrument.
Now we need to write the sheet music.
You still have your headaches?
It's better.
Just the change of the seasons.
Maybe you smoke too much.
Smoking is good for the brain.
Tell me.
Is there a date for the bomb test yet?
- I don't know.
- Come on, Johnny.
They have problems
with some of the calculations,
and Oppenheimer is afraid
that there might be a risk
to blow up the atmosphere.
He's paranoid.
We need to speed things up.
We must finish the bomb...
in case the Nazis do it.
Then let me help.
I don't like working with Edward.
I don't get why he's so obsessed
with this hydrogen bomb.
And I don't think he really
knows what he's talking about.
Please, focus on your work.
People have already complained
about you twice,
and you've been there a couple of months.
Also, Oppenheimer heard about you.
Can't you just do what they ask?
Quantum physics means
there's no objective
observation possible, right?
But wasn't that the basis
of science forever?
These days are over, my friend.
Tell me, do you see any innocent
bystander in this world?
Why should that be different
on the subatomic level?
I guess there's room for irony
in the quantum world.
- See you tomorrow.
- See you.
Hey, you heard about this dance
thing at Fuller Lodge, right?
Oh, yeah, Francoise wants to go.
- You gonna go?
- Of course.
Let's go.
See you tomorrow.
- Hello, Stan.
- Hello, Irene.
I had another fight
with Edward today.
Tell me.
It's confidential.
Well...
you have to talk to him.
I'm sure you can sort it out.
To be honest, I'm not interested
in sorting it out.
I was just pointing out that he was wrong.
It's true.
It's what I did.
Edward's wife is nice.
Maybe I can talk to her.
There's no need.
You don't have to, really.
Well, I'm sure she can
convince him to talk to you.
Can I ask you something?
Yes, of course.
What is the plan with this bomb?
Basically, it's about having it
before Hitler does.
So it means they definitely
wouldn't use it?
- Right?
- No.
I don't think the Americans would use it
if nobody else does.
It's a deterrent.
They just want to show it as a warning.
But you know what is bothering me?
The other wives tell me
that you are working
on an even bigger bomb now.
Why would they need to do that?
Isn't it funny what the other wives know?
But it's strange to be having a child
when you are working on a bomb like that.
I wouldn't worry about it.
I am convinced it will prove
impossible to build.
Come.
I put it in me pocket
And I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore
That she never would
Deceive me
But the devil take the women
For they never can be easy
Mush-a ring
Dumb-a do dumb-a da
Worked for my daddy-o
Worked for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
The shipping line got back to me.
Stefania has picked up
her tickets in Gdansk.
- That's great.
- Yes.
Yes, it is.
My parents also just arrived in Halifax.
They came from England.
The Atlantic is much safer now.
You should tell it to Adam.
I will.
I'm working on
a self-replicating algorithm,
trying it on the M.A.N.I.A.C.
Do you have any ideas?
You mean to simulate chain reactions?
Mm-hm.
Let me think about it.
Can you ride a horse?
I tried a donkey once.
I only bet on horses.
Look at it.
I don't think it perceives himself
as not living in freedom.
You have a broken heart, Johnny.
Ex-wives and horses make you sentimental.
Maybe.
But life is much more complicated
than relations between numbers.
Ladies and gentlemen, hello.
So thank you all for coming out tonight,
and thank you to our wonderful band,
the Los Alamos Wranglers.
Today, the U.S. Navy sank
two Japanese aircraft carriers.
The big ones, folks.
Now let's give a cheer
to our fighting men.
It's time to dance.
Do I have a volunteer?
Jack.
Give your partner a hug
like we Americans do.
Seven hundred dollars
For this suit and those shoes
Dressed up like a crazy clown
You spent $700
For this suit and those shoes
Bow your head and hold these shoes
And let me down
Then you shout and you scream
And you dance like the devil
Twisting like there's rockets
In your brain
You spent $700
For this suit
And them shoes
For that girl I need in this crowd
Then you shout and you scream
And you dance like the devil
Twisting like there's rockets
In your brains
Nice party.
$700 for this suit and the shoes
When you don't mind meeting lovebirds
Hey.
- Are you okay?
- Yes.
I'd like to dance some more.
Mwah.
Thanks to the Polish resistance,
the Allies are in Warsaw.
The Germans got stuck in Russia.
I have a friend over there in Europe.
We grew up together in Paris.
You know what? Russia's 10,000 trucks
and a damn sight more guns.
I say it's about time
to tie this brigadier.
You know what, Germans,
they made one big mistake.
They didn't take
the American economy seriously.
Oh, yeah? What about the resistance?
$700 for that suit and the shoes
When this woman is not around
Doesn't he play so skillfully?
Yes, he does.
Stanislaw.
Can I offer you something to drink?
Real mathematicians drink coffee,
don't they?
Yes.
Coffee, thank you.
So, I leave you two alone.
Thank you.
So...
I've heard that you feel sorry
about your behavior in the group.
I did my homework,
like you asked.
I thought extensively about
the gas electron exchange.
I still don't know how to deal
with the repulsive forces
between the particles.
I think we need some kind of new
mathematical tool to solve this.
Great. What kind of tool?
You were talking about the sun.
But we don't understand
how the fusion reaction there
exactly takes place
and how to translate that into maths.
It's based on quantum tunneling.
- We know that.
- Well, yes.
But by the standards of classical physics,
the sun should not even burn.
It's not hot enough. But it does.
You know as well as I
that we can't really explain
why things happen the way they do
on the quantum level.
We don't know how fire worked
for thousands of years,
but they still used it.
There's a difference between a campfire
and a thermonuclear explosion.
I agree we need the atomic bomb
to defeat Hitler.
But we don't need the hydrogen bomb.
We left the realm of civilized discussion
a long time ago.
We fight against everybody here.
Don't you see that?
There's a new threat around every corner.
Take a look at the past
thousand years, Stanislaw.
There were pogroms in Russia,
and now there are death camps in Europe.
We can only rely on ourselves.
I understand, Edward,
but that's not a decision we should make
while living behind fences.
I don't want to be the one
to decide on the fate of mankind.
Aren't you aware there is a war going on?
We are scientists, not Gods.
The hydrogen bomb is
the ultimate insurance.
It secures the future of our children.
You are not supporting it.
I see there is a philosophical objection.
But it's our duty to keep working on it.
See you at work, Stanislaw.
Irene invited me for dinner tonight.
Do you want to join?
Yes.
Why not?
Sure.
Isn't that Jack out there?
Stan!
Stan! Did you hear?
Jack, what happened?
- Stan?
- You haven't heard?
- What happened?
- It's over.
- What's over?
- The war's over in Europe.
We won! We defeated the Nazis!
- We did it. We did it.
- Oh, my God.
It's unbelievable.
It's unbelievable.
Since we're dealing
with it every day,
I have a story for you
about experimental physics.
Okay?
So a guy walks into a bar,
and he has a monkey with him.
And he goes to order a drink.
And as soon as he does,
the monkey freaks out.
