"I think the signing of a nuclear disarmament pact with the Soviet Union is at best an act of naivete, and at worst an unsupportable negligence. We've stayed alive because we've built up an arsenal, and we've kept the peace because we've dealt with an enemy who knew we would use that arsenal. And now we're asked to believe that a piece of paper will take the place of missile sites and Polaris submarines, and that an enemy who hasn't honored one solemn treaty in the history of its existence will now, for our convenience, do precisely that. I have strong doubts, gentlemen."

"There hasn't been a single piece of paper written in the history of mankind that could serve as a deterrent to a Pearl Harbor. I sometimes wonder why we haven't learned that lesson by now. Every 20 years or so we have to pick ourselves up off the floor bleeding and pay for that mistake. Those mistakes are delivered to us C.O.D. by peace loving men. And bought and paid for with the lives of other men. Men in uniform."

"[introducing his dog Trimmer to Col. Casey] Trimmer is a very political dog. He doesn't have many principles, but he's loyal to his friends."

"All you've got to know is this: right now the government of the United States is sitting on top of the Washington Monument, right on the very point, tilting right and left and ready to fall off and break up on the pavement. There are just a handful of men that can prevent it. And you're one of them."

"You stay put right here... I'm going to phone the White House. Tell you what, friend: when this is over you can take off your girdle and have yourself a real good cry. Say, uh, you got a dime to stop a revolution with?"

"Jordy Boy, right now, short of a Confederate miracle, you're going to be walking in a parade with both your legs cut off. But I'm not going to make matters worse by getting drunk on the job."

"Yes, I know who Judas was. He was a man I worked for and admired until he disgraced the four stars on his uniform."

"I'll make you two promises: a very good steak, medium rare, and the truth, which is very rare."

"Senator Frederick Prentice: Ah, it's as simple as this: the President trusts Russia, and the American people don't. The people don't believe the Russians're going to take those bombs apart on July 1st, and neither do I."

"Colonel William "Mutt" Henderson: We seem to spend more time training for seizure than for prevention, like the Commies already had the stuff, and we had to get it back."

"Christopher Todd: That could easily mean another place. These military games... why, the multiplicity of our secret bases confuses ourselves more than the Soviets."

"I'm suggesting Mr President, there's a military plot to take over the Government of these United States, next Sunday..."

"Burt Lancaster - General James Mattoon Scott"

"Kirk Douglas - Colonel Jiggs Casey"

"Fredric March - President Jordan Lyman"

"Ava Gardner - Eleanor Holbrook"

"Edmond O'Brien - Senator Raymond Clark"

"Martin Balsam - Paul Girard"

"Andrew Duggan - Colonel Mutt Henderson"

"Hugh Marlowe - Harold McPherson"

"Whit Bissell - Senator Frederick Prentice"

"Helen Kleeb - Esther Townsend"

"George Macready - Christopher Todd"

"Richard Anderson - Colonel Ben Murdock"

"Bart Burns - Art Corwin"