The Bedford Incident

The Bedford Incident is adapted from Mark Rascovich's 1963 novel of the same name; director James B. Harris personally paid 100,000 dollars out of his own pocket to buy the film rights after reading the book. Harris had previously produced for Stanley Kubrick, and this was his directorial debut; critics have consistently described the film as a more restrained, comedy free counterpart to Dr. Strangelove. Sidney Poitier's role carries an interesting production detail: Harris and Widmark initially offered him the ship's doctor role, but Poitier requested to play the journalist instead. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Cold War thriller often called a more serious, comedy free echo of Dr. Strangelove, whose director personally bought the film rights. Who it's not for: viewers used to a comedic tone, since the film treats the tension with total seriousness.