A few minor points prevented me from giving this movie 5 stars. The 2000 film contains some newly declassified information not available to the earlier production, but takes greater dramatic license, particularly in its choice of O'Donnell as protagonist. It was a terrifying time.Kenny O'Donnell's role in all of this may have been somewhat exaggerated to make it a palatable role for Kevin Costner. Try Google next time. Thirteen Days (DVD) Kevin Costner stars in this inside look at how the Kennedy Administration responded to the discovery of offensive Soviet weapons in Cuba, and the pressurized tug-of-war that ensued between the US and the USSR during the thirteen days of the missile crisis. Overall, "Thirteen Days" is an excellent historical drama. Boston accents are very difficult to do without them sounding put on. A few minor points prevented me from giving this movie 5 stars. The Kennedy administration tries to find a solution that will remove the missiles but avoid an act of war. Movie Info For thirteen extraordinary days in October of 1962, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe. Were the RF-8 Crusaders real or CGI ? Kennedy and his advisers study high-altitude photos and intelligence reports, and wonder if Khrushchev's word can be trusted. But he certainly isn't bad in the role.The casting people merely wanted to suggest JFK and RFK. Costner lays it on too thick and it's a distraction. click here. An Air Force U-2 reconnaissance plane is sent over Cuba to gather intelligence for the attack, but is shot down, killing the pilot. The movie’s plot follows the Thirteen Days in chronological order. These weapons have the capability of wiping out most of the Eastern and Southern United States in minutes if they become operational. Use the HTML below. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Throughout the 13 day crisis, the President and his inner circle struggle to rein those who would take unilateral action and through back channels, tries to communicate with the Soviet leadership and provide them with a face-saving solution to their mutual dilemma. After much deliberation with the Executive Committee of the National Security Council, Kennedy makes a final attempt to avoid a war by sending his brother, Robert F. Kennedy (Steven Culp), to meet with Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin on Friday night. For those posters who commented that O'Donnell was perhaps not a real person, yes, he was. After a particularly tough meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, O'Donnell insists that JFK sit for a minute, and JFK finally does. Movie Analysis Introduction : The movie I watched for this movie analysis assignment is Thirteen Days. In October 1962, the Kennedy administration struggles to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thirteen is a decent teen drama concerning two troubled teens that started off well enough, but decided to take the rebellious route. Still want to view it? -----­----- Movie Synopsis: Tracy is a normal 13-year-old trying to make it in school. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? The movie Thirteen Days, which is based on those eventful days, provides an insight into how decision making by the then top leaders prevented the two countries from going to a war that might have become the third world war. Showing all 57 items Jump to: Photos (7) Quotes (50) Photos . After 19 years of playing the game he's loved his whole life, Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel has to decide if he's going to risk everything and put everything out there. Secretary of State Dean Rusk (Henry Strozier) says, "We're eyeball to eyeball and I think the other fellow just blinked." Aircraft (both a preserved F-8 Crusader and Lockheed U-2 spyplane were featured) that still exist from the period were refurbished to appear operational as well. Kennedy is determined to show that he is strong enough to stand up to the threat, and the Pentagon advises U.S. military strikes against Cuba--which could lead the way to another U.S. invasion of the island. 60 of 66 people found this review helpful. A long message in the same tone as the informal communication from Fomin, apparently written personally by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, is received. In the end, we - and he - would have settled for just MORE days. "I just thought there would be more good days." Can it be prevented? It's just a tad longer than it needs to be. Of course he did. Citing The Guns of August, Kennedy sees an analogy to the events that started World War I, where the tactics of both sides' commanders had not evolved since the previous war and were obsolete, only this time nuclear weapons are involved. The film ends with President Kennedy dictating a letter of condolence to the family of the reconnaissance pilot, Rudolf Anderson, who was shot down over Cuba as part of the preparations for the invasion, and the Kennedy brothers and O'Donnell outside of the Oval Office as actual audio of President Kennedy's commencement speech at American University played in the background.. We all watched the President on television. Was this review helpful to you? A good deal of dialogue was taken from actual Presidential transcripts, which made watching it even more impressive. A washed up golf pro working at a driving range tries to qualify for the US Open in order to win the heart of his successful rival's girlfriend. [7] Prior to seeing the movie, McNamara reacted to the premise in a PBS NewsHour interview: For God's sakes, Kenny O'Donnell didn't have any role whatsoever in the missile crisis; he was a political appointment secretary to the President; that's absurd.[8]. Why are portions of the film in black and white. In October, 1962, U-2 surveillance photos reveal that the Soviet Union is in the process of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. The website's consensus states: "Thirteen Days offers a compelling look at the Cuban Missile Crisis, and its talented cast deftly portrays the real-life people who were involved. They announce that the U.S. naval forces will stop all ships entering Cuban waters and inspect them to verify they are not carrying weapons destined for Cuba. [4] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade A-. All British actors can do a southern accent, since the southern accent started off as a British accent. