A new film, "The Brink of War," is shedding light on the critical 1986 Reykjavik Summit, a pivotal moment in the Cold War where U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met to discuss arms control and the potential end of nuclear war.
The film, written and directed by Michael Russell Gunn, stars Jeff Daniels as Reagan, Jared Harris as Gorbachev, and J.K. Simmons as Secretary of State George Shultz. The idea for the movie originated from a conversation Gunn had with the real George Shultz, who recounted his experiences at the summit.
"I had never heard of this summit before," Gunn said, "but once I found out I couldn’t stop thinking of it."
The Reykjavik Summit was a high-stakes meeting, with more than 30 hours of intense debate between Reagan and Gorbachev. The primary objective was to address arms control between the two superpowers, hoping to reduce the pervasive threat of nuclear conflict.
According to recollections, significant preparation typically precedes such high-level meetings. However, the approach to the Reykjavik Summit was notably last-minute. The Reagan administration actively sought to avoid characterizing the event as a formal summit, referring to it instead as "just a meeting."
The film aims to provide a spotlight on this historical moment, exploring the intense negotiations that took place over those 30 hours in Iceland, as the leaders grappled with issues that affected both their nations and the entire world.
The dedication of "The Brink of War" to George Shultz underscores the personal connection the filmmaker has to the event, drawing directly from the accounts of a key participant. The film's focus on the Reykjavik Summit highlights a critical period where direct engagement between leaders offered a path toward peace during the Cold War.