View source for K-19: The Widowmaker

{{Short description|2002 film by Kathryn Bigelow}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = K-19: The Widowmaker
| image          = K nineteen the widowmaker ver2.jpg
| alt            = Harrison Ford glaring at the viewer with angry stare while his and Liam Neeson's names are written above him while the film's title, credits, tagline and release beneath him.
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Kathryn Bigelow]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* Kathryn Bigelow
* [[Edward S. Feldman]]
* [[Sigurjón Sighvatsson]]
* Christine Whitaker
* [[Matthias Deyle]]
}}
| screenplay     = Christopher Kyle
| story          = [[Louis Nowra]]
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Harrison Ford]]
* [[Liam Neeson]]
* [[Peter Sarsgaard]]
}}
| music          = [[Klaus Badelt]]
| cinematography = [[Jeff Cronenweth]]
| editing        = [[Walter Murch]]
| studio         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Intermedia Films]]
* [[National Geographic Films]]
* [[Palomar Pictures]]<ref name="NUM" />
* First Light<ref name="NUM" />
}}
| distributor    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Paramount Pictures]] (United States, United Kingdom and Canada)
* [[Constantin Film]] (Germany)<ref>{{cite web|title=K-19: Showdown in der Tiefe|website=[[filmportal.de]]|access-date=27 August 2021|url=https://www.filmportal.de/en/movie/k-19-showdown-in-der-tiefe_ea43d4a7231b5006e03053d50b37753d}}</ref>
}}
| released       = {{Film date|2002|07|19|United States|2002|09|05|Germany|2002|10|25|United Kingdom}}
| runtime        = 138 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 138:08--><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/k-19-widowmaker-video|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419184825/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/k-19-widowmaker-video|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 19, 2016|title=K-19 - The Widowmaker|publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|access-date=July 9, 2020}}</ref>
| country        = {{Plainlist|
* United States
* United Kingdom
* Germany
* Canada
* Russia
}}
| language       = English
| budget         = $90–100 million
| gross          = $65.7 million<ref name=mojo/>
}}

'''''K-19: The Widowmaker''''' is a 2002 [[historical drama|historical]] [[submarine films|submarine film]] directed and produced by [[Kathryn Bigelow]], and produced by [[Edward S. Feldman]], [[Sigurjón Sighvatsson|Sigurjon Sighvatsson]], Christine Whitaker and Matthias Deyle with screenplay by Christopher Kyle. An international co-production of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, the film takes place in 1961 and focuses its story on the Soviet [[Hotel-class submarine]] ''[[Soviet submarine K-19|K-19]]''.

The film stars [[Harrison Ford]] and [[Liam Neeson]] alongside [[Peter Sarsgaard]], [[Donald Sumpter]], [[Christian Camargo]], [[Michael Gladis]] and [[John Shrapnel]] in supporting roles.

''K-19: The Widowmaker'' was released by [[Paramount Pictures]] in the United States on July 19, 2002, in Germany on September 5, 2002, and in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2002. The film received mixed reviews upon release, with critics praising the performances and dramatic atmosphere, but criticizing the screenplay. The film was also a [[box-office bomb]], grossing only $65.7 million worldwide on a budget of $90 million.

==Plot==
In 1961, the [[Soviet Union]] launches its first [[nuclear submarine|nuclear-powered]] [[ballistic missile submarine]], the [[Soviet submarine K-19|''K-19'']], commanded by Captain Alexei Vostrikov, with [[executive officer]] Mikhail Polenin, the crew's original captain. Vostrikov is alleged to have been appointed through his wife's political connections, and because of Polenin's tendency to put crew morale and safety before Soviet pride. Discovering the reactor officer drunk and asleep on duty, Vostrikov fires him, receiving a replacement, Vadim Radtchenko, fresh from the academy. The launch is plagued by misfortune; the inaugural bottle of champagne fails to break on the bow and the medical officer is killed by a truck.

The ''K-19''{{'}}s first mission is to surface in the Arctic, test-fire an unarmed [[intercontinental ballistic missile]], and patrol the Atlantic within striking range of [[New York City]] and [[Washington, D.C.]] Vostrikov orders ''K-19'' to submerge past its maximum operational depth, then surface at full-speed to break through the Arctic pack-ice. Protesting the dangerous maneuver, Polenin storms off the bridge. The test missile launches successfully.

