I seen this twice so far...tremendous movie...but one thing I didn't catch both times was the guy who Oppenheimer left his son to...he said something to Oppenheimer in private and he looked very nervous when saying it. Oppenheimer then said in the hearing that he "should have reported it". What was that all about? I didn't get it either time. I felt like I "got" the rest of the movie but not that scene. Any ideas?
Thanks!
I can’t remember if it was the same guy who took his son but one of his close socialist friends was making an overture to him on behalf of the Soviet Union. He didn’t act on it but neither did he report it.
shareYep that's the guy...do u know what the overture was, by any chance? (Thank you!)
sharePer Wikipedia:
In January or February 1943, [Haakon] Chevalier had a brief conversation with Oppenheimer in the kitchen of his home. Chevalier told Oppenheimer that there was a scientist, George Eltenton, who could transmit information of a technical nature to the Soviet Union.[17]
Also
In May 1942, after the US had also joined the war and was therefore an ally of the USSR, the Eltentons had Poitr Ivanov, the third secretary at the Soviet Consulate as a dinner guest. It was there that Ivanov raised the possibility of atomic research being shared between the US and the USSR, and suggested three scientists who might be prepared to do so, if discretion could be assured. Eltenton was doubtful, but agreed to ask a mutual friend Haakon Chevalier to suggest this to Oppenheimer.[23] Chevalier reported back that Oppenheimer was not interested, but when the fact of the approach was revealed by Oppenheimer in 1946, Eltenton was interviewed by the FBI.[24]
Very interesting...Thanks!
shareI've seen the movie multiple times and I'm still not quite sure which side Chevalier was on.
Oppie notes--correctly--that sharing such info with the Soviets would be treason. Chevalier agrees and the discussion ends there.
What isn't clear to me is whether Chevalier is encouraging Oppie to commit treason, or is opposed to treason and is warning Oppie of Eltenton's potentially treasonous activities. The interaction is too brief for me to be sure--and given that the real life incident this was based on was also apparently quite brief, Chevalier's exact motives may have died with him and never be known for sure.