THIRTEEN DAYS (2000) / *** 1/2
Directed by Roger Donaldson. Screenplay by David Self, based on the book "The Kennedy Tapes -- Inside The White House During The Cuban Missile Crisis" by Ernest R May and Philip D Zelikow. Starring Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp. Running time: 145 minutes. Rated PG for mild language by the MFCB. Reviewed on January 19th, 2001.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
It's sometimes said that today's society -- especially in North America -- is lacking a modern mythology. We have no counterpart to the Greek myths of two thousand years ago, the Norse sagas of the first millennium, or the Arthurian legends of the Middle Ages. But this really isn't true; we have developed our own mythology, but not one populated by gods and demons and magicians. Instead, it is made up of actors like Marilyn Monroe, singers like Elvis Presley, Prime Ministers like Pierre Trudeau... and Presidents, like John F Kennedy.
Few figures in recent history have accumulated such a body of folklore as the thirty-fifth president of the United States. Much of this is derived from the mystery surrounding his assassination, of course, but it extends back further than that, to the various crises which highlighted JFK's term of office, his rumored romantic liaisons, and so on. And the mythology encompasses the rest of his family too, from his brother Robert to his son, John Junior.
If John F Kennedy is a figure of modern mythology, then "Thirteen Days" stands as one of the legends which make up his myth, an "Odyssey" to his Ulysses. Like any good legend, of course, it is a fictionalised version of the true events. But, although the screenplay by David Self plays fast and loose with real history, it does so in a manner which avoids overt sensationalism. "Thirteen Days" effectively portrays the tension and paranoia of the time -- the feeling that one wrong decision could mean not only the end of free society, but human civilisation itself.
"Thirteen Days" chronicles the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. During routine aerial surveillance of Castro-controlled Cuba, the American military captures photographic evidence of Russian nuclear missile emplacements on the island -- contrary to the Soviet promise that they would not equip communist Cuba with offensive weaponry. Aware that the combination of short- and medium-range missiles threaten the integrity of much of the continental United States, a special committee of top White House and military brass is quickly formed to map out strategy.
Leading these sessions are President Kennedy (played here by Bruce Greenwood, looking not very much like the real JFK but successfully channelling his fire and sagacity) and Attorney General Robert Kennedy (Steven Culp, looking very much indeed like the real Bobby). They're assisted by their boyhood friend Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner). The Kennedys quickly find themselves under pressure (especially from the Joint Chiefs of Staff) to abandon any efforts at a diplomatic solution and undertake a full-scale military deterrent. JFK is well aware that such a maneuver carries with it the very real risk of nuclear war -- but with just days left to go before the weapons in Cuba become operational, and even more Russian ships steaming toward the island, time to find an alternative is quickly running out.
Under the careful direction of Roger Donaldson ("Dante's Peak"), "Thirteen Days" perfectly evokes the atmosphere of October 1962; it is difficult not to feel transported back to the turbulent Cold War era. The film has received some criticism for playing up the antagonism between the administration -- particularly the Kennedys, O'Donnell and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Dylan Baker) -- and the military brass over appropriate tactics. There is a persistent implication running throughout the movie that the Joint Chiefs are trying to bully the President and have their own way in the Crisis: "this is a setup," intones O'Donnell.
But even if such scheming and dissension did not really occur behind the scenes, their place in this film is not unwarranted. Because certainly, even if the politicos were in accord, the general population was not -- the United States was a seething mass of opposing viewpoints. Just as many people wished to avoid the possibility of war at all costs, there was also a sizeable number who wanted to duke it out with the Reds at the nearest opportunity. "Thirteen Days", then, transposes this mix of popular opinion onto the nation's leaders, and is thereby able to bring such conflict to the fore.
That said, the picture does not neglect the common man either. Indeed, that's basically the role that O'Donnell is supposed to play. In real life, he was a minor figure in the Crisis, a footnote in the historical annals. In "Thirteen Days", he is used as the audience's point of view on the proceedings, a man who has very little direct involvement in the political maneuverings but who is nonetheless in a position to watch the situation unfold from beginning to end. Donaldson's most successful use of O'Donnell comes when he sends him out onto the streets of Washington midway through the crisis, to see firsthand how the country is reacting to the Crisis.
But unfortunately, O'Donnell's effectiveness in "Thirteen Days" is at best mixed. While he has his uses, there are times when he feels more like extra baggage -- hanging around in the background of scenes and tagging along after the Kennedys like a groupie in suit and tie. To make matters worse, Costner is burdened with a laughable New England accent that recalls his similarly ludicrous effort in "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves". It is not impossible to see beyond this and recognise that Costner delivers a solid performance as O'Donnell -- consider, for example, a well-acted scene in which he tries to persuade an Air Force captain to betray convention and hide certain facts from his superiors for the national good. But in order to work well, O'Donnell needs to be an almost invisible presence in the film, and Costner's casting makes this virtually impossible.
Still, "Thirteen Days" is a potent film which does an excellent job of taking well-documented historical fact and turning it into a suspense-filled drama. Donaldson rarely falters, and the cast approaches the material with perfect conviction. I wasn't alive during the Cuban Missile Crisis -- but now I almost feel like I was there.
Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/ThirteenDays.html
_______________________________________________________________________ / Shannon Patrick Sullivan | "We are all in the gutter, but some of us \ | shannon@mun.ca | are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde | \___________________________|__________________________________________/ | Popcorn Gallery Movie Reviews www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html | | Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) /drwho.html |
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