Kenny wisely recognizes that such reports would force Kennedy to respond in kind with violence. That's all that hit your plane. Sparrows, not bullets. Thirteen Days is a skillful piece of filmmaking that reveals Donaldson's desire to educate his audience as well as entertain. The movie introduces each new character with a subtitle explaining his or her title and function, thereby ensuring that viewers born long after the events depicted here will still be able to follow the story with ease.
Historical weight is given to the proceedings via black and white insert shots.
And as previously stated, extra power is given to the story's performances and drama by depicting our protagonists not as super heroes but as men worried about their actions and plagued with self-doubt, as anyone would be. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the most dangerous chess game the United States has ever played, and Thirteen Days depicts every move with the respect and attention it deserves, often with haunting results. It s a chilling indication of human nature, for instance, that while Kennedy celebrates the continuing peace between the two nations at the conclusion of the film, many of his advisors are already planning how to best use their new political clout to further their own careers. That says it all, really. Click here to read Cynthia Fuchs' interview .