History Funny / Oppenheimer

** Though Oppenheimer manages to hold his own, as when he reveals what the one chance the Americans have to triumph over the Germans in the race to develop the bomb is:

-->'''Groves:''' *chuckles* You don’t get to say ‘no’ to me.
-->'''Oppenheimer:''' My job is to say ‘no’ to you when you’re wrong.

-->'''Groves:''' ''[smirking]'' ...I’m starting to see where you get your reputation. My favorite response: ‘Oppenheimer couldn’t run a hamburger stand.’
-->'''Oppenheimer:''' It’s true, I can’t. But I can run the Manhattan Project.

'''Scientist:''' Ummmm... I don't know\\

-->'''Groves:''' Are we saying there's a chance that when we push that button...''''' we destroy the world?'''''\\

'''Oppenheimer:''' ''(shrugs)'' What do you want from theory alone?\\

** The way Groves learns of this possibility: Fermi was taking ''bets'' on whether it would happen (and it was a {{side bet}}). Best of all, this [[TruthInTelevision actually happened]].
** While the team waits out a passing thunderstorm, Isidor Rabi tells the chief meteorologist he ''*might*'' want to tell his men to get away from the giant metal tower with an ''atomic bomb'' on the top of it.
** Edward Teller prepares for the Trinity Test by pulling up a lounge chair and smearing sunscreen on his face, as though it were another day on the beach. [[note]]This also really happened, and apparently Teller convinced the other scientists watching with him that they ought to use some as well. [[/note]]

* While not inherently funny, Richard Feynman playing the bongos in almost every scene he's in sure is charming. [[note]]In real life, Feynman indeed played the bongos, as shown in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWabhnt91Uc this video.]][[/note]]

** The Senate aide's reactions to Strauss' VillainousBreakdown are quite funny; while Strauss is ranting about Oppenheimer, it's clear the aide isn't fazed in the slightest and seems to actually be annoyed by it, as if he's thinking that ''this'' is what his career has led to. The camera's frequent cuts from Strauss' breakdown to the aide's extremely nonchalant reaction to it makes it even funnier.

** After Oppenheimer rejects Truman's congratulations on the Manhattan Project, he disconsolately tells the President he feels he has blood on his hands. Truman's response? To slowly, [[NoSell stone-facedly]] draw a handkerchief from his pocket and ''wave it in Oppenheimer's face'' [[WorldsSmallestViolin as if to mockingly say "boo hoo!"]]. [[NightmareFuel Horrifically callous]], certainly, but still a tension-breaking childish gesture after a devastating moment[[note]]In real life, after Oppenheimer said he felt he had blood on his hands, Truman accompanied the handkerchief offering by retorting "would you like me to wipe them off for you?" The reason that Truman did this was to impress upon Oppenheimer that, as the man to actually order the dropping of the atomic bombs, Truman felt he bore the ultimate responsibility for the consequences (there's a reason that his personal motto was "The Buck Stops Here"), and thus had little sympathy for Oppenheimer's anxieties. [[/note]].

-->'''Groves:''' I’m starting to see where you get your reputation. My favorite response: ‘Oppenheimer couldn’t run a hamburger stand.’

* In a flashback to Oppenheimer's Cambridge days, he decides to get back at his professor for not letting him attend a Niels Bohr lecture by injecting an apple on his desk with cyanide. He subsequently forgets about this until the next morning, causing him to frantically rush to class and finding Bohr about to eat the apple, to which Oppenheimer throws it in the trash and claims that it had worms.

-->'''Groves:''' You're a dilettante, a womanizer, a suspected communist...\\

-->'''Oppenheimer:''' In a straight race the Germans win. We've got one hope.\\

** After Oppenheimer rejects Truman's congratulations on the Manhattan Project, he disconsolately tells the President he feels he has blood on his hands. Truman's response? To slowly, [[NoSell stone-facedly]] draw a handkerchief from his pocket and ''wave it in Oppenheimer's face'' [[WorldsSmallestViolin as if to mockingly say "boo hoo!"]]. [[NightmareFuel Horrifically callous]], certainly, but still a tension-breaking childish gesture after a devastating moment.

