Thirteen Days

"You'll never believe how close we came."

Jan 12 2001 PG-13 2h 25m
Drama, History, Thriller

The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962—the nuclear standoff with the USSR sparked by the discovery by the Americans of missile bases established on the Soviet-allied island of Cuba.

Plot

In October, 1962, U-2 surveillance photos reveal that the Soviet Union is in the process of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. These weapons have the capability of wiping out most of the Eastern and Southern United States in minutes if they become operational. President John F. Kennedy and his advisors must come up with a plan of action against the Soviets. Kennedy is determined to show that he is strong enough to stand up to the threat, and the Pentagon advises U.S. military strikes against Cuba--which could lead the way to another U.S. invasion of the island. However, Kennedy is reluctant to follow through, because a U.S. invasion could cause the Soviets to retaliate in Europe. A nuclear showdown appears to be almost inevitable. Can it be prevented?

Written by

David Self, Ernest R. May, Philip D. Zelikow

Directed by

Roger Donaldson

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Tig Productions, New Line Cinema

Languages

English

Awards

3 wins & 8 nominations

Scores
# of Votes
66,398
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
67
Popularity
NA