Thirteen Days (2000)

            “Thirteen Days” is about the Cuban Missile Crisis, an event that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.  It depicts how two sane leaders were able to pull their countries back from the brink of disaster.  Let us pray that similar diplomacy can prevent WWIII in our current crisis.  One must wonder whether Biden is Kennedyesque and if Putin is worried about his hold on power.  The movie was directed by Roger Donaldson.  The screenplay was based on the book “The Kennedy Tapes:  Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis” by Ernest May and Phillip Zelikov.  They had access to new information not available to “The Missiles of October”, the 1974 movie on the crisis.  The movie was the first to be screened in the George W. Bush White House.  Members of the Kennedy family were in attendance.  Kevin Costner screened the movie for Fidel Castro in Havana.  The movie cost $80 million, but made only $67 million.

            The movie opens with a montage of nuclear bomb tests.  Not subtle, but oddly beautiful.  This transitions to a 360-degree view of a U-2 spy plane.  The main character is Kenneth O’Donnell (Costner).  He is a family man who has a lot to lose in a nuclear war.  O’Donnell is a Special Assistant to the President (Bruce Greenwood).  When the CIA brings photos taken by a U-2 of Soviet missiles being installed in Cuba, O’Donnell is in the midst of Kennedy’s attempt to keep his promise to not allow Cuba to become a threat without touching off nuclear annihilation.  Kennedy creates a special group of advisers to help him decide on America’s actions.  O’Donnell sits in on these secret meetings.  The initial reaction of many on the committee, including the military, is to invade Cuba.  Eventually, Secretary of Defense William MacNamara’s (Dylan Baker) idea of a blockade (called a quarantine) wins out.  The implementation of the blockade will lead to several tense moments.  Meanwhile, the leaders of the two countries try to extricate themselves from a situation neither had planned for. 

            Even before the movie came out, it received criticism for the O’Donnell character.  Although based on an actual person, there was concern over the greatly enhanced role he plays in the movie.  Actual members of the committee, like MacNamara, complained that O’Donnell had actually had no part in the discussions.  However, after having seen the movie, MacNamara backtracked and admitted that the movie was accurate overall.  I also had concerns when I heard that Costner had created a choice role for himself.  In the past, stars have sometimes played fictional characters thrust into an historical event.  In the case of “Thirteen Days”, I feel the O’Donnell character works as an everyman that the audience can identify with.  (Ted Sorenson, Kennedy’s speech writer, would have been a better and more accurate choice for the role of unofficial adviser.)  As far as the rest of the movie, it is a good history lesson.  The movie is surprisingly accurate on almost everything.  Some of the few exceptions involve the O’Donnell character.  Even an historically illiterate viewer should shake their head when he personally talks to reconnaissance pilots and tells them not to get shot down.  The movie works as an entertaining docudrama.  It helps that the crisis is suspenseful without Hollywood adding fiction.

            Although Costner dominates the cast, the acting is uniformly fine.  In fact, Costner’s ridiculous Boston accent distracts from his performance. Since the movie would not exist without Costner’s involvement, I can live with his accent and his enhanced character.  It is not an all-star movie, the casting director chose well.  Bruce Greenwood is excellent as Kennedy.  He is spot on in portraying Kennedy’s personality and decision-making.  Kevin Conway chomps a mean cigar as the bellicose Curtis Lemay.  The movie is overly harsh on the military for standard trope reasons.  The standout actor is Steven Culp as Bobby Kennedy. 

            “Thirteen Days” is an entertaining behind the scenes look at how a competent President handles a crisis.  Kennedy does not just have yes-men surrounding him.  We see and hear the debates that went on.  Sadly, the movie does not give us the Soviet perspective.  Not that there would be much discussing going on, but it would have provided a balance to the negotiating.  Khrushchev would have been a meaty role.  This decision by the screenwriter was not for patriotic, propaganda reasons as the movie is not a “USA! USA! USA!” movie.  You leave it understanding that we dodged a bullet, not humiliated an enemy.  With nuclear war the alternative, the path we witness gives us hope for the future.  Let’s hope both Biden and Putin have seen the movie.  

GRADE  =  B