The Cold War comes to life in Thirteen Days (2000), directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Kevin Costner as advisor Kenneth O’Donnell during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

We dive into the historical accuracy of Thirteen Days, how much Kenneth O’Donnell was actually responsible for ending the crisis (not much), the Excomm Tapes and the real players in JFK’s inner circle.

We also look at how close the world truly came to nuclear disaster in 1962 and how this film doesn’t cover it.

Plus: Why this movie wasn’t a hit, Kennedy family myth-making, and where is the nuclear bunker rom-com?

☢️ Think you can do a better Boston accent than Kevin Costner? Drop us a line at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social.