Klaus, you seem lost.
- You want to lose some money?
- Yeah.
The monkey pulls the cherry
back out of his ass and he eats it.
And the bartender's like.
"That's disgusting."
And the guy says, "I know,
but ever since the cue ball last week...
now he has to measure things
before he eats them."
Cheers, guys.
Do we play some poker?
So you all really enjoy being employed
by the military?
I mean, we should act as scientists,
not like soldiers.
It contradicts each other.
Don't you think?
No, Klaus, no, it doesn't at all.
The purpose of science is to free mankind
and to satisfy our need to know why,
and this is precisely what is happening
in this country at this moment.
So where is the contradiction?
And besides, look at how
the Catholic Church supported art.
You should wear a bishop's miter, Johnny.
What is it with you and Catholicism?
So we all came here for one reason.
To defeat the Nazis.
Now what?
Well, we are still
at war with Japan.
This is pretty simple, Jack.
We are all going to have
atomic weapons in the future.
But at the same time,
we will have unlimited amounts of energy.
And Stalin will own half of Europe.
You can come in now, Mr. Ulam.
Do you want to hold her?
Hey.
Her name is Claire.
That's a beautiful French name.
Like yours.
I want to thank you for your hard work
and your dedication to this project.
After all these months
of sleepless nights,
we have finally reached a crucial point.
If Trinity is a success tonight,
I need all our resources diverted
into preparing
two more gadgets right away.
Why?
I mean, what for?
Further tests.
They're not thinking
about actually using the bomb, are they?
Anyway, I'm afraid I have
no more resources for this.
That's why I'd like to put the work
of the H-Bomb group on hold.
Mr. Oppenheimer,
this is a much more complex undertaking
than with the atomic bomb.
With all respect, if we keep on going,
we have the ability to build it
in the near future.
What do you think of Edward's concept,
Professor Von Neumann?
I don't think we should
stop working on it,
but we need to find a way
to calculate this kind of reaction.
That's why I'd like to advocate
the ideas of Mr. Ulam.
His is an original mind.
Stan?
Well...
Edward's principle is based on heat,
but we lose too much heat
to the environment, so...
We don't. And it works.
So far, you approached the problem
from the side of physics, as an engineer.
But speaking from
a gambler's point of view,
we can essentially understand
the bomb as one very big casino,
where the odds are always
against the players.
But you ask us to somehow beat the house.
Okay, thank you, Mr. Ulam.
We should not build that bomb.
And why is that?
Excuse me, gentlemen.
Are you coming
to the test tonight?
I think I should spend the evening
with my wife and daughter
instead of watching the most gruesome
weapon in the universe melt the desert,
I'm sorry.
So you're also
against the atomic bomb?
Do we want to spend
the rest of our lives
with a gun to our heads?
We have made the decision to come here.
Now we need to deal with it.
Isn't this meaningless?
We have to understand
the process behind it.
I need another drink.
Why is it so quiet tonight, honey?
It was quiet.
Good morning, Stan.
This stop: Block T.
It was like nothing I have seen before.
Like a divine force.
Like something
that shouldn't be used by us.
That isn't meant for us.
I don't know.
What happened to your hands?
- Hm?
- Your hands.
Today, we are proud to
announce that the United States of America
successfully dropped a second atomic bomb,
on the city of Nagasaki.
The United States government has asked
for the unconditional surrender of Japan.
Initial estimates suggest
there could be in excess
of 130,000 people.
We'll have more over the next few days.
Unfortunately, that is all the information
that I have here, gentlemen.
Mr. Oppenheimer.
Sir?
We're supposed to have
a party now or something?
And if so,
remind me why exactly?
Why two bombs?
I mean, one is a crime against mankind,
but we dropped two.
Why?
I wanted to hear that from him.
Because the United States won this war.
Excuse me?
We murdered civilians.
We saved a lot of lives of Japanese
and American soldiers.
- Even civilians.
- It's an act of barbarism
to burn women and children alive
with a hellfire!
I calculated the ideal height
to detonate the bomb
so as to achieve a maximum energy yield.
- I understand.
- I did that!
What did I do?
Appeasement encouraged barbarism, Jack.
Europe committed suicide.
The brave Europeans in France and England
didn't want to go to war
until it was inevitable.
And that's why
we need the thermonuclear.
From now on, our life becomes
an existential game.
It is called "Who shoots first?"
We need to find the...
Where is Klaus?
Obviously not here.
I go for lunch.
This is a madhouse.
Thank you.
Look at you.
Staszek, Stefania is dead.
How is life in Cambridge?
Good.
I got a grant for my thesis.
That's wonderful.
Thank you.
I should put her to bed.
Yeah, sure.
- Come on, Claire.
- Good night, Claire.
- Do you need some help?
- No, that's okay.
Shh.
How did it happen?
I got a message...
that Stefania was hiding
in the outskirts of Lvov...
with this woman,
a friend of hers.
And...
they unfortunately were captured
by the Nazis.
Stefania had to lead them to the place
where she was hiding her jewelry.
They promised not to shoot her
if she would do that...
but they didn't keep their promise.
Yossi, our nephew, was also shot.
And the other woman.
Oh, my God.
I spoke to our uncle Michal,
but he doesn't know where our parents are.
He just told me that our flat is empty.
I wanted to talk to Stan about it.
I sent several telegrams,
but he never answered.
He just left me behind. He...
He didn't care.
It's not true, Adam.
Stan!
Stan, talk to me!
Stan! Stan!
Thank you.
Mr. Ulam.
How are we feeling?
What's happened?
You had brain inflammation.
Aren't you supposed to say
comforting things to a patient?
Well, we had to drill a hole
in your head.
And you have a very hard head,
I'll give you that.
I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
Hm.
Let me ask you something.
What's nine times seven?
I am a mathematician, not a computer.
Okay.
All right.
Trust me, Stan.
You will recover.
But it'll take some time.
Whoo-hoo!
Stan.
You shouldn't smoke.
Give me your cigarette.
Please give me your cigarette.
Why can't you just leave me alone, hm?
Go home and write your diary.
I don't need you telling me what to do.
I can't just sit here and stare
at the water like an idiot!
I can't! I'm fed up with it!
Don't you understand?
What's the point of it?
If I can't think, I can't even joke.
If I can't joke...
what's left for us, huh?
Besides bottomless tragedy?
Your daughter is not a bottomless tragedy.
I didn't tell you, Johnny called.
He'd like to visit you.
I don't want to see him.
But it's Johnny.
I don't know what to talk about.
I can't think any equation
through at the moment.
I might be finished.
You are not finished.
He's your best friend.
Talk about something else with him.
The only thing I can think about
is that I cannot think.
I know.
Claire really loves the seaside.
Look at her.
Isn't it a waste of time?
You don't have to play
to know the outcome.
There are only two options:
winning or losing.
What is it?
You're right.
You are absolutely right.
You don't need to play...
to know the outcome.
They should drill more holes in your head
if you come up with this kind of idea.
