The Bedford Incident (1965)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

James B. Harris

Writers:

James Poe (screenplay)
Mark Rascovich (novel)

Release Date:

January 1965 (USA)

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 | Confrontation | Reporter | 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:

"Novosibirsk", the Russian submarine's escort ship (misspelled on its hull), is the name of an actual city in Russia. In English, the name translates to "New Siberia." This large city is located east of the Ural Mountains, in southern Siberia.

Goofs:

Continuity: The elapsed time clock ticks over from 23:59 to 0:00, but in later scenes it shows 24:02, etc.

Quotes:

Ben Munceford: I've heard a lot about you, Commodore, but I never expected I'd meet you.
Commodore Schrepke: Is that so?
Ben Munceford: Not aboard an American destroyer.
Commodore Schrepke: (Is) that so surprising in these times?
Ben Munceford: I guess not, if one can make the switch mentally. But I, uh... I still connect you with... Hitler's navy.
Commodore Schrepke: Your pardon: Admiral Dönitz's navy, sir.

Movie Connections:

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

Good Ship Movie

I saw this film when it was released in the mid 1960s, again on VHS over the years and finally on satelite television. It holds up very well. The theme of obsession in the line of duty is as relevant today as it was when Melville wrote "Moby Dick". The acting is excellent. Hats off to Eric Portman as the West German Navy commodore advisor in submarine warfare. He sort of reprises his roles in the "49th Parallel" and "We Dive at Dawn". He is one Englishman who portrays a great German. Martin Balsam does his usual excellent work as the under appreciated ship's doctor. This also contains yet another of Sydney Poitier's race neutral rolls. Very revolutionary for the mid 1960s ("Lillies of the Field" being another).

The ship model and iceberg scenes seem a bit dated in this digital graphics era but I shudder with cold every time I there is an exterior scene. I sailed in Greenland waters once and I know what is feels like on that grey ocean under that grey sky.

Clearly, this is British production. One interior shot of the ship shows a rack of Enfield rifles, already obsolete by the time this film was made. Not a problem really.

The suspense and tesnion hold up well after several viewings and the inevitable ending is, well, inevitable.

If you did not grow up during the Cold War this film will have less impact than living with the bomb ("The bomb, Alexi, the Hydrogen bomb..." oh, that was another cold war film).