Nerve-racking suspense surrounds THE BEDFORD INCIDENT, the tale of a U.S. Naval vessel on a routine NATO patrol that ends up in a freakish showdown with a Russian submarine. Richard Widmark is Capt. Eric Finlander, the maniacal commander who drives his tense crew to the brink of nervous exhaustion. Sidney Poitier is Ben Munceford, a photojournalist aboard The Bedford, assigned to record a "typical" mission. His moral indignation is put to the test by the captain's obsession with forcing the sub to the surface. Several crew members are at their breaking points as Finlander continues his prowl. Especially affected is a former German U-boat commander, now aboard the Bedford as a NATO observer, portrayed by Eric Portman.