The Bedford Incident (1965)

Director:

James B. Harris

Writers:

James Poe (screenplay)
Mark Rascovich (novel)

Release Date:

January 1966 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The cold war just got hotter.

Plot:

An American destroyer captain is determined to confront a Soviet submarine caught violating territorial waters. Perhaps too determined.

Plot Keywords:

Destroyer | Submarine | Reporter | Confrontation | Crew

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Richard Widmark	...	Captain Eric Finlander U.S.N.
Sidney Poitier	...	Ben Munceford
James MacArthur	...	Ensign Ralston (as James Macarthur)
Martin Balsam	...	Lieut. Cmdr. Chester Potter, M.D., U.S.N.
Wally Cox	...	Seaman Merlin Queffle
Eric Portman	...	Commodore Wolfgang Schrepke Deutsche Marine
Michael Kane	...	Commander Allison Executive Officer - Bridge
Colin Maitland	...	Seaman Jones - Bridge
Paul Tamarin	...	Seaman 2nd Class - Bridge
Frank Lieberman	...	Seaman 1st Class - Bridge
James Caffrey	...	Seaman 1st Class - Bridge
Burnell Tucker	...	Seaman 1st Class - Bridge
Michael Graham	...	Lieutenant Krindlemeyer U.S.N. - Bridge
Bill Edwards	...	Lieutenant Hazelwood U.S.N. - Bridge
Stephen von Schreiber	...	Seaman 2nd Class - Bridge (as Stephen Von Schreiber)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

Russian | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | West Germany:12 (f) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | Finland:S | Norway:16 | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Bedford Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

First feature film of Burnell Tucker.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The USS Bedford fires an ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) from their forward MK 16 Launcher. Almost immediately it's asked if they can abort it. First ASROCs are not fired from the Bridge. The Bridge only give the permission to fire via a key as turned by the Captain (his key and he holds it). Once fired, ASROCs can't be exploded as there are no communications from the ship to the missile. Shooting it down is virtually impossible because of the speed of the ASROC as well as the size (about 21" in diameter).

Quotes:

Captain Finlander: Trouble with that kid, he can't forget what a big hero he was. Star quarterback... voted Most All-Around, Most Likely, Most Popular... that one he's still bucking for. The only way to cut him down to size is to keep on him.
Commander Allison: Yeah, if he survives.
Captain Finlander: Well, I hammer too hard, you let me know.
Commander Allison: I'll try.
Captain Finlander: Yeah, it's a lot of work being a mean bastard.
Commander Allison: Hmm. Sometimes I can't help admiring how effortlessly you do it, captain. Almost as if it came naturally.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (2000)

Brilliant Cold War thriller

For me, this is one of the best movies of the cold war era, up there with the likes of "Fail Safe" and "On the Beach". Extremely well directed and acted, it should be on any collector's shelf as DVD when so released. The tension is maintained throughout and the climax is one of the best in a film that I have ever seen. Also significant is the fact that Sidney Poitier's colour is never an issue either verbally or by implication, something quite remarkable for a movie made over 35 years ago.