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	Printed Articles & Interviews Folio Weekly January, 2001

The Golden Globe nominations are out and the choices for best actor in a drama feature the usual suspects. Over the years, Michael Douglas ("Wonder Boys"), Geoffrey Rush ("Quills"), Russell Crowe ("Gladiator") and Tom Hanks ("Cast way") have combined for a total of 14 nominations and five wins. The only new face in the crowd is Javier Bardem, an accomplished and deserving Spanish actor ("Before Night Falls"), but his inclusion cannot excuse the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s snub of Bruce Greenwood. Without a doubt, Greenwood turns in the finest performance of 2000 as President John F. Kennedy in Roger Donaldson’s "Thirteen Days."

Who is Bruce Greenwood?

The fact that the question need be asked is probably why he is not up for a Golden Globe. Greenwood is no overnight sensation. From Dr. Seth Griffin on "St. Elsewhere" and Thomas Veil in "Nowhere Man" to his acclaimed work in "Exotica" and "The Sweet Hereafter," Greenwood has been delivering exceptional performances on television and film since the early '80s. For those who’ve followed Greenwood’s career his astounding performance in "Thirteen Days" is no surprise -- and it's a wonder to behold. Greenwood doesn’t just act like Jack Kennedy, he becomes him -- in an untraditional way.

Greenwood shuns exaggerated vocal impersonations or drastic physical changes. Rather, he adopts a dead-on New England accent and emulates Kennedy’s occasional limp, as an expression of the president’s physical and emotional exhaustion. These adjustments never engulf the character he’s creating. Greenwood subordinates these superficial aspects of Kennedy for a more substantial embracing of Kennedy’s spirit, making his transformation as complex as it is subtle. Watching "Thirteen Days," we see a real hero with real demons and real fears as he faces the impending annihilation of the world.

Greenwood never lets his Kennedy descend into over-the-top pontification either. His speeches are controlled and calculated, gracefully allowing the audience to read Kennedy’s character through his expressive eyes rather than prompting us with his words.

Greenwood’s performance is as perfect as they come and it goes beyond the simple telling of a story. He makes us remember why J.F.K. was a great president, why his affair with Marilyn Monroe is irrelevant to our memory of him and why his assassination wounded our nation so deeply.

More importantly, Greenwood reminds us that, with true leadership, the president of the United States is a respected and important post. Neither Bush nor Gore is capable of Kennedy’s brand of leadership and imagining either of them in the White House during a similar crisis, which one can’t help doing while watching the film, is as frightening as the images of exploding nuclear warheads that punctuate Donaldson’s "Thirteen Days." For all Greenwood’s mastery, however, "Thirteen Days" is not a one-man show. He is joined by Stephen Culp as Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Kevin Costner as Kenny O’Donnell. Costner turns in a strong performance as Kennedy’s assistant and friend, managing to support the performances of his colleagues without letting his "movie star" presence steal scenes.

But Greenwood’s true co-star is Stephen Culp, whose performance as R.F.K. was also stiffed by the Golden Globes. Culp matches Greenwood’s performance every step of the way. He portrays R.F.K. as a man who is unflinchingly confident in his brother’s leadership and willing to do anything he’s called upon to do. Still, he maintains the humanity that would lead him to run for president. It’s rumored that months before shooting began, Greenwood and Culp worked together to make their accents consistent and insure that they were as comfortable in each other’s presence as only brothers can be. There’s no question they've succeeded.

"Thirteen Days" is an excellent film in so many ways. The direction is strong, the screenplay is well crafted and the use of actual Cuban Missile Crisis footage is subtly interwoven. But Greenwood is indeed the standout. He makes us remember that we can have heroes in the White House and reveals John F. Kennedy at his best.

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