Summary

Film tells the story of an American pilot who was shot down in a U-2 spy plane over Soviet Union and a Norwegian fisherman who used a carnival as cover to spy on the U-2 for the Russians 00:07-01:59 - Color and B/W, 1940s-1970s - Intercutting shots of Russian spy Selmer Nielsen in Norway and CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers in Los Angeles - B-roll of Nielsen w/fishing net - B-roll of Powers pre-flight inspection of single-prop plane (audio of Powers saying he was caught, embarrassed the CIA, that it wasn’t his fault) - B-roll of Lockheed U-2 high-altitude spy plane taking off - WS INT of radio station and disc jockey introducing Powers - OTS of Powers giving flying traffic report - Various b-roll of Powers flying, aerial footage of Hollywood Freeway, and WS of airborne plane 01:59-04:07 - WS of Nielsen’s fjord in Norway - Various B/W shots of coal miners - Various good B/W shots of a manufacturing line, fuselage of an aircraft, and installation of aircraft engine 04:07-07:58 - CU b-roll of a plane engine - MCU interview of Powers talking about his first flight - EWS of an airborne single-engine plane - Various B/W shots of WWII German aircraft and soldiers, aerial footage of a fjord - CU interview of Nielsen saying his parents began spying for the Russians in 1941 - Various B/W footage of bombed warships, aircraft, ships firing weapons in rough seas - MFS of Nielsen rowing a boat with a child saying Russians spied from a cave w/b-roll of cave 07:58-12:09 - Various B/W b-roll of destroyed buildings and rustic structure w/children (audio of Nielsen saying he fled into the mountains in 1944) - Various B/W shots of Norwegians celebrating, a Norwegian flag and outdoor cooking - Various B/W shots of collaborators going into a Norwegian courthouse - Various b-roll shots of Nielson cutting and tossing a fish onto a dock, net, and water (audio of Nielsen saying that a Russian agent returned in 1948) - FS interview with Nielsen saying the agent demanded someone go to Russia with him - B-roll WS of Nielsen’s house - B-roll POV WS from a row boat passing the shoreline - Various interview shots of Nielsen saying he had to go to Russia - B-roll WS of a dock with a fishing net and house - B/W footage of President Truman discussing the North Atlantic Treaty - B-roll WS of a Nielsen walking - EWS of a fjord 12:09-14:19 - Various B/W shots of airborne bombers - Various B/W shots of a woman and pilot looking at each other and kissing - WS of an aircraft named “Betty Jo,” - MFS of airmen turning a propeller - WS of bombers on a runway - Various shots from an Air Force film - Various B/W b-roll of bombs, jets taking off, rice paddies strafed, and 1950s jets - Various B/W b-roll of an American flag and airmen saluting 14:19-17:37 - Various shots of Nielsen’s fishing boat - MFS of a child rowing a boat and CU of Nielsen smoking (voice of Nielsen saying he agreed to spy) - B/W photograph of Powers w/two aviators - Various interview shots of Powers saying the CIA used a new plane to spy on the Soviets - Various B/W shots of a U-2 taxiing, aerial shot on runway, and airborne - CU interview of Powers saying the U-2 is a thrill to fly - Various good shots of airborne U-2 and photo of Powers in flight suit w/U-2 17:37-21:50 - CU of hand on a boat steering wheel, WS of boat bow at sunset, CU of frothy sea - Various b-roll of airborne U-2 - CU interview of Powers saying he didn’t consider himself a spy - B/W ZO photograph of Powers in pressure suit standing next to U-2 - B-roll WS of a U-2 on runway - Various B-roll shots of bumper cars, carousel horses, prizes, and roller coaster w/Norwegian flag - B-roll aerial WS of Norwegian town - Various B-roll shots of a directional sign, small boats, sign that says “Headquarters Allied Forces Northern Europe,” military plane on runway and hanger - WS EXT shot of the Norrona Hotel ZI to rooftop sign - MS EXT shot of hotel rooms - MFS interview with Nielsen in a hotel room w/liquor, cigarettes and a newspaper saying he’d have parties in one room and his spy equipment in the other 21:56-26:22 - Various B-roll shots of Nielsen in a field - Panning WS of a fjord - B-roll WS shot of a U-2 entering a hanger - B-roll FS of an airborne U-2 - CU interview of Powers talking about going to Norway - Aerial B-roll of Norwegian fjord, villages and countryside - MFS ZI CU interview shot of Nielsen saying he obtained a picture of a U-2 - B-roll FS of U-2 taxiing, WS of runway and Norwegian harbor - MS interview shot of Nielsen saying he’d find out pilots’ destinations during parties - B/W photograph of Powers in a flight suit w/a U-2 26:22-30:15 - MFS interview of Powers saying CIA officer said to tell the Soviets everything