Stars: Kevin Costner, Stephen Culp, Bruce Greenwood, Dylan Baker, Len Cariou, Ed Lauter

Director: Roger Donaldson

Summary: Set over thirteen days in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis, this film tells the story of that tense and explosive situation.

A series of beautiful but devastating atomic explosions provides a vision of gorgeous, appalling destruction that hangs ominously over the political drama of THIRTEEN DAYS. It's October 16, 1962 and, it is not just another day at the office for Kenneth O'Donnell (Kevin Costner), the Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood). O'Donnell soon discovers the President has just been handed a series of photographs taken from a U-2 spy plane over Cuba. They show deployed Soviet missile launchers capable of firing medium-range ballistic missiles that could hit all major US cities--except Seattle--within minutes.
THIRTEEN DAYS is a vivid dramatization of what happened in the Kennedy White House during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Seen through the eyes of O'Donnell, it is a close-up view of President Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (Steven Culp), as they try to negotiate through a crisis which has many of their closest advisors ready to wage what all feared might have been the ultimate war. The script, by David Self, is based on interviews, CIA documents, and White House tapes. Director Roger Donaldson captures the extraordinary tension in the White House as he brings to life every heart-stopping moment.

WIN DVDs by rating this DVD

Average User Rating:

WIN DVDS by being amongst the first to review this DVD. Reviewing DVDs earns you bonus entries and lets you WIN DVDs!Please login before reviewing this DVD. If you're a new user, register for free and enter to WIN FREE DVDs!

On its theatrical release Thirteen Dayswas pummelled by American critics for taking liberties with the facts of the Cuban missile crisis and smothering its compelling drama with phoney Boston accents by its primary stars. But anyone who enjoys taut, intelligent political thrillers will find little to complain about here. Co-star and co-producer Kevin Costner drew criticism for fictionally enhancing the White House role of presidential aide Kenneth O'Donnell, but while Costner's Boston accent may be grating, his fine performance as O'Donnell offers expert witness to the crisis, its nerve-wracking escalation and the efforts of John F Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) and Robert F Kennedy (Steven Culp) to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Russia. While Soviet missiles approach operational status in Cuba, director Roger Donaldson (who directed Costner in No Way Out) cuts to exciting US Navy flights over the missile site, ramping up the tension that history itself provided. Donaldson's occasional use of black and white is self-consciously distracting, and he's further guilty of allowing a shrillness (along with repetitive, ominous shots of nuclear explosions) to invade the urgency of David Self's screenplay. Still, as Hollywood history lessons go, Thirteen Daysis riveting stuff. You may find yourself wondering what might happen if reality presented a repeat scenario under less intelligent leadership.--Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Aspect Ratio:	1.85 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Commentary With Director Roger Donaldson, Commentary With Producer And Actor Kevin Costner, Historical Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Visual Effects Scene Deconstruction, Historical Documentary Roots Of The Cold War, Production Documentary Bringing History To Th
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2000
Release Date:	August 1, 2005
Runtime:	145 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B E D 888414
Keywords:	Days, Never, General, Wide, Screen, Thirteen, Drama, Released, Elevation
Genre:	Drama