I was wondering what the chances are
a solitaire game with 52 cards
will come out successfully.
I tried it by combinatorial calculations,
but I felt that it needed
some kind of abstract thinking.
Essentially,
the more games we play,
the more exactly we can predict
the outcome without playing.
Exactly.
This is the mathematical tool
we always mentioned.
You are brilliant, Stan.
You remember that we couldn't find Klaus?
Yes.
He appears to be in Russia.
And not because of the Nutcracker suite.
The son of a bitch told them
everything they need to know about bombs.
Now Edward has all the support
and is working on the fusion.
You have to come back to Los Alamos.
It will be better.
You could also teach again.
No.
I need to go back there.
But...
doesn't it feel wrong to have a kid
and keep working on this bomb?
What about us?
Jocelyn.
I need this again All of it.
- Yes, sir.
- Good? No mistakes.
Look who's here.
In Goettingen we used to say,
"A mathematician is a machine
that translates coffee into theorems."
So how do the calculations look?
I have to discuss them with Washington.
Congratulations on your promotion.
It suits you.
Thank you.
Could you give me a little more detail
on the parts that I've marked?
Edward...
I actually think it's not the math.
It seems as if the general engineering
of the bomb doesn't work.
You lose too much heat to the environment.
It cools down too fast,
and you propose to blow up
two atomic bombs to make it work.
But it doesn't.
Then use three bombs.
The fusion reaction works once
we get it started.
The bomb is already very big.
With three bombs,
it's as large as a truck.
Stanislaw, why don't you leave
this to an engineer to solve?
Listen...
I am glad that you had a change of heart.
I am, really.
We do need your ideas.
Especially since we haven't got much time.
Thanks to Klaus,
the Russians have their own bomb now.
I never really liked Fritz.
Well, Klaus was a very good poker player.
And a traitor.
Stefka?
Stefania?
I'm thinking about several ways
to solve the bomb's engineering problem.
The fusion seems only possible
with an immense amount of pressure.
Did you talk with Edward?
No.
I have to figure it out first.
Do you remember our hiking trips?
They never liked us,
because we were slowing the group down.
I miss the humor, Johnny.
Do you know the joke about
the dying Jew in Prague?
Jew lies on his deathbed.
He says, "My beloved wife, are you here?"
She answers, "Yes, of course."
So he turns to his son:
"My son, are you here?"
The son cries and says, "Yes."
This goes on.
"My brother, are you there?"
Also the brother is there.
Suddenly,
the old Jew gets really, really angry
and says, "But who's in the store, then?"
Hello, I'm a clown.
You seem distant.
You sit here, but you're not here.
You're absent.
I found out how to solve it.
The hydrogen bomb.
I know how to make it work.
But I'm not sure whether
I should tell them.
If you're not sure,
then what's the point in spending
any more time here?
We could just leave.
Doesn't Edward have a point?
It's just a matter of time
before the Russians get the hydrogen bomb.
Equal chances.
Doesn't it secure Claire's future?
I don't know what to do.
Let's have a normal life.
Because I can't stand this any longer.
The problem remains that
we can't keep the temperature steady.
The sun uses gravity to contain heat.
Well, I think that we have
to put the deuterium
and the lithium in a safe.
The most massive safe you can imagine.
Then we let it implode
until it's super-critical
and the reaction starts.
That will work.
I did basic calculations.
It's a closed system and, in fact,
not very complex to solve.
What do you say, Edward?
Hm.
It is indeed brilliant.
Well done, Stanislaw.
Great work.
Great work, Stan.
I'm calling Washington.
Congratulations.
Now you belong to the establishment.
Yes.
What happened?
Some problems with the memory.
I have an idea since a couple of days.
What if one would use small atomic bombs
as a propulsion for a spaceship?
Did you steal it from a novel like
they did with the fission bomb?
Maybe I should read more science fiction.
- Do you have numbers?
- Some.
You should keep thinking about that.
Could be an alternative to these
Germans in Texas and their rockets.
We should present that.
I'd like to work on it
with you and our friends,
but not with an institution.
I've met somebody.
Great.
I'm happy to hear that.
Tell me, who is she?
What's her name?
Her name is Klari. She's a coder.
She has such an exceptional mind
without being a trained mathematician.
But there is really no point
in being with her.
Why?
I'm afraid of death, Stan.
Claire...
Come to me.
Oops!
Colonel Farbes,
please report to the information desk.
I'd like to visit John Von Neumann.
Sign here, please.
A year of war between
the newly founded state of Israel
and the coalition of
Arab states comes to an end.
See you later.
You should move to Israel.
Why?
Who knows how long it will exist?
By the way,
this guy from a company
in California called me.
They want to develop my idea
about the spaceship
that's driven by small bombs.
You remember?
They call it "Project Orion."
Sounds almost like a novel.
Congratulations.
I'll bet you have something to do with it.
I have so many ideas right now.
You know how bad I am
in writing them down.
Just tell them to me.
Okay.
You know what the fascinating
thing about cancer is?
No, I must have missed it.
Well, cancer is essentially
a self-replicating algorithm,
like the one we were trying to look for.
Have you heard about this guy
who recently discovered DNA?
No.
Cancer is written in our genes.
I think it's fascinating.
I don't think I ever told you
how much you really mean to me.
You are the only functioning
relationship I ever had.
Let's go out.
You know what Zeus did with Prometheus
after he discovered
that he stole the fire?
He put him in chains
and sent an eagle every day
to tear a piece of his liver out.
All this work we were doing in New Mexico.
The horrible deaths
of people in Hiroshima.
And now this hydrogen bomb.
We can't get away with it.
What about making sure
it never happens again?
You know what I mean.
Look what happened to us in Europe.
Wasn't that the true purpose of it?
Wasn't that why we went there
in the first place?
Johnny, we had a responsibility.
That's what you told me.
That's $1.20.
Here's one.
- And you can keep the change.
- Thanks.
I'm really worried about him.
Adam...
it's good to see you.
Call me if you need anything.
I like Molly.
Do you have plans together?
Plans?
Actually, I do.
I want to cut all ties
with my Jewish identity.
Oh.
Yes.
I'm sorry I left you.
I was wrong. I know that now.
That's good to hear.
- Thank you.
- I realized it a long time ago,
but I didn't know how to tell you.
Who do you think you are, Staszek?
Who do you think you are?
Now you feel the need to talk to me?
So you wanted to talk all this time,
but until now you couldn't?
- It wasn't so easy.
- Mm-hm.
Right.
A few cards and a letter,
that's all you could manage.
I called you.
Yes.
Every six months.
So tell me, what's going on
in your fabulous life?
Any new bombs?
You must be so proud of yourself.
- I shouldn't have left you.
- I don't care!
You made a choice, now live with it.
You'll scare her.
You'll scare her. She's a good girl.
I don't want you to lose her.
- I know what happened.
- What happened?
- She told me she found you...
- Yes, I fainted.
I fainted, I lost consciousness.
It can happen to anyone.
It's none of your business.
- Listen...
- No, you listen to me, Stan.
I was alone in a small room
in Cambridge...
when I heard about Stefania's death.
I just needed you to be there with me.
But your bomb was more important.
You're right.
So what?
What should I do with this now?
Do you have a solution?
Just leave.
I didn't help create the bomb
to kill people.
I wanted to save our family.
I left you.
Yes.
But I went there hoping that...
all I created in my life...
is burnt sand.
Around me, only ash and death.
I don't want this anymore.
We call them the Anasazi,
the Ancient Ones or the Elders.
They lived here over 2,000 years ago.
No one knows where they came from.
And then one day they disappeared,
only leaving behind their knowledge.
Much like you.
They were a tribe
of highly intelligent people.
They have left their marks on the land
and on the following generations.
They had a rich culture.
They all shared a bond.
A common story...
of solving neutron fusion...
Tell me, Stan,
what's the point of hiking when you have
these fantastic new binoculars?
The air around here gives me headaches.
Don't get a stroke.
It would be a loss given
your special mind.
Oh.
Do you know this one?
A religious man wants to know
whether sex on Sabbath is a sin.
Somehow he's not sure if sex
is work or pleasure.
So he goes to a priest.
And the priest reads for hours
in the Bible.
Then he says, "My son,
after a long Bible reading,
I'm sure sex is work,
and therefore not allowed on Sunday."
The man thinks, "What does this
priest actually know about sex?"
So he goes to a minister,
he gets the same answer,
but he still is not convinced.
Then he looks for the ultimate authority:
a man with thousands of years
of knowledge.
A rabbi.
The rabbi looks at him and then says...
"My son, sex is clearly pleasure."
"How can you be so sure if
nobody else is?" the man asks.
The rabbi turns to him and goes...
"Oh, if sex would be work,
my wife would leave it to the maid."
That's right.
By the way, have you found a way
to calculate the impact yet?
We're still struggling with
the final stages of the chain reactions.
Transfer me into your group.
I could solve it in a heartbeat.
Operator. How can I help?
Can you please connect me
with Lvov in Poland?
Certainly, sir.
Thank you.
I got math class...
There's no connection at the moment.
Oh.
Are the lines still up?
I have no information about that, sir.
Thank you.
Shouldn't you be in bed?
I have to finish my essay about Lvov.
Uh-huh.
Stasiu?
I don't want to tell them that I'm Jewish.
Well, then don't.
There are wonderful things
to say about Lvov.
Tell them about your brother,
a brilliant mathematician,
and his friends from the Scottish caf.
Cheer up.
I don't like it here.
I have a surprise for you.
What surprise?
From Stefka?
Hm?
- Oh, come on.
- Wait.
Out loud, please.
Okay, I'll read it aloud.
Read it.
"Dear brothers.
I hope you're both well
and not teasing each other too much.
Stasio, I'm very proud of you.
So are Mom and Dad.
I'm sending the photo you asked for.
Please thank Johnny for his help
with the bank.
Dad is still working.
Everything is fine in Lvov.
The Russians don't do much,
they bring food and supplies.
Also Mom is getting better.
The new doctor is helping her a lot..."
If everything's fine
why aren't they coming?
Stefania will come.
She told me so.
Mom also feels better.
But we can't rush it.
All you can do is work hard
at school and get good grades.
Understand?
Understand.
Go to sleep.
Calculus is the boring part
of mathematics.
But you can do fascinating things with it.
You can, for example, compose music.
And even, more importantly,
go to Las Vegas and win card games.
I'll show you something.
Gambling is all about probability.
Here are 33 cards.
Twenty-two are black
and only 11 are red.
Now, George,
let's imagine that your job
is to find the red cards.
For every dollar you bet,
I would give you double
the amount if you win.
A quick digression:
if your budget is one dollar,
how much money you could possibly win?
- It doubles every time, right?
- Uh-huh.
I can't do that in my head.
I'm not a genius.
2,048.
But...
how do you know whether
you should keep playing?
I go with my gut.
Think of it.
Thirty-three cards.
Eleven are red.
One in every three is red, right?
Which means that your chances of losing
are twice as likely than winning.
Try.
And I've got a higher chance
with the second card I pick.
Exactly.
But it doesn't matter how it turns out.
Every game you play tells you something.
Just play more card games.
And learn mathematics.
Let's continue next time.
- Goodbye, Mr. Ulam.
- Goodbye.
Here.
Did you have a chance to think about
my friends from Poland?
We could use them here.
They are willing to teach.
I've made some calls,
but it's not looking promising.
And with the recent situation
between Germany and Russia,
things could get more difficult.
- What do you mean?
- You haven't heard?
Hitler's invaded Russia.
You lazy son of a bitch.
You are teaching Catholic
and Protestant kids gambling tricks,
and telling them what
they learn in Harvard
is an unimportant part of mathematics.
Well, I try my best, Johnny.
How is Marietta?
Not good.
She loves you. She's only confused.
No, she's in love with
this young physicist.
She said I bore her.
But she still brings me my favorite food.
I don't get it.
Do you know why Jesus is not a Hungarian?
Why not?
Because they could not find
three wise men and a virgin.
What about your family?
Well...
I tried to convince them to leave,
but my father doesn't want
to go to the U.S.
You know, these stubborn Poles.
Do they have enough money
to get out of Lvov?
Yes.
Yes.
But I want to send them more,
and I don't know whether
they want to extend my fellowship.
I bet you gave them good reasons not to.
- Hello.
- Hi.
Hey, Stan. You want to join us?
We're French, Lithuanian, Bulgarian.
We need a Pole.
And since you're the only one
I know and like...
- What are you playing?
- Belote.
Well, let me watch a few rounds first,
and then I can show you how to win.
The bloody French
together with Chamberlain
could have stopped him in 1938.
Who wanted to go to war again?
Come on.
He invaded Czechoslovakia
and no one helped.
Remember, eight million dead
in the Great War.
There were a lot of reasons
not to go to war.
In any case, my friends,
the Germans will have trouble
to hold all this territory.
They don't have the resources
for world war.
- You're sure about that one?
- Of course.
But they have a lot of good
scientists and engineers.
Isn't it in the end just men
fighting against other men?
Well, she has a point there.
They lose scientists every day.
- I'm going to have a drink.
- They'll feel it soon.
Europe is dying, my friends.
Come on, don't talk like that.
He's underestimating the U.S.
Do I know you?
It would be stupid of me to deny this.
Oh, would it?
I am Stan.
I'm Franoise.
And what does Stan do?
I'm a mathematician.
Mm.
I've only met physicists and chemists,
but never a mathematician.
Can one make a living out of that?
Well, the question is,
can we all make a living without it?
I teach in Harvard.
In Harvard?
That's impressive.
I don't have permission to stay,
because the college I'm studying
at is for women,
and not so well recognized like Harvard.
And, unfortunately,
I'm not a genius scientist like yourself.
So, what are you doing?
I like to write.
Oh.
What do you write about?
I come from a Jewish family,
and there's a lot
to write about these days.
Yes.
But tell me...
I don't know a thing
about the theory of relativity,
for example.
Oh.
It's actually very simple.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
Could you imagine that nobody else
is here in the room,
and that we are the only two planets
in the universe?
Nothing is certain then,
because there are no fixed points.
Everything you say is true
from the perspective of your planet,
and everything I say is true
from the perspective of mine.
The only thing we know for sure
is that the speed of light
is the same everywhere...
and for everyone.
Well, that is the basic idea.
And the rest are just
complicated consequences.
Come on, Stan.
You should go.
We should continue this conversation.
Who knows?
We probably will.
Get over here.
You're better off writing a telegram.
The lines to Poland are very fickle.
Sir?
Could you please try it one more time?
Who knows? Maybe God throws
the dice for me.
I need to speak to her.
You don't have any other address?
No, I haven't.
It's the house of Michal Ulam.
He's an architect.
Stasio?
Stefka?
How are you?
It's so good to hear your voice again.
How is Adam?
He likes it here. It is all good.
Tell me, how is my little nephew, Josi?
He eats a lot, he's happiest then.
A typical Ulam.
Listen...
I transferred more money since last time.
Take our parents and go by train.
I heard the Germans are close.
It's in every newspaper.
You have to leave Lvov.
I'll take care of it.
I have to plan it.
I need to find a route.
I don't know where to go.
Don't take too long.
Talk to Uncle Michal, go to the West.
Can I speak to Dad?
He's out at the moment.
All will be good, Stasio.
Why are little brothers always so worried?
You're just one year older.
Don't lecture me.
I used to do that to you. Remember?
Yes, I remember.
Don't show all the time how smart you are.
That always got you in trouble.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again.
Me too.
Is that your sister?
Yes.
She is beautiful.
I teach here while my hometown
is invaded by Germans.
I should become a soldier.
Do you want us to lose the war?
Our skill is not fighting, Stan.
You have a brain.
Use it.
That's how we can help.
What do you mean?
There is a place in the West
where they are hiring a lot
of mathematicians right now.
They need people like us.
Which place?
If it's Las Vegas, I'm in.
These guys over there
want to end this war.
Once and for all.
I never thought about you,
because you would have to do it alone.
Only wives and children are allowed.
What about Adam?
Could I bring him?
That's impossible, Stan.
It's your call.
Mr. Ulam.
Mr. Ulam.
What?
This is all we need
for the exam, right?
Oh, yes.
Just keep applying this.
Practice every day,
and you should be fine.
- I'll take it.
- Thank you, Adam.
You're very welcome.
May I ask you something?
Of course.
How is your family?
I haven't heard from them in a long time.
A while ago I got a telegram
from my brother.
He managed to get to London,
and he joined the Free French Forces.
- He's a soldier?
- No, he's a journalist.
But he decided to join the army.
I'd also like to join them.
Good.
But even a soldier has to sleep.
- Good night, Francoise.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What is it?
You know, I asked Johnny about the job.
- Yes?
- I got it.
Congratulations.
However...
it would mean...
it would mean moving
to the other side of America.
Thank you.
Why don't we get married.
Excuse me?
That way you could stay in the U.S.
It sounds extreme, I know, but...
actually it could just be on paper.
You don't have to come with me.
You are totally free to stay here.
I'm serious.
You're weird.
Doesn't it make sense?
But, Stan, this is not an equation.
Maybe it doesn't sound so romantic.
Not so romantic?
You're funny.
Look at it as an adventure.
If you are looking for an adventure,
go and climb a mountain.
Wouldn't it be better to stay in
a safe country?
No, I can't.
Listen...
I like your sense of humor,
and I wouldn't ask just anybody
to marry me.
Oh, thank you.
I'm very happy to hear that.
Look, you could stay here
as a married woman.
- You don't have to tell anybody.
- No?
And if you fall in love,
we can get a divorce.
Living divorced as a woman?
What a nice life on top of all that.
Then we can stay married.
No problem.
So?
No.
Definitely not.
How long are you staying there?
I really don't know.
- A few weeks?
- Yes.
Maybe longer.
Uncle Zygmunt will take care of you.
You'll see, you'll love New York.
There you go.
One ticket to Penn Station, please.
- Return?
- No.
Two dollars, please.
Thanks.
- Thank you.
- Did you bring your ring,
Mrs. Ulam?
- My ring?
- Yes.
Of course I did.
Oh, it's a nice one.
And you know what?
Johnny told me how wonderful
is the climate there.
You should've married Johnny.
- Really?
- Yes.
Hm.
Papers.
Go ahead.
Anybody interested in playing cards
in the evening
and discussing the state of the universe?
No way.
I can't afford to play you.
I'm already recovering from last week.
Come on, Jack.
No.
I'll let you win,
and make sure you don't lose money.
Don't ask me. I'm broke.
Klaus?
I'd rather go back to Germany.
Then go back to Germany.
Leave the guy alone.
Gentlemen.
Has anybody seen my brown notepad?
The brown one?
Small one, right?
With all the brilliant ideas in it?
Yes, Jack. Where is it?
I don't know. I haven't seen it.
Edward, do you mind
if we all go and work outside?
The weather is beautiful.
Very often you're late.
You take breaks whenever you want.
We have to make progress here
and prove that my idea works.
Did you think about the interaction
between the electrons and the gas?
I asked you to come up
with an approach for it.
Tomorrow. I'm almost done.
I'll come by at your house.
Like you already said yesterday.
I don't understand your concept.
A hydrogen bomb requires far more energy
than the atomic one.
Where does the energy come from?
Well, I suggest that before you are trying
to prove that my idea doesn't work,
you should show to all of us
what they first teach to a student
from the famous Lvov school in Poland.
Maybe I've missed it,
but respect seems to be absent
from your repertoire.
Edward, the atomic bomb seems
like a firecracker next to this.
What's the purpose?
You get out now.
What?
Get out!
I am fed up with you!
You're here to help, and you don't.
Let us work.
I hear they're going to detonate it
from the top of a tower.
I think they're
already building a site there.
You've seen it?
I call him M.A.N.I.A.C., which means,
"Mathematical And Numerical
Integrator And Computer."
You can run all sorts of programs on it,
not just one.
It's like a new instrument.
Now we need to write the sheet music.
You still have your headaches?
It's better.
Just the change of the seasons.
Maybe you smoke too much.
Smoking is good for the brain.
Tell me.
Is there a date for the bomb test yet?
- I don't know.
- Come on, Johnny.
They have problems
with some of the calculations,
and Oppenheimer is afraid
that there might be a risk
to blow up the atmosphere.
He's paranoid.
We need to speed things up.
We must finish the bomb...
in case the Nazis do it.
Then let me help.
I don't like working with Edward.
I don't get why he's so obsessed
with this hydrogen bomb.
And I don't think he really
knows what he's talking about.
Please, focus on your work.
People have already complained
about you twice,
and you've been there a couple of months.
Also, Oppenheimer heard about you.
Can't you just do what they ask?
