After watching the film, Oppenheimer’s grandson expressed his desire to remove one scene

As Christopher Nolan’s latest drama, Oppenheimer captivates audiences this summer, it proves to be more than just a story about the Manhattan Project. The epic three-hour runtime delves into the intimate life of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Nolan’s work is receiving high praise, particularly from an Oppenheimer biographer who admits being emotionally impacted long after watching the film. However, when historical figures receive the big screen treatment, their families often weigh in on the accuracy portrayed.

J. Robert Oppenheimer’s grandson, Charles Oppenheimer, recently shared his thoughts on the movie with Time. Before watching it, Charles was forewarned by Christopher Nolan that some scenes needed dramatization, and certain aspects were altered for storytelling purposes. The one scene Charles wished to change was an early moment where J. Robert Oppenheimer is shown shockingly contemplating poisoning his professor’s apple with cyanide after facing ridicule for his lab work.

Charles explained his discomfort, saying, “The part I like the least is this poison apple reference.” He also expressed dissatisfaction with its inclusion in the biography on which the film is based, “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.” According to Charles, the book acknowledged uncertainty about the incident, yet the movie presented it as if it were a confirmed historical event. He stressed that neither friends nor enemies of Robert Oppenheimer ever heard of such an action during his lifetime.

Charles further added, “Sometimes facts get dragged through a game of telephone. In the movie, it’s treated vaguely and you don’t really know what’s going on unless you know this incredibly deep backstory. So it honestly didn’t bother me. It bothers me that it was in the biography with that emphasis, not a disclaimer of, this is an unsubstantiated rumor that we want to put in our book to make it interesting.”