What a waste of my time!!!

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

One city wants to live in peace, while their neighbors (The Steel City) is building a bomb that kills people but does not damage buildings or equipment. This is an oblique reference to the Neutron Bomb, the development of which was fostered by the Reagan administration. The Neutron Bomb is a tactical weapon primarily intended to kill soldiers who are protected by armor. This was naturally a MAJOR thorn in the eye of the Soviets, and therefore this movie was made. The original Jules Verne's book provided a fitting story the Czechoslovakian media censors of the time found useful.The original book by Jules Verne tells a similar story from a different angle. It is set at the turn of the 19th century in the U.S. state of Oregon and tells a story of two fictional cities: one French and one German. The German city (Steel City or Stahlstadt) is one big factory producing the best steel and military machinery, and is rumored to be developing a secret weapon. On the other hand, the neighboring French city is depicted as the poster child of peacefulness. Clearly, this is Verne's take on the German unification under Bismarck following France's defeat in 1871, and the consequent German military buildup leading to World War I.I saw this movie in the 1980s and remember that it had great sets and good acting.

*** BEWARE! SPOILERTASTIC! *** I remember watching 'The Secret of Steel City' as a child, it was one of those odd Eastern European imports Aunty Beeb used to show at tea time. But instead of a sappy milkmaid living in the mountains with her grandpa and a load of smelly old goats (or was it her smelly old grandpa and a load of goats?) we got crazed dictators building mammoth superguns to destroy their enemies! Diabolical gas shells that froze their victims to death! Hideously grim cities that were more giant arms factory than habitation! Border guards who didn't flinch at shooting dead escaping workers! A hero who infiltrates the enemy by getting a job designing weapons (and very good ones at that!) for the evil dictator! By 'eck, that was more like it! Based closely on Jules Verne's 'The Begum's Fortune', 'The Secret of Steel City' (the literal translation of the name of the city in the novel, which was Stahlstadt) took few liberties with the source material. Only the location was changed (in the novel the two rival cities are built in a remote part of North America by the heirs of the titular fortune) to Eastern Europe, and I think the reason for the cities' existence was changed - in the series, they were just there. And the evil dictator was changed from Professor Schultz to Janus. However, the Germanic nature of the baddies was preserved (Verne based Schultz on Krupp).***SPOILER*** In one bravura scene, the hero is climbing up a steeply angled tunnel about six feet wide, when he is caught by Professor Janus. Still in the tunnel, he asks Janus where on earth he could have concealed the giant cannon - 'You're standing in the barrel' comes the laconic reply. Marvellous stuff, worthy of Blofeld himself!

The film is a metaphor for the cold war, it depicts two neighbouring nations: peace loving Aurora (long time, I think that is what it was called) and the not so peaceful land of the Steel City. While the first is a democracy, ruled by wise and compassionate men of science, the other is an over-industrialized hell, where workers are exploited by ruthless industrialists and suffer under the iron fist of the dictator. There is no organisational decision, no time-table and plan that is not decreed by the dictator. But strange things happen in the Steel City, and Aurora decides to send a spy. Infiltrating the military complex of Steel City, he makes a horrible discovery: the dictator is planning to wipe Aurora out with a super weapon. War looms....The film is a must see for any science fiction buff, if only for the brilliant set designs. A mix of Jules Verne and industrial design ca. 1914, it's great eyecandy. The story is easy enough to follow and comes with a few interesting surprises. If you are not into sci-fi, or into espionage thrillers, or amazing optical values, don't watch it. If you are into these, by all means do!