Gripping Story of 13 Days on the brink of Nuclear War

Rating: 2/10 (15 January 2001)

Thirteen Days provides us with an eyewitness account of the Cuban Missile Crisis; the two-week period in 1962 when the US and the USSR came perilously close to the brink of nuclear war. Overall, Thirteen Days is entertaining with a strong screenplay and dynamic cast. Days will not appeal to everyone, as most of the action is through dialog, and the movie is lengthy, so an interest in history is a prerequisite. The film provides insight on the conversations that are historic and others that may have occurred between JFK, his advisors and the members of the cabinet.
Bruce Geenwood is excellent as JFK. His accent is perfect. Steven Culp portrays a very believable Bobby Kennedy. Kevin Costner is adequate as Kenny O'Donnell The inclusion of Adlai Stevenson's oratory to the UN is excellent, "I am prepared to wait for the answer until Hell freezes over".
The story is faithful to history by Hollywood standards. John Kennedy is portrayed as indecisive and uncertain. The military cabinet is depicted as sinister and suspecting Kennedy of being weak. Kennedy was often weak and indecisive. JFK was a popular President, but he was not a strong leader. The military leaders had good reason to suspect Kennedy of indecision and cowardice. After all, JFK supported the Bay of Pigs invasion, sending 1500 US trained Cuban Exiles to invade Cuba - until it failed. JFK would not commit military forces to support the invasion or extract the men when the invasion failed and many men perished or were taken prisoner.
The screenplay does make reference to the disdain the military establishment had for Joe Kennedy (JFK's father and former ambassador to England). Joe Kennedy favored appeasing Hitler in the late 1930s and later was an unwitting participant in the Russian occupation of Europe. Plus, the military regime would have also known the truth behind the PT-109 legend where JFK botched up, lost his boat and several crew members.
Thirteen Days ignores the US (Kennedy's) culpability in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US supported a military invasion of Cuba in March 1961. When this failed, several attempts were made on Castro's life. Castro and his Soviet allies had good reason to suspect the US was preparing to overthrow Castro, and therefore place weapons in Cuba. My Country's behavior was less than exemplary in the Kennedy - Johnson era. I believe a smattering of the dynamics of North American politics might help younger viewers understand the tension and policies of the era.
The film accurately shows the disdain that JFK and RFK harbored for Adlai Stevenson. Although, the film makers do not mention that JFK set up Adlai to lie to the United Nations about the bombing of Cuba preceding the Bay of Pigs. The Kennedy Administration was promulgating the lie the U.S. was not involved. Adlai was not given an accurate briefing until well after his presentation to the U.N. He was furious. There was animosity between the Kennedy's and Stevenson from that point onward until JFK's death.
What didn't work: I don't care for the black/white segments and the amount of time wasted on O'Donnell's family. Costner is a great actor, but accents are not in his forte'.
All in all, Thirteen Days is a great movie and well worth the price of admission. It reminded me of WHY we had the "Tuck and Duck" drills for Nuclear war in the '60s.
7/10