Quantum physics means
there's no objective
observation possible, right?
But wasn't that the basis
of science forever?
These days are over, my friend.
Tell me, do you see any innocent
bystander in this world?
Why should that be different
on the subatomic level?
I guess there's room for irony
in the quantum world.
- See you tomorrow.
- See you.
Hey, you heard about this dance
thing at Fuller Lodge, right?
Oh, yeah, Francoise wants to go.
- You gonna go?
- Of course.
Let's go.
See you tomorrow.
- Hello, Stan.
- Hello, Irene.
I had another fight
with Edward today.
Tell me.
It's confidential.
Well...
you have to talk to him.
I'm sure you can sort it out.
To be honest, I'm not interested
in sorting it out.
I was just pointing out that he was wrong.
It's true.
It's what I did.
Edward's wife is nice.
Maybe I can talk to her.
There's no need.
You don't have to, really.
Well, I'm sure she can
convince him to talk to you.
Can I ask you something?
Yes, of course.
What is the plan with this bomb?
Basically, it's about having it
before Hitler does.
So it means they definitely
wouldn't use it?
- Right?
- No.
I don't think the Americans would use it
if nobody else does.
It's a deterrent.
They just want to show it as a warning.
But you know what is bothering me?
The other wives tell me
that you are working
on an even bigger bomb now.
Why would they need to do that?
Isn't it funny what the other wives know?
But it's strange to be having a child
when you are working on a bomb like that.
I wouldn't worry about it.
I am convinced it will prove
impossible to build.
Come.
I put it in me pocket
And I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore
That she never would
Deceive me
But the devil take the women
For they never can be easy
Mush-a ring
Dumb-a do dumb-a da
Worked for my daddy-o
Worked for my daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar
The shipping line got back to me.
Stefania has picked up
her tickets in Gdansk.
- That's great.
- Yes.
Yes, it is.
My parents also just arrived in Halifax.
They came from England.
The Atlantic is much safer now.
You should tell it to Adam.
I will.
I'm working on
a self-replicating algorithm,
trying it on the M.A.N.I.A.C.
Do you have any ideas?
You mean to simulate chain reactions?
Mm-hm.
Let me think about it.
Can you ride a horse?
I tried a donkey once.
I only bet on horses.
Look at it.
I don't think it perceives himself
as not living in freedom.
You have a broken heart, Johnny.
Ex-wives and horses make you sentimental.
Maybe.
But life is much more complicated
than relations between numbers.
Ladies and gentlemen, hello.
So thank you all for coming out tonight,
and thank you to our wonderful band,
the Los Alamos Wranglers.
Today, the U.S. Navy sank
two Japanese aircraft carriers.
The big ones, folks.
Now let's give a cheer
to our fighting men.
It's time to dance.
Do I have a volunteer?
Jack.
Give your partner a hug
like we Americans do.
Seven hundred dollars
For this suit and those shoes
Dressed up like a crazy clown
You spent $700
For this suit and those shoes
Bow your head and hold these shoes
And let me down
Then you shout and you scream
And you dance like the devil
Twisting like there's rockets
In your brain
You spent $700
For this suit
And them shoes
For that girl I need in this crowd
Then you shout and you scream
And you dance like the devil
Twisting like there's rockets
In your brains
Nice party.
$700 for this suit and the shoes
When you don't mind meeting lovebirds
Hey.
- Are you okay?
- Yes.
I'd like to dance some more.
Mwah.
Thanks to the Polish resistance,
the Allies are in Warsaw.
The Germans got stuck in Russia.
I have a friend over there in Europe.
We grew up together in Paris.
You know what? Russia's 10,000 trucks
and a damn sight more guns.
I say it's about time
to tie this brigadier.
You know what, Germans,
they made one big mistake.
They didn't take
the American economy seriously.
Oh, yeah? What about the resistance?
$700 for that suit and the shoes
When this woman is not around
Doesn't he play so skillfully?
Yes, he does.
Stanislaw.
Can I offer you something to drink?
Real mathematicians drink coffee,
don't they?
Yes.
Coffee, thank you.
So, I leave you two alone.
Thank you.
So...
I've heard that you feel sorry
about your behavior in the group.
I did my homework,
like you asked.
I thought extensively about
the gas electron exchange.
I still don't know how to deal
with the repulsive forces
between the particles.
I think we need some kind of new
mathematical tool to solve this.
Great. What kind of tool?
You were talking about the sun.
But we don't understand
how the fusion reaction there
exactly takes place
and how to translate that into maths.
It's based on quantum tunneling.
- We know that.
- Well, yes.
But by the standards of classical physics,
the sun should not even burn.
It's not hot enough. But it does.
You know as well as I
that we can't really explain
why things happen the way they do
on the quantum level.
We don't know how fire worked
for thousands of years,
but they still used it.
There's a difference between a campfire
and a thermonuclear explosion.
I agree we need the atomic bomb
to defeat Hitler.
But we don't need the hydrogen bomb.
We left the realm of civilized discussion
a long time ago.
We fight against everybody here.
Don't you see that?
There's a new threat around every corner.
Take a look at the past
thousand years, Stanislaw.
There were pogroms in Russia,
and now there are death camps in Europe.
We can only rely on ourselves.
I understand, Edward,
but that's not a decision we should make
while living behind fences.
I don't want to be the one
to decide on the fate of mankind.
Aren't you aware there is a war going on?
We are scientists, not Gods.
The hydrogen bomb is
the ultimate insurance.
It secures the future of our children.
You are not supporting it.
I see there is a philosophical objection.
But it's our duty to keep working on it.
See you at work, Stanislaw.
Irene invited me for dinner tonight.
Do you want to join?
Yes.
Why not?
Sure.
Isn't that Jack out there?
Stan!
Stan! Did you hear?
Jack, what happened?
- Stan?
- You haven't heard?
- What happened?
- It's over.
- What's over?
- The war's over in Europe.
We won! We defeated the Nazis!
- We did it. We did it.
- Oh, my God.
It's unbelievable.
It's unbelievable.
Since we're dealing
with it every day,
I have a story for you
about experimental physics.
Okay?
So a guy walks into a bar,
and he has a monkey with him.
And he goes to order a drink.
And as soon as he does,
the monkey freaks out.
Klaus, you seem lost.
- You want to lose some money?
- Yeah.
The monkey pulls the cherry
back out of his ass and he eats it.
And the bartender's like.
"That's disgusting."
And the guy says, "I know,
but ever since the cue ball last week...
now he has to measure things
before he eats them."
Cheers, guys.
Do we play some poker?
So you all really enjoy being employed
by the military?
I mean, we should act as scientists,
not like soldiers.
It contradicts each other.
Don't you think?
No, Klaus, no, it doesn't at all.
The purpose of science is to free mankind
and to satisfy our need to know why,
and this is precisely what is happening
in this country at this moment.
So where is the contradiction?
And besides, look at how
the Catholic Church supported art.
You should wear a bishop's miter, Johnny.
What is it with you and Catholicism?
