The president of United States has just signed a treaty with the Soviet Union requiring both countries to destroy their nuclear weapons. The polls show the treaty to be unpopular. The charismatic Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff believes that the Soviets will cheat and launch a nuclear surprise attack that would kill hundreds of millions and destroy the United States. To thwart the treaty, he and a cadre of like-minded officers plot to seize control of the U.S. government. A vigilant colonel, committed to the U.S. Constitution, uncovers the scheme. But are the seven fateful days ahead enough time to derail a takeover? The clock is ticking.

Released the same year that ushered in Fail-Safeand Dr. Strangelove, this John Frankenheimer (Manchurian Candidate) film explored another nightmare scenario of the Cold War - a right-wing military coup in the United States. The book and film were inspired by the disarmament debate at the end of the Eisenhower years and start of the Kennedy years. President John F. Kennedy admired the novel so much that he allowed Frankenheimer to film outside the White House in late 1963, but the Department of Defense objected to the negative portrayal of the military and refused cooperation. Starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, the film is a fine example of Cold War psychological drama at its best.