-->'''Oppenheimer: Point taken, but, no.'''
-->'''Groves: *chuckles* You don’t get to say ‘no’ to me.'''
-->'''Oppenheimer: My job is to say ‘no’ to you when you’re wrong.'''
-->'''Groves: I’m starting to see where you get your reputation. My favorite response: ‘Oppenheimer couldn’t run a hamburger stand.’'''
-->'''Oppenheimer: It’s true, I can’t. But I can run the Manhattan Project.'''

'''Groves:''' ''[Equally impatient]'' Under Nazi occupation. Did they stop printing newspapers in Copenhagen?

* At the meeting following the Trinity test, Secretary of War Henry Stimson provides a list of twelve possible Japanese targets for the bomb, only to strike one off the list: Kyoto, in part because that's where he honeymooned with his wife. ("''Beautiful'' city!", he says, with a slightly sheepish smile.) Even funnier (or more sobering, depending on your view) is that [[https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-planned-to-drop-12-atomic-bombs-on-japan something like this actually happened]][[note]]it should perhaps be noted that the claim that Stimson removed Kyoto from the list because he honeymooned there is not supported by the historical record; while he did visit the city prior to the war, his first recorded visit was years after his marriage. While Stimson may have had some personal reasons for removing the city, they weren't connected with his marriage[[/note]], although his main objection was that Kyoto had been the capital of ancient Japan and was the most religiously significant city in the country: destroying it would have all but guaranteed the Japanese fighting to the last man.

* At the meeting following the Trinity test, Secretary of War Henry Stimson provides a list of twelve possible Japanese targets for the bomb, only to strike one off the list: Kyoto, in part because that's where he honeymooned with his wife. ("''Beautiful'' city!", he says, with a slightly sheepish smile.) Even funnier (or more sobering, depending on your view) is that [[https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-planned-to-drop-12-atomic-bombs-on-japan this actually happened]], although his main objection was that Kyoto had been the capital of ancient Japan and was the most religiously significant city in the country: destroying it would have all but guaranteed the Japanese fighting to the last man.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: At the Christmas party at Los Alamos, shortly before [[spoiler: Niels Bohr is presented]], you can see another scientist cheerfully try to put a Christmas hat on Teller's head. Teller scowls, jerks away, and glares at the other scientist with crossed arms.

''Groves:''' Why? ''Why?'' How about because this is the most important [[PrecisionFStrike FUCKING]] thing to ever happen in the '''history of the world! How about that?!'''\\

-->'''Groves:''' Why? ''Why?'' How about because this is the most important [[PrecisionFStrike FUCKING]] thing to ever happen in the '''history of the world! How about that?!'''\\

-->"Condon:" Why would we do it?

-->'''Groves:''' Why? '''Why?''' How about because this is the most important [[PrecisionFStrike FUCKING]] thing to ever happen in the ''history of the world! How about that?!''\\

'''Oppenheimer:''' Nothing in our research over the last three years supports that conclusion except as the most remote possibility.\\

-->'''Groves:''' HOW ABOUT THE FACT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ''[[PrecisionFStrike FUCKING]]'' THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED IN THE ''HISTORY'' OF THE WORLD???\\

'''Grove:''' Please. If I ever meet one, I'll let you know.\\

'''Oppenheimer:''' What do you want from theory alone?\\

* Klaus Fauch's heavy accent gives Oppenheimer a moment of pause. But it's made clear by Klauss' matter-of-fact response.
-->'''Robert:''' When did you become British?\\
'''Klaus:''' When Hitler told me I wasn't German.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: At the Christmas party at Los Alamos, shortly before [[spoiler: Niels Bohrs is presented]], you can see another scientist cheerfully try to put a Christmas hat on Teller's head. Teller scowls, jerks away, and glares at the other scientist with crossed arms.

-->'''Groves:''' They're saying there's a chance that when we push that button...''''' we destroy the world.'''''\\

* When Lawrence first arrives as Los Alamos, Groves reminds him seriously to remember what he told Lawrence earlier about compartmentalization and secrecy. Lawrence assures Groves that he remembers....only immediately to blurt out secrets to the other scientists in front of an irritated Groves and announce that just because Lawrence ''remembers'' what Groves said [[ExactWords doesn't mean he had any attention of]] ''[[ExactWords following]]'' [[ExactWords those instructions]].