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Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, James MacArthur, Martin Balsam, Wally Cox ... see more see more... , Eric Portman , Mike Kane , Gary Cockrell , Phil Brown , Brian Davies , Ed Bishop , George Roubicek , Michael Graham Cox , Bill Edwards , Laurence Herder , Warren Stanhope , Donald Sutherland , Colin Maitland , Paul Tamarin , Burnell Tucker , Roy Stephens , Shane Rimmer , Michael Kane

The Bedford Incident was an attempt by Columbia Pictures -- which had previously made Dr. Strangelove and released Fail-Safe -- to tap the well of public anxiety surrounding nuclear weapons and the Co... read more read more...ld War one more time. Reporter Ben Munceford (Sidney Poitier) is allowed aboard a navy ship on patrol near the Arctic Circle, under the command of Captain Eric Finlander (Richard Widmark). His job is to observe the ship in action and do an article on Finlander, a hard-as-nails sailor and a dedicated anti-Communist with a patriotic zeal that's extraordinary even in a man of his rank and position. Finlander's main problem, however -- when he's not sparring with the reporter -- is tracking and hunting a Soviet sub that he knows is patroling the same waters. What alarms Munceford (and the audience) is that Finlander acts like there is an actual "hot" war going on; he drives his men mercilessly, up to and past the breaking point, trying to hunt down the submarine and force it to surface, and nothing -- not the questions of the reporter, the angry protests of the newly-arrived medical officer (Martin Balsam), or the quietly voiced concerns of retired U-Boat commander Commodore Shrepke (Eric Portman), aboard as an observer, can get him to relent. Then, when it looks like Finlander has been proved right and has gotten away with his provocation of the "enemy," a mistake by one over-tired young officer (James MacArthur) suddenly unleashes all of the destructive power with which Finlander has been flirting. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

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74% liked it

1,106 ratings

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86% liked it

14 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: James B. Harris

Release Date: January 1, 1965

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DVD Release Date: September 23, 2003

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Stats: 76 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (76)

  • garyX
    November 30, 2007
    garyX
    Richard Widmark stars in this tense cold war thriller as an abrasive naval commander playing a high stakes game of cat and mouse with a soviet submarine. This is obviously influenced (as most sea-bourne adventures are) by the classic tale of obsession, Moby Dick, as Widmark pursu... read morees his white whale with little thought for the consequences. There is some great verbal sparring between his character and Sidney Poitier's tenacious reporter, which is almost as much fun to watch as his demolition of every man who tries to stand in his way; Widmark is always better in his more hard-nosed roles. Add some nice documentary style black & white photography and an excellent turn by Eric Portman as a pragmatic ex U-boat commander and you have an intelligent and cleverly written thriller cum arms race analogy with a great finale.
  • jam233
    December 30, 2009
    jam233
    Very well acted, particularly by Richard Widmark, the story is tense and exciting, well paced. Very intense at times, well crafted by directed James B. Harris.
  • jaynyca1
    June 1, 2007
    jaynyca1
    It's a good classic story line for the cold war going hot?. . .And good supporting roles by Martin Balsham and Jame MacArthur
  • jjgaut
    February 22, 2007
    jjgaut
    Slowly but steadily increasing and eventually relentless intensity is enhanced by superb performances from Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, and Martin Balsam -- and terrifying black-and-white cinematography. The ending packs one heck of a punch.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
July 6, 2010
Variety Staff, Variety

Poitier does an excellent job in both the light and serious aspects of his role, and manages to leave a personal stamp on his scenes. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

The whole thing transcends plausibility -- for a moderately wised-up viewer, at least -- because of its gross exaggeration of a highly improbable episode. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

A serviceable but not very exceptional cold-war thriller. Full Review

May 14, 2012
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Taut and suspenseful. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 2, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Channels themes from Dr. Strangelove but leaves at port the black humor. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Harris, Stanley Kubrick's former producer, here came up with his own Dr Strangelove variant, muting the black humour but just as incisively diagnosing nuclear insanity. Full Review

Christopher Null
October 20, 2005
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

The ending is a real piece of work that comes out of nowhere, and even though the film is a little repetitive up to that point, it's all worth it for the titular 'incident' in the end. Full Review

Karla Rae Fuller
October 17, 2003
Karla Rae Fuller, PopMatters

Parallels to today's global political environment and our government's new cold war loom as large as the icebergs surrounding the USS Bedford and its Soviet prey in the North Atlantic Sea. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Harris's film is a superior psycho-drama. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 1, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

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