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode dated 28 February 2001. Kevin Costner stars as top White House assistant Kenneth P. O'Donnell, with Bruce Greenwood featured as President John F. Kennedy, Steven Culp as Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and Dylan Baker as Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Overall, "Thirteen Days" is an excellent historical drama. The Soviet Union sends mixed messages in response. The film was given a limited theatrical release on Christmas Day 2000, and a wide release on January 12, 2001, with a staggered release to various countries throughout most of the year. Robert Kennedy, in his book Thirteen Days at page 127, quotes the President as saying, in relation to the Tuchman book and the crisis: “If anybody is around to write after this, they are going to understand that we made every effort to find peace and every effort to give our adversary room to move. It's impossible for me to believe that with a film that goes into so much detail and strove to be so factual, someone thought there was a made-up character. Photos + Posters; Cast + Crew; Saturday, December 16, … Looking at it from today's eyes, "Thirteen Days" is a knockout.Donaldson focuses the film right where it should be - in the White House and in conference rooms, giving us only the subplot of Kenny O'Donnell's family life. Ken O'Donnell headed up Kennedy's presidential campaign and was appointed his Special Assistant when Kennedy won the White House. It received generally positive reviews from critics who praised the screenplay and performances of the cast but was a box office bomb grossing $66.6 million against its $80 million budget. From Wichita to Dodge City to the O.K. The Department of Defense co-operated to some extent by allowing the producers to film on several bases. After seeing the movie McNamara remarked that while he still thought the filmmakers took some creative liberties with certain characters, he ultimately thought that it was a reasonable historical portrayal of the crisis: I think it's an absolutely fascinating portrayal and a very constructive and responsible portrayal of a very, very serious crisis not only in the history of this nation but in the history of the world. Thirteen Days Favorite Movie Button Overview; Movie Times + Tickets; Synopsis; Movie Reviews; More. In the President's television speech, I'm sure he imitated JFK's every single inflection and pause, and it's perfect. Kenny O'Donnell : If the sun comes up tomorrow, it is only because of men of good will. How did people react to Thirteen Days (2000) after watching it? Menu. Some former Kennedy administration officials and contemporary historians, including Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Special Counsel Ted Sorensen, and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, criticized the film for the depiction of Special Assistant Kenneth O'Donnell as chief motivator of Kennedy and others during the crisis. On the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thirteen_Days_(film)&oldid=995534095, Films about Presidents of the United States, Cultural depictions of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. . In Steven Culp, they found a young actor with similar features to RFK. The mix is therefore ideal: drama, some aerial excitement, and a little humor as Adlai Stevenson gets the better of the Russians in an OAS meeting.There's also a look at the reaction of the country - also very accurate. Quotes . Kennedy is reluctant to attack and invade because it would very likely cause the Soviets to invade Berlin, which could lead to an all-out war. Thirteen Days How Batman: A Death in the Family Lets Fans Decide Robin’s Fate, Batman: Death in the Family Interactive Movie Lets You Kill Robin, HBO Max Is Already Losing Tons Of Movies This Month. Kennedy is determined to show that he is strong enough to stand up to the threat, and the Pentagon advises U.S. military strikes against Cuba--which could lead the way to another U.S. invasion of the island. They reject a blockade, as this is formally regarded as an act of war, and settle on what they publicly describe as a quarantine. Overall, "Thirteen Days" is an excellent historical drama. At the time of the shooting, the F-8 was still in the inventory of the Philippine Air Force but was no longer operational. While the film carries the same title as the 1969 book Thirteen Days by former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, it is in fact based on the 1997 book, The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis, by Ernest R. May and Philip D. Zelikow. A former Secret Service agent takes on the job of bodyguard to an R&B singer, whose lifestyle is most unlike a President's. A few minor points prevented me from giving this movie 5 stars. Thirteen Days (2000) Kevin Costner: Kenny O'Donnell. Dobrynin insists that the U.S. must also remove all Jupiter missiles from Turkey, on the border of the Soviet Union. John A. Scali, a reporter with ABC News, is contacted by Soviet "emissary" Aleksandr Fomin (Boris Lee Krutonog), and through this back-channel communication method the Soviets offer to remove the missiles in exchange for public assurances from the U.S. that it will never invade Cuba. The DVD release marked the debut for New Line's Infinifilm label. It's just a tad longer than it needs to be. [10], 2000 US historical political thriller film by Roger Donaldson, Executive Committee of the National Security Council, commencement speech at American University, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Ambassador of the Soviet Union to the United States, "Thirteen Days Movie Review & Film Summary", https://web.archive.org/web/20010905114944/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/february01/thirteendays3.html, "Fidel Castro Death: 9 Hollywood