The Bedford Incident
“Hunt her down … until she comes up!”
1965 • 102 min • Action · Drama · Thriller · War
Synopsis
During a routine patrol, a reporter is given permission to interview a hardened cold-war warrior and captain of the American destroyer USS Bedford. The reporter gets more than he bargained for when the Bedford discovers a Soviet sub and the captain begins a relentless pursuit, pushing his crew to breaking point.
Our family guide
Best from age 12- 100 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
- 70 Audience · 99 · 49%
During the Cold War, a US destroyer captain discovers a Soviet submarine and begins a relentless, tense pursuit, pushing his crew and himself to the brink. A reporter on board witnesses the escalating confrontation at sea. The film explores the psychological toll of Cold War tensions and the risks of unchecked authority.
- Violence & peril
- 3/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 1/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 0/10
- Scary moments
- 6/10
Heads up
- Intense psychological tension
- Implied threat of nuclear war
- Sudden, catastrophic ending
What it models well
- The dangers of obsession
- The importance of caution
- The impact of leadership
Talk about it after
- The Cold War and its political climate
- The psychological toll of command
- The risks of escalating conflict
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Bedford Incident. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
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Top billed cast
Director: James B. Harris • Crew: James Poe
Richard Widmark
Captain Eric Finlander, U.S.N.
Sidney Poitier
Ben Munceford
James MacArthur
Ensign Ralston, U.S.N.
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
Gary Cockrell
Lieutenant Bascombe U.S.N. - C.I.C.
Phil Brown
Chief Hospitalman Mckinley - Sick Bay
Brian Davies
Lieutenant Beckman U.S.N. - Communications
Trailers & clips
TRAILER - The Bedford Incident (1965)
Reviewer notes
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersThere is something of the "Enemy Below" (1957) in this tautly directed naval cat and mouse thriller. Richard Widmark ("Finlander") is captain of the USS "Bedford" an American destroyer that is on the tail of a Soviet submarine caught in it's territorial waters.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersYeah, it's a lot of work being a mean bastard. The Bedford Incident is directed by James B. Harris and is adapted by James Poe from the 1963 book by Mark Rascovich. It stars Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, with Widmark co-producing. The cast also features James McArthur, Martin Balsam, Wally Cox and Eric Portman, as well as early appearances by Donald Sutherland and Ed Bishop.…
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Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 7.0/10 (99)
- Age rating
- PG
- Status
- Released
- IMDb
- tt0058962