A [[Nuclear reactor#Cooling|reactor coolant]] pipe bursts. Control rods are inserted into the reactor, but the temperature rises; back-up coolant systems were not installed. ''K-19'' surfaces to contact fleet command but the long-range transmitter antenna cable is damaged. Engineers rig a makeshift coolant system, working in shifts to limit radiation exposure. The first team emerges vomiting and blistered. The second and third teams cool the reactor, but all suffer [[Acute radiation syndrome|radiation poisoning]]. With radiation levels rising, the submarine surfaces and most of the crew are ordered topside. Radtchenko balks after seeing the first team's injuries, and the [[Glavny starshina|crew chief]] takes his place on the third team.

A [[Sikorsky H-34]] helicopter from a nearby [[United States Navy]] [[destroyer]] offers assistance, which Vostrikov rejects. The Soviet government grows concerned when the ''K-19'' ceases contact but is spotted near the destroyer. Hoping diesel submarines will be sent to tow the ''K-19'', Vostrikov orders a return to port. The repaired pipework leaks causing the reactor temperature to rise. Torpedo fuel ignites a fire. Initially ordering the fire suppression system activated—which would suffocate anyone in the area—Vostrikov is talked down by Polenin, who personally assists the fire crew. Two officers mutiny against Vostrikov and Radtchenko enters the reactor alone to attempt repairs.

Polenin deceives the mutineers into handing over their weapons, arrests them, and frees Vostrikov. Unaware of Radtchenko, Vostrikov, at Polenin's behest, announces his plan to dive and attempt another repair, fearing an overheating reactor could set off their warheads and incite nuclear war. The crew responds positively, and ''K-19'' dives. Radtchenko's repairs are successful. Blinded and weakened by the radiation, he is dragged to safety by Vostrikov. A meltdown is prevented, but irradiated steam leaks throughout the submarine.

A Soviet diesel submarine reaches ''K-19'', with orders to confine the crew aboard until a freighter can pick them up. Vostrikov instead orders an evacuation. Returning to the Soviet Union, Vostrikov is tried for endangering the mission and disobeying a direct order, but Polenin comes to his defense. In all, twenty-seven men died from radiation sickness.

An epilogue reveals that Vostrikov was acquitted, but the ''K-19'' crew was sworn to secrecy and Vostrikov was never again given a command. In late 1989 after the [[fall of the Berlin Wall]], an aged Vostrikov meets Polenin and other survivors at a cemetery on the anniversary of their rescue. Vostrikov reveals that he nominated the deceased crewmen for the [[Hero of the Soviet Union]] award, but was told the honor was reserved for combat veterans. Remarking "what good are honors from such people", Vostrikov toasts the survivors and those who sacrificed their lives.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Harrison Ford]] as [[Nikolai Vladimirovich Zateyev|Captain 2nd Rank Alexei Vostrikov]], Commanding Officer
* [[Liam Neeson]] as [[Vasily Arkhipov (vice admiral)|Captain 3rd Rank Mikhail "Misha" Polenin]], Executive Officer
* [[Peter Sarsgaard]] as Lieutenant Vadim Radtchenko, Reactor Officer
* [[Joss Ackland]] as [[Marshal of the Soviet Union|Marshal]] [[Rodion Malinovsky|Zolentsov]], [[Minister of Defence (Soviet Union)|Defence Minister]]
* [[John Shrapnel]] as Admiral Bratyeev
* [[Donald Sumpter]] as Captain 3rd Rank Gennadi Savran, Medical Officer
* [[Tim Woodward]] as Vice-Admiral Konstantin Partonov
* Steve Nicolson as Captain 3rd Rank Yuri Demichev, Torpedo Officer
* [[Ravil Isyanov]] as Captain 3rd Rank Igor Suslov, Political Officer
* [[Christian Camargo]] as Petty Officer Pavel Loktev, Senior Reactor Technician
* George Anton as Captain-Lieutenant Konstantin Poliansky, Missile Officer
* [[James Francis Ginty]] as Seaman Anatoly Subachev, Reactor Technician
* [[Lex Shrapnel]] as Captain-Lieutenant Mikhail Kornilov, Communications Officer
* [[Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson]] as Captain 3rd Rank Viktor Gorelov, Chief Engineer
* [[Sam Spruell]] as Senior Seaman Dmitri Nevsky
* Sam Redford as Petty Officer 2nd Class Vasily Mishin
* [[Peter Stebbings]] as Kuryshev
* [[Shaun Benson]] as Chief Petty Officer Leonid Pