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About
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.
Theatrical
Dec 25, 2000
Box Office
$34.6M
Budget
$80.0M
Return
0.4x
DVD / Blu-ray
Jul 10, 2001
Theaters
1
Director
Roger Donaldson
Writer
David Self
Producers
Peter O. Almond, Armyan Bernstein, Marc Abraham
Music
Trevor Jones
Studio
New Line Cinema, Beacon Pictures
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Quotes
See all →Crisis Negotiations During the Cuban Missile Crisis
Robert Kennedy
At this moment the President is accepting the terms of Secretary Khrushchev's letter of Friday night. If the Soviet Union halts construction immediately, removes the missiles, and submits to UN inspections, the United States will pledge to never invade Cuba, or to aid others in that enterprise.
Anatoly Dobrynin
If your Jupiter missiles in Turkey were removed also, such an accommodation could be reached.
RFK
That's not possible. The United States cannot agree to such terms under threat. Any belief to the contrary was in error.
Dobrynin
You want war?
RFK
However...while there can be no quid pro quo on this issue, the United States can offer a private assurance. Now our Jupiter missiles in Turkey are obsolete, and have been scheduled for withdrawal for some time. This withdrawal should take place within, say, six months. Of course any public disclosure of this assurance would negate the deal, and produce the most stringent denials from our government.
[RFK makes a frustrated gesture; Dobrynin reaches for his briefcase as if to leave]
Dobrynin
This private assurance, represents the word of the highest authority?
RFK
Yes.
Dobrynin
And it can be relayed beyond Comrade Khrushchev's ears, to the top circles of my government?
Orders for Avoiding Combat in Crisis
Kenny O'Donnell
The president has instructed me to pass along an order to you. You are not to get shot down.
Commander William B. Ecker
Uh, we'll do our best, sir.
O'Donnell
I don't think you understand me, Commander. You are not to get shot down under any circumstances. Whatever happens up there, you were not shot at. Mechanical failures are fine, crashing into mountains fine. But you and your men are not to be shot at, fired at, or launched upon.
Ecker
Excuse me sir, what the hell is going on here?
O'Donnell
Commander, if you are fired upon, the President will be forced to attack the sites that fire on you. He doesn't want to have to do that. It's very important that he doesn't, or things could get very badly out of control.
Tensions Rise During Cuban Missile Crisis
Kenny O'Donnell
I got a bad feeling about what's going on in there!
President Kennedy
In the morning I'm taking charge of the blockade from the situation room and MacNamara is gonna set up shop at the flagpot at the Pentagon and keep an eye on things there.
O'Donnell
Good. Because you've got armed boarders climbing onto Soviet ships, and shots being fired across bows!
Kennedy
I know. I know.
O'Donnell
Well, what about these low level flights?
Kennedy
We need the flights.
O'Donnell
They're starting them when?
Kennedy
An hour.
Shared Consequences in Crisis Situations
Gen. Curtis LeMay
You're in a pretty bad fix, Mr. President.
President Kennedy
What did you say?
[wonders at remark and looks back at LeMay]
LeMay
You're in a pretty bad fix.
Kennedy
Well, maybe you haven't noticed you're in it with me.
Cast
Full credits →K
Kevin Costner
Kenneth O'Donnell
B
Bruce Greenwood
John F. Kennedy
S
Steven Culp
Robert F. Kennedy
D
Dylan Baker
Robert McNamara
M
Michael Fairman
Adlai Stevenson
H
Henry Strozier
Dean Rusk
F
Frank Wood
McGeorge Bundy
K
Kevin Conway
Gen. Curtis LeMay
T
Tim Kelleher
Ted Sorensen
L
Len Cariou
Dean Acheson
B
Bill Smitrovich
Gen. Maxwell Taylor
S
Shawn Driscoll
U-2 Pilot
S
Stephanie Romanov
Jacqueline Kennedy
L
Lucinda Jenney
Helen O'Donnell
C
Caitlin Wachs
Kathy O'Donnell
J
Jon Foster
Kenny O'Donnell, Jr.
M
Matthew Dunn
Kevin O'Donnell
B
Bruce Thomas
Floyd
D
Dakin Matthews
Arthur Lundahl
C
Colette O'Connell
Kenny's Assistant #2
