Thirteen Days (2000)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Roger Donaldson

Writers (WGA):

David Self (written by)
Ernest R. May (book) ...

Release Date:

12 January 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Thriller

Tagline:

You'll Never Believe How Close We Came

Plot:

The film is set during the two-week Cuban missile crisis in October of 1962, and it centers on how President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and others handled the explosive situation.

Plot Keywords:

Missile | Cuba | Military | John F Kennedy | Cuban Missile Crisis

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Shawn Driscoll	...	U-2 Pilot
Kevin Costner	...	Kenny O'Donnell
Drake Cook	...	Mark O'Donnell
Lucinda Jenney	...	Helen O'Donnell
Caitlin Wachs	...	Kathy O'Donnell
Jon Foster	...	Kenny O'Donnell, Jr.
Matthew Dunn	...	Kevin O'Donnell
Kevin O'Donnell	...	NPIC Photo Interpreter
Janet Coleman	...	Evelyn Lincoln
Bruce Thomas	...	Floyd
Stephanie Romanov	...	Jacqueline Kennedy
Bruce Greenwood	...	John F. Kennedy
Frank Wood	...	McGeorge Bundy
Dakin Matthews	...	Arthur Lundahl
Liz Sinclair	...	Kenny's Assistant #1

Also Known As:

13 Days (USA) (alternative spelling)
Thirteen Days (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

New Zealand:M | Iceland:L | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

President Kennedy very frequently set up recording machines during meetings at the White House. Much of the dialogue from the movie is taken directly from Kennedy's tapes.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Northrop F-5s are shown on the flight line. The F-5 entered operational service with the Air Force in October of 1963, a full year after the missile crisis.

Quotes:

Helen O'Donnell: And while you're under a rock somewhere with the President, what am I supposed to do with our five children, Kenny?
Kenny O'Donnell: Honey, we're not going to let it come to that, I promise. Jack and Bobby, they're smart guys.
Helen O'Donnell: You're smart, too.
Kenny O'Donnell: Not like them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: Pine Barrens (#3.11)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Hail To The Chief

The Godfather of political thrillers. Magnificent!

This is The Godfather of political thrillers. Magnificent! Until the final frames - when JFK addresses the White House staff - I expected another critical problem to emerge. These `wrinkles' kept me perched on the edge of my seat. I was naïve and 11 at the time. This is a movie not to be missed.

The President's Special Assistant (Kenny O'Donnell aka Kevin Costner) tells the story. He connects you intimately to the Kennedy White House, the early 60s military machinery … balanced against faith and family. Every emotion kicks into gear over the course of the film. At the end of the day, you're thankful the man in the oval office was a smart fellow. We need smart people in that office.

There's a thing called `heart' sprinkled liberally throughout. Performances are thoroughly believable, as though this is unfolding here and now. Greenwood and Culp are plausible Kennedy brothers after all their predecessors, a tough job given the liberal supply of Kennedy film. Your heart pours out for the insiders who knew how close the world came to the brink. Then please, join me in becoming a little cynical about the government's `world safety' report veracity going forward. Thirteen Days shows you why the government, the press, and the people need to be in constant check and balance to be effective.

A football metaphor weaves effectively through the film, though the teams are cliquish at best. Ex-Harvard quarterback Kenny O'Donnell now serves as a linebacker for the Kennedy team. He's an insider; close … a (near-family) friend. In a crisis, loyalty and teamwork to America's quarterback (JFK) is the prescription for sanity. War zealots surround and abound. Someone needs the cooler head – to be the wiser man – in a world where warfare is being redefined with weapons of annihilation.

Minutia: There's always something for a fanatic like me. I spotted a bowl of Post's fruity Pebbles cereal at the O'Donnell breakfast table in the closing minutes. I don't think these had been invented yet. The thing is: If I have to dig `that deep' to find flaws with the film's presentation quality, it's a pretty darned good. I am sure there are historical flaws, but this is close enough for government work.

I'm still naïve, but no longer 11 years old. Movies have to be well made / well told to satisfy. An entertainment adventure you will enjoy no matter your age, gender, race, religion or political persuasions. It rates 9 out of 10 possible points. But unlike its Godfather intensity, I hope there's never a sequel to this one.