Stars Seduced by Cuban Leader", "New Line Adds Historical Perspective to Infinifilm Edition of 'Thirteen Days' DVD", 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine, North Yemen-South Yemen Border conflict of 1972, Struggle against political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union, Sovereignty of Puerto Rico during the Cold War, Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, List of Eastern Bloc agents in the United States, American espionage in the Soviet Union and Russian Federation, Status of Women (Presidential Commission), Report to the American People on Civil Rights, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, John F. Kennedy Federal Building (Boston), John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, 64th United States Attorney General, 1961–1964, United States senator from New York, 1965–1968, Senate Committee investigation of Labor and Management, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. A former gunslinger is forced to take up arms again when he and his cattle crew are threatened by a corrupt lawman. Read a selection of the 551 available reviews to see what people thought of the movie. The Kennedy administration interprets the second as a response from the Politburo, and in a risky act, decides to ignore it and respond to the first message, assumed to be from Khrushchev. [5], Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave Thirteen Days a rating of 3 stars out of 4, and said "The movie's taut, flat style is appropriate for a story that is more about facts and speculation than about action. His JFK is a listener, very dependent on his brother's advice, and one who takes the burdens of the country on his shoulders like a cross. However, Kennedy is reluctant to follow through, because a U.S. invasion could cause the Soviets to retaliate in Europe. Movies. Thirteen Days may seem like a movie script, but it really happened. "[9], The DVD & VHS was released on July 10, 2001. The air base scene was taken at Clark Air Base, Philippines, a former American facility, which substituted for NAS Key West, Florida, where the actual RF-8As of Light Photographic Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) launched from on their Cuban overflight missions. Unfortunately, the movie’s most common profanity is the misuse of Jesus’ name. The most controversial assertion of Roger Donaldson's "Thirteen Days," an intelligent new political thriller, is that the guys who blinked were not only the Soviets, but also America's own military commanders--who backed down not from Soviet ships but from the White House. In October, 1962, U-2 surveillance photos reveal that the Soviet Union is in the process of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. Thirteen Days is a 2000 American historical political thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson. I enjoyed the film somewhat, but I was pretty disturbed too. Did Thirteen Days live up to the hype? There are several mis-steps during the crisis: the defense readiness level of Strategic Air Command (SAC) is raised to DEFCON 2 (one step shy of maximum readiness for imminent war), without informing the President; a nuclear weapon test proceeds (Bluegill Triple Prime) and a routine test launch of a U.S. offensive missile is also carried out without the President's knowledge. A few have succeeded: Anne Bancroft in "The Miracle Worker," Paul Newman in "Somebody Up There Likes Me," little Natalie Wood in "Tomorrow is Forever," Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever," and of course there are others. In October 1962, the Kennedy administration struggles to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though discouraged almost at every turn, JFK still would not allow the shooting to begin, pushing instead for an embargo against Cuba.There is plenty of tension and excitement in this film. Costner does okay in the part. [8], Costner traveled to Cuba in 2001 to screen the film for Fidel Castro, saying at a press conference, "It was an experience of a lifetime to sit only a few feet away from him and watch him relive an experience he lived as a very young man. Thirteen Days is Robert Kennedy’s personal account of the Cuban missile crisis.. As the Attorney General of the United States and President’s Kennedy’s brother and most trusted confidant, Robert Kennedy played a significant role in that critical period. After befriending the most popular girl at school, Evie, Tracy's world is turned upside down when Evie introduces her to a world of sex, drugs and cash. Jane Seymour and Joan Collins can easily pull off being Americans. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. One of the best scenes is Commander Eckerd (Christopher Lawford) and his team low-flying over Cuba taking photos, and a U-2 pilot trying to avoid missiles chasing him. Written by A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's "A" School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice. War appears to be almost inevitable. But most of the tension and excitement takes place in the meetings as the President and RFK struggle for answers and play for time. Only an idiot doesn't hear every single opinion of value before he decides to launch World War III.The camaraderie between RFK, JFK, and O'Donnell is as unmistakable as their arguments and frustrations.Thirteen months after the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK would be dead and O'Donnell would be riding behind him in the Secret Service Car. The story concerns the "Cuban Missile Crisis," when the U.S. discovered that the Soviets had placed missiles aimed at the U.S. in Cuba.As someone who remembers the situation well, watching this was a profound experience in more ways than one. And that's - that's all there is between us and the devil. In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote. O'Donnell: if the sun comes up tomorrow, it is claimed that the Soviet Union is in the of. A registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin threatened by a corrupt lawman generally positive. 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