The first deleted scene shows a trip and speech in Buffalo, NY that President Kennedy made on the eve of the Cuban Missile Crisis. When the movie proved too long it was decided to cut this whole section out, since it didn't deal directly with the crisis itself. It's a great Greenwood scene in which he's seen using a more familiar voice for JFK than he used elsewhere in the movie.

"Watch What We Say" (:52)

This scene in which Costner's O'Donnell talks with journalists also took place in Buffalo and was cut for the same reasons, i.e., it had nothing to do with the crisis. Bruce's JFK was not featured.

RFK Passes Note (1:55)

This scene was a modified scene, rather than a deleted one. It involves JFK's request for Dean Acheson's opinion resulting in JFK's "three options" speech. In the original scene, Robert Kennedy writes a note to his brother during Acheson's presentation and even though this actually did happen, it was later decided to edit the note out, since it proved distracting to the actual business at hand -- that is, JFK's response to Acheson's hawk-like observations.

Another "modified" scene, this one centers around JFK's scheduled trip to Connecticut to keep up appearances, just days into the crisis. Although the gist of the scene remains intact, all shots involving the journalist are eliminated. Bruce's JFK is generously featured throughout. He's first shown arriving on the President's private plane in a longer version of a scene that remained in the film. He's next shown in close up as he rides in the parade car and finally - in a scene that was completely cut out - we see him boarding the plane and telling O'Donnell he's exhausted and doesn't want to see the journalist who was promised an audience with him. Although Roger Donaldson decided to leave the entire journalist angle out in order to save time, he comments that, "One reason I particularly like THIS shot was that I felt Bruce Greenwood was a lot like JFK in this scene; so for that reason I was a bit disappointed. But it had to go!"

Joint Chiefs Concerned (:20)

A scene without Greenwood, the military men are shown upset with Kennedy's refusal to invade Cuba. It was cut because Donaldson felt it was redundant -- i.e., the point had already been made that the generals were upset with JFK.

The OAS Vote (:35)

Much of this scene does not involve the White House, but centers instead on the OAS vote. However, the final portion of the scene shows the Kennedy brothers playing with a football in the Oval Office as O'Donnell comes in to tell them of the vote. "It's about time something went our way," says a pleased JFK. A nice scene, but Donaldson felt the information was easily found elsewhere in the film, so eliminated it.

Taylor Reports on Low Level Flights (:31)

A scene that shows Gen. Maxwell Taylor reporting to President Kennedy on the low level flights over Cuba and the shots fired upon their airplanes. Although the scene shows a positive bonding between JFK and Taylor not seen elsewhere in the film it was decided that it offered no new information.

Rough Night (2:50)

The long scene of Kenny O'Donnell as he walks the streets of Washington, D.C. during the final night of the crisis, was even longer in its original form. Although this scene does not feature Greenwood's JFK, the scene in which Bruce paraded with the demonstrator's sign as a practical joke is shown (though they use a version without Bruce).

O'Donnell Confronts McNamara (2:00)

This is a cut scene in which O'Donnell is shown horsing around with Bobby Kennedy on the portico just before JFK brings some completely serious aspects to their meeting. The three are joined by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara who reports to the President but quickly finds himself being privately dressed down by O'Donnell. The scene was cut because Donaldson felt both the playful punching and the dressing down of McNamara inappropriate historically.