Still Tense, Though Knowing

Rating: Null/10 (27 January 2001)

The mark of a good historical movie is that the audience, while knowing how events will turn out, is still caught up in the tension of the moment. That's what happened with `Apollo 13'-we knew the crew was going to arrive home safely, but we still clapped for joy when their capsule re-entered the earth's atmosphere.
`Thirteen Days' tells the story of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, and it recreates expertly the fear many of us had at the time (I was a senior in high school) that the United States and Soviet Union were about to start a nuclear war.
Kevin Costner, we are told, passed up the role of John Kennedy to play Kenneth O'Donnell, who according to the film was as close to JFK and Bobby Kennedy as they were to each other. There seems to be a question as to whether O'Donnell's part in the crisis was built up to accommodate Costner, but regardless, the star made the right choice. This is his best role in a long time. He plays O'Donnell as a tough but compassionate political adviser to JFK.
The task of playing JFK falls to Bruce Greenwood, who continues a string of outstanding performances. I wonder if Greenwood is ever going to be recognized as a great actor. He doesn't try to imitate the president, but gives a convincing performance. Steven Culp is also good as RFK, as are a supporting cast headed by Dylan Baker as Robert McNamara, Bill Smitrovich as General Maxwell Taylor, Tim Kelleher as Ted Sorensen and Kevin Conway as the trigger-happy Gen. Curtis LeMay.
Roger Donaldson keeps the film moving-I was shocked to discover that when the film was over it had lasted more than two and a quarter hours. He directed Costner in the successful "No Way Out," suggesting the two ought to continue collaborating.
My only quarrel with the film comes from my memory that a heavily Republican newspaper in my hometown of St. Louis portrayed the missile crisis-at least at the beginning-as a ploy by Kennedy to capture votes for a Democratic congress in the upcoming elections. The film doesn't cover the angle-but that's its only fault.