So we all came here for one reason.
To defeat the Nazis.
Now what?
Well, we are still
at war with Japan.
This is pretty simple, Jack.
We are all going to have
atomic weapons in the future.
But at the same time,
we will have unlimited amounts of energy.
And Stalin will own half of Europe.
You can come in now, Mr. Ulam.
Do you want to hold her?
Hey.
Her name is Claire.
That's a beautiful French name.
Like yours.
I want to thank you for your hard work
and your dedication to this project.
After all these months
of sleepless nights,
we have finally reached a crucial point.
If Trinity is a success tonight,
I need all our resources diverted
into preparing
two more gadgets right away.
Why?
I mean, what for?
Further tests.
They're not thinking
about actually using the bomb, are they?
Anyway, I'm afraid I have
no more resources for this.
That's why I'd like to put the work
of the H-Bomb group on hold.
Mr. Oppenheimer,
this is a much more complex undertaking
than with the atomic bomb.
With all respect, if we keep on going,
we have the ability to build it
in the near future.
What do you think of Edward's concept,
Professor Von Neumann?
I don't think we should
stop working on it,
but we need to find a way
to calculate this kind of reaction.
That's why I'd like to advocate
the ideas of Mr. Ulam.
His is an original mind.
Stan?
Well...
Edward's principle is based on heat,
but we lose too much heat
to the environment, so...
We don't. And it works.
So far, you approached the problem
from the side of physics, as an engineer.
But speaking from
a gambler's point of view,
we can essentially understand
the bomb as one very big casino,
where the odds are always
against the players.
But you ask us to somehow beat the house.
Okay, thank you, Mr. Ulam.
We should not build that bomb.
And why is that?
Excuse me, gentlemen.
Are you coming
to the test tonight?
I think I should spend the evening
with my wife and daughter
instead of watching the most gruesome
weapon in the universe melt the desert,
I'm sorry.
So you're also
against the atomic bomb?
Do we want to spend
the rest of our lives
with a gun to our heads?
We have made the decision to come here.
Now we need to deal with it.
Isn't this meaningless?
We have to understand
the process behind it.
I need another drink.
Why is it so quiet tonight, honey?
It was quiet.
Good morning, Stan.
This stop: Block T.
It was like nothing I have seen before.
Like a divine force.
Like something
that shouldn't be used by us.
That isn't meant for us.
I don't know.
What happened to your hands?
- Hm?
- Your hands.
Today, we are proud to
announce that the United States of America
successfully dropped a second atomic bomb,
on the city of Nagasaki.
The United States government has asked
for the unconditional surrender of Japan.
Initial estimates suggest
there could be in excess
of 130,000 people.
We'll have more over the next few days.
Unfortunately, that is all the information
that I have here, gentlemen.
Mr. Oppenheimer.
Sir?
We're supposed to have
a party now or something?
And if so,
remind me why exactly?
Why two bombs?
I mean, one is a crime against mankind,
but we dropped two.
Why?
I wanted to hear that from him.
Because the United States won this war.
Excuse me?
We murdered civilians.
We saved a lot of lives of Japanese
and American soldiers.
- Even civilians.
- It's an act of barbarism
to burn women and children alive
with a hellfire!
I calculated the ideal height
to detonate the bomb
so as to achieve a maximum energy yield.
- I understand.
- I did that!
What did I do?
Appeasement encouraged barbarism, Jack.
Europe committed suicide.
The brave Europeans in France and England
didn't want to go to war
until it was inevitable.
And that's why
we need the thermonuclear.
From now on, our life becomes
an existential game.
It is called "Who shoots first?"
We need to find the...
Where is Klaus?
Obviously not here.
I go for lunch.
This is a madhouse.
Thank you.
Look at you.
Staszek, Stefania is dead.
How is life in Cambridge?
Good.
I got a grant for my thesis.
That's wonderful.
Thank you.
I should put her to bed.
Yeah, sure.
- Come on, Claire.
- Good night, Claire.
- Do you need some help?
- No, that's okay.
Shh.
How did it happen?
I got a message...
that Stefania was hiding
in the outskirts of Lvov...
with this woman,
a friend of hers.
And...
they unfortunately were captured
by the Nazis.
Stefania had to lead them to the place
where she was hiding her jewelry.
They promised not to shoot her
if she would do that...
but they didn't keep their promise.
Yossi, our nephew, was also shot.
And the other woman.
Oh, my God.
I spoke to our uncle Michal,
but he doesn't know where our parents are.
He just told me that our flat is empty.
I wanted to talk to Stan about it.
I sent several telegrams,
but he never answered.
He just left me behind. He...
He didn't care.
It's not true, Adam.
Stan!
Stan, talk to me!
Stan! Stan!
Thank you.
Mr. Ulam.
How are we feeling?
What's happened?
You had brain inflammation.
Aren't you supposed to say
comforting things to a patient?
Well, we had to drill a hole
in your head.
And you have a very hard head,
I'll give you that.
I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
Hm.
Let me ask you something.
What's nine times seven?
I am a mathematician, not a computer.
Okay.
All right.
Trust me, Stan.
You will recover.
But it'll take some time.
Whoo-hoo!
Stan.
You shouldn't smoke.
Give me your cigarette.
Please give me your cigarette.
Why can't you just leave me alone, hm?
Go home and write your diary.
I don't need you telling me what to do.
I can't just sit here and stare
at the water like an idiot!
I can't! I'm fed up with it!
Don't you understand?
What's the point of it?
If I can't think, I can't even joke.
If I can't joke...
what's left for us, huh?
Besides bottomless tragedy?
Your daughter is not a bottomless tragedy.
I didn't tell you, Johnny called.
He'd like to visit you.
I don't want to see him.
But it's Johnny.
I don't know what to talk about.
I can't think any equation
through at the moment.
I might be finished.
You are not finished.
He's your best friend.
Talk about something else with him.
The only thing I can think about
is that I cannot think.
I know.
Claire really loves the seaside.
Look at her.
Isn't it a waste of time?
You don't have to play
to know the outcome.
There are only two options:
winning or losing.
What is it?
You're right.
You are absolutely right.
You don't need to play...
to know the outcome.
They should drill more holes in your head
if you come up with this kind of idea.
I was wondering what the chances are
a solitaire game with 52 cards
will come out successfully.
I tried it by combinatorial calculations,
but I felt that it needed
some kind of abstract thinking.
Essentially,
the more games we play,
the more exactly we can predict
the outcome without playing.
Exactly.
This is the mathematical tool
we always mentioned.
You are brilliant, Stan.
You remember that we couldn't find Klaus?
Yes.
He appears to be in Russia.
And not because of the Nutcracker suite.
The son of a bitch told them
everything they need to know about bombs.
Now Edward has all the support
and is working on the fusion.
You have to come back to Los Alamos.
It will be better.
You could also teach again.
No.
I need to go back there.
But...
doesn't it feel wrong to have a kid
and keep working on this bomb?
What about us?
Jocelyn.
I need this again All of it.
- Yes, sir.
