If you know Albert Einstein primarily as the physicist behind the theory of relativity, Einstein and the Bomb reveals a far more unsettling chapter of his life: his flight from Nazi Germany, his time hiding in England, and his complicated connection to the development of the atomic bomb.
Released in 2024, the film takes viewers back to 1932, when Einstein fled Germany as the Nazi regime tightened its grip. It explores the extraordinary work that made him one of the most influential scientists in history, while also examining a period of his life that is often overlooked.
Einstein’s connection to the atomic bomb
Einstein was a celebrated German theoretical physicist whose work transformed modern science. He pioneered the theory of relativity and made major contributions to quantum theory.
His famous equation also helped establish the relationship between mass and energy. Although Einstein did not develop the atomic bomb himself, that scientific principle became part of the wider body of knowledge that contributed to its development during the Second World War.
The film uses Einstein’s own words from speeches, letters and interviews to tell his story. Alongside his scientific achievements, it follows his escape from the Nazi regime and the dangers he faced after leaving Germany.
The forgotten Norfolk chapter
One of the film’s most striking sections focuses on Einstein’s time in Norfolk, England, where he went into hiding after fleeing Germany.
He stayed in a modest wooden cabin at the Roughton camp, keeping a low profile because of fears that Nazi assassins could find him. The story offers a glimpse into a little-known period when one of the world’s most famous scientists was forced to live quietly and cautiously.
Some of these scenes were inspired by Stuart McLaren’s non-fiction book Saving Einstein: When Norfolk Hid a Genius. The book documents the real people who helped protect Einstein while he was hiding in Norfolk.
The film has also attracted praise from viewers who said they discovered new details about Einstein’s personal life, including his ability to play the fiddle, his dislike of interviews and the fact that such a globally influential figure spent time concealed in a small English village.
One detailed review described the film as informative and said it offered a deeper look at Einstein’s biography and the years he spent avoiding the Nazi regime and Adolf Hitler.
A cast bringing Einstein’s story to life
Aidan McArdle takes on the role of Einstein, with Andrew Havill playing Commander Locker-Lampson, Rachel Barry as Margery Howard and Helena Westerman as Barbara Goodhall.
The film combines dramatized scenes with historical material to recreate Einstein’s experiences during this turbulent period of his life.
Its subject matter has inevitably invited comparisons with Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster about the development of the first nuclear weapons during the Second World War.
One viewer felt Einstein and the Bomb was clearly trying to benefit from the success of Oppenheimer. While it did not reach the same heights as the Oscar-winning film, the two share enough historical themes to attract some of the same audience.
A different perspective on Einstein and the bomb
For some viewers, the real-life footage included throughout Einstein and the Bomb was one of its most appealing elements.
One review called the Netflix docudrama a useful companion to Oppenheimer, noting that its 1-hour-and-15-minute runtime allows it to explore Einstein’s place in the history surrounding the invention of the atomic bomb in greater detail.
The film does not attempt to tell the entire story in such a short running time. Instead, it adds context to Einstein’s complicated feelings about what his scientific work helped set in motion, despite his relatively limited role in the bomb’s actual development.
For anyone interested in Einstein beyond the familiar classroom version of his life, Einstein and the Bomb offers a look at his escape from Nazi Germany, his time in hiding in Norfolk and the uneasy connection between his scientific legacy and the atomic age.
Einstein and the Bomb is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.