
Howard Hughes’ notorious 1956 debacle with John Wayne as Genghis Khan (gasp!) and Susan Hayward as his Mongolian lover (really?) was justly reviled for its offensive “yellowface” and horrific line reading from Wayne - who many in this film say was drunk during filming.
The real tragedy occurred after many who worked on the outdoor set - 135 miles downwind of atomic bomb testing in Nevada - developed terminal illnesses.
This thorough, illuminating documentary looks at the deadly toll the filming took on the cast and crew as well as on communities near St. George, Utah, where it was shot. The film calls out the military and other agencies for ensuring the public that everything was safe when it wasn’t. This is riveting viewing.