- Good? No mistakes.
Look who's here.
In Goettingen we used to say,
"A mathematician is a machine
that translates coffee into theorems."
So how do the calculations look?
I have to discuss them with Washington.
Congratulations on your promotion.
It suits you.
Thank you.
Could you give me a little more detail
on the parts that I've marked?
Edward...
I actually think it's not the math.
It seems as if the general engineering
of the bomb doesn't work.
You lose too much heat to the environment.
It cools down too fast,
and you propose to blow up
two atomic bombs to make it work.
But it doesn't.
Then use three bombs.
The fusion reaction works once
we get it started.
The bomb is already very big.
With three bombs,
it's as large as a truck.
Stanislaw, why don't you leave
this to an engineer to solve?
Listen...
I am glad that you had a change of heart.
I am, really.
We do need your ideas.
Especially since we haven't got much time.
Thanks to Klaus,
the Russians have their own bomb now.
I never really liked Fritz.
Well, Klaus was a very good poker player.
And a traitor.
Stefka?
Stefania?
I'm thinking about several ways
to solve the bomb's engineering problem.
The fusion seems only possible
with an immense amount of pressure.
Did you talk with Edward?
No.
I have to figure it out first.
Do you remember our hiking trips?
They never liked us,
because we were slowing the group down.
I miss the humor, Johnny.
Do you know the joke about
the dying Jew in Prague?
Jew lies on his deathbed.
He says, "My beloved wife, are you here?"
She answers, "Yes, of course."
So he turns to his son:
"My son, are you here?"
The son cries and says, "Yes."
This goes on.
"My brother, are you there?"
Also the brother is there.
Suddenly,
the old Jew gets really, really angry
and says, "But who's in the store, then?"
Hello, I'm a clown.
You seem distant.
You sit here, but you're not here.
You're absent.
I found out how to solve it.
The hydrogen bomb.
I know how to make it work.
But I'm not sure whether
I should tell them.
If you're not sure,
then what's the point in spending
any more time here?
We could just leave.
Doesn't Edward have a point?
It's just a matter of time
before the Russians get the hydrogen bomb.
Equal chances.
Doesn't it secure Claire's future?
I don't know what to do.
Let's have a normal life.
Because I can't stand this any longer.
The problem remains that
we can't keep the temperature steady.
The sun uses gravity to contain heat.
Well, I think that we have
to put the deuterium
and the lithium in a safe.
The most massive safe you can imagine.
Then we let it implode
until it's super-critical
and the reaction starts.
That will work.
I did basic calculations.
It's a closed system and, in fact,
not very complex to solve.
What do you say, Edward?
Hm.
It is indeed brilliant.
Well done, Stanislaw.
Great work.
Great work, Stan.
I'm calling Washington.
Congratulations.
Now you belong to the establishment.
Yes.
What happened?
Some problems with the memory.
I have an idea since a couple of days.
What if one would use small atomic bombs
as a propulsion for a spaceship?
Did you steal it from a novel like
they did with the fission bomb?
Maybe I should read more science fiction.
- Do you have numbers?
- Some.
You should keep thinking about that.
Could be an alternative to these
Germans in Texas and their rockets.
We should present that.
I'd like to work on it
with you and our friends,
but not with an institution.
I've met somebody.
Great.
I'm happy to hear that.
Tell me, who is she?
What's her name?
Her name is Klari. She's a coder.
She has such an exceptional mind
without being a trained mathematician.
But there is really no point
in being with her.
Why?
I'm afraid of death, Stan.
Claire...
Come to me.
Oops!
Colonel Farbes,
please report to the information desk.
I'd like to visit John Von Neumann.
Sign here, please.
A year of war between
the newly founded state of Israel
and the coalition of
Arab states comes to an end.
See you later.
You should move to Israel.
Why?
Who knows how long it will exist?
By the way,
this guy from a company
in California called me.
They want to develop my idea
about the spaceship
that's driven by small bombs.
You remember?
They call it "Project Orion."
Sounds almost like a novel.
Congratulations.
I'll bet you have something to do with it.
I have so many ideas right now.
You know how bad I am
in writing them down.
Just tell them to me.
Okay.
You know what the fascinating
thing about cancer is?
No, I must have missed it.
Well, cancer is essentially
a self-replicating algorithm,
like the one we were trying to look for.
Have you heard about this guy
who recently discovered DNA?
No.
Cancer is written in our genes.
I think it's fascinating.
I don't think I ever told you
how much you really mean to me.
You are the only functioning
relationship I ever had.
Let's go out.
You know what Zeus did with Prometheus
after he discovered
that he stole the fire?
He put him in chains
and sent an eagle every day
to tear a piece of his liver out.
All this work we were doing in New Mexico.
The horrible deaths
of people in Hiroshima.
And now this hydrogen bomb.
We can't get away with it.
What about making sure
it never happens again?
You know what I mean.
Look what happened to us in Europe.
Wasn't that the true purpose of it?
Wasn't that why we went there
in the first place?
Johnny, we had a responsibility.
That's what you told me.
That's $1.20.
Here's one.
- And you can keep the change.
- Thanks.
I'm really worried about him.
Adam...
it's good to see you.
Call me if you need anything.
I like Molly.
Do you have plans together?
Plans?
Actually, I do.
I want to cut all ties
with my Jewish identity.
Oh.
Yes.
I'm sorry I left you.
I was wrong. I know that now.
That's good to hear.
- Thank you.
- I realized it a long time ago,
but I didn't know how to tell you.
Who do you think you are, Staszek?
Who do you think you are?
Now you feel the need to talk to me?
So you wanted to talk all this time,
but until now you couldn't?
- It wasn't so easy.
- Mm-hm.
Right.
A few cards and a letter,
that's all you could manage.
I called you.
Yes.
Every six months.
So tell me, what's going on
in your fabulous life?
Any new bombs?
You must be so proud of yourself.
- I shouldn't have left you.
- I don't care!
You made a choice, now live with it.
You'll scare her.
You'll scare her. She's a good girl.
I don't want you to lose her.
- I know what happened.
- What happened?
- She told me she found you...
- Yes, I fainted.
I fainted, I lost consciousness.
It can happen to anyone.
It's none of your business.
- Listen...
- No, you listen to me, Stan.
I was alone in a small room
in Cambridge...
when I heard about Stefania's death.
I just needed you to be there with me.
But your bomb was more important.
You're right.
So what?
What should I do with this now?
Do you have a solution?
Just leave.
I didn't help create the bomb
to kill people.
I wanted to save our family.
I left you.
Yes.
But I went there hoping that...
all I created in my life...
is burnt sand.
Around me, only ash and death.
I don't want this anymore.
We call them the Anasazi,
the Ancient Ones or the Elders.
They lived here over 2,000 years ago.
No one knows where they came from.
And then one day they disappeared,
only leaving behind their knowledge.
Much like you.
They were a tribe
of highly intelligent people.
They have left their marks on the land
and on the following generations.
They had a rich culture.
They all shared a bond.
A common story...