World War III (1982)

This was a 2-part (and therefore a mini-series) telefilm with a pretty big cast, airing a year before The Day After, and with the same theme - probable nuclear holocaust due to the political climate of the time, meaning the USA vs. the USSR.  It takes place in the near future of 1987, when Soviet troops arrive in Alaska on a mission of sabotage, escalating things to a global crisis. Ah, those good ol' Cold War days. Fortunately, in real life, we had Reagan as President; in this TV version, Hudson as the Prez is a mite too pacifistic.


Most of the action takes place in northern Alaska and features a fire fight between a Soviet platoon and a National Guard unit which is unprepared for this kind of assault. In addition, the Americans are low on ammo.  The American soldier in charge is actually a military colonel (David Soul) who happened to be transferred there very recently. He is described as a "frustrated genius" at one point. He organizes his men into an effective fighting unit. Cathy Lee Crosby is an intelligence officer also stuck there who happens to be an old flame of his. Jeroen Crabbe plays the soviet colonel in charge  of the invading force. Brian Keith is the Soviet figurehead and Robert Prosky is the general actually in charge of the Soviet Union.
BoG's Score: 7 out of 10
Nuke Trivia: originally to have been directed by Boris Sagal, but he was killed in a helicopter accident; so, it was handed over to Greene.