if captured - Various shots of Selmer Nielsen at the barn he photographed the U-2 from - Various B-roll of U-2 on a runway, pilot climbing into cockpit and preparing for takeoff - B/W CU photograph of Powers wearing helmet - Various shots of Nielsen climbing to an abandoned bunker - WS of the airfield - WS of a U-2 on a runway and Powers climbing into cockpit - Various B/W shots of Soviet soldiers in Red Square, missiles, and Nikita Khrushchev waiving - B-roll CU of aU-2 pilot in cockpit - WS of U-2 taking off 30:15-33:06 - B-roll graphic of a U-2 over a map of the Soviet Union - MS interview w/Powers holding a U-2 model describing exploding over the USSR - Various B/W footage of May Day in Red Square, Nikita Khrushchev waiving, crowds and picture of Lenin - ECU ZO MS interview w/Powers holding a U-2 model describing the aircraft spinning and attempting to initiate the self-destruct mechanism - B/W photograph of Powers captured - WS ZI MFS interview of Nielsen in a bunker describing waiting for Power’s U-2 to arrive and receiving a message from Russia that it wouldn’t - Various B/W shots of Khrushchev - B/W photographs of self-destruct mechanism and poison needle from Power’s U-2 33:06-37:02 - B/W photos of Andrei Gromyko and Khrushchev holding photos from Power’s U-2 - Various B/W shots of President Dwight Eisenhower defending the spy mission and journalists taking notes - B/W EXT WS of the United Nations, a Russian addressing UN, and photo of Khrushchev 37:02-43:25 - Various B/W B-roll of Moscow U-2 exhibit - Various B/W shots of TV interviews in NYC - Various B/W shots of Khrushchev examining the U-2s wreckage - MFS B/W photograph of Powers in Moscow looking at the wreckage (audio of Powers saying his spy mission was punishable by death) - MS to MCU interview with Powers discussing solitary confinement - B/W footage of President Eisenhower at the Paris Summit and footage of Khrushchev using an ax - B/W MS photo of Powers after being captured - MCU interview with Powers talking about interrogation - Various B/W shots of Power’s trial in Moscow (voice of Powers talking about the trial) - CU ZI to MCU of Powers reciting his plea - MCU interview shot of Powers saying he was sentenced to 10-years 43:25-47:23 - B-roll POV of boat bow - CU interview with Nielsen saying the Russian’s placed a bomb in Power’s U-2 - B-roll FS of Nielsen in his kitchen - B/W photo of Powers in Russia - B/W CU shot of Powers after his release - CU interview of Powers saying the CIA thouught he was a double agent - B/W newspaper headline saying Powers should have killed himself - Various B/W shots of Powers holding a model of U-2 at a Congressional hearing - B/W MS of Powers telling reporters he followed instructions - Various B/W shots of Powers at an event - WS of Powers riding a minibike - B/W photograph of Powers with Kelly Johnson and a U-2 - MS of Powers smiling in an orange flight suit next to a U-2 47:23-51:47 - B-roll FS of reindeers ZO to WS of Nielsen smoking in a field - B-roll WS of a helicopter landing in a fjord, soldiers jumping out and one pointing - B-roll WS of a helicopter flying through a fjord - B/W aerial shot of a fjord - MCU ZO MFS interview with Nielsen saying the soldiers thought he was an idiot drunk - MFS OTS shot of Nielsen and a fjord - B-roll EWS panning shot of a fjord - Various shots of Powers moving a single-prop plane with “KGIL radio” written on it - WS of a Lockheed hanger - Good CU and WS of Powers taking off in single-prop plane with “KGILradio” on it (audio of Powers saying the CIA tried to prevent him from writing a book) - Various good shots of Power’s plane taking off, aerial view of LA and MS of Powers piloting the plane (audio of Powers saying why he wrote the book) - Various good INT shots of Powers flying (audio of Powers talking about losing his job at Lockheed after writing his book and not being able to find a good job since - B-roll INT CU of Powers flying and WS of airborne plane - B-roll WS of a bird flying in a fjord - MCU ZO MFS of Nielson sitting in a field (audio of Nielsen saying he felt after getting caught) - B/W WS b-roll of Nielsen loaded onto a plane on a stretcher 51:47-56:11 - Editorial cartoons of Powers and headline - CU of poster for book event w/Powers - Various shots of Powers at book event with cutaways of audience - WS of Nielsen walking along the shore - Various b-roll shots of the wrecked boat Nielsen took to Russia - Various shots of Nielsen in a deserted house and in a row boat - MS and CU shots of Powers holding a medal he received from the CIA (audio of him reading its inscription) - CU to ZU interview of Powers talking about the medal’s value - B-roll CU to WS shot of U-2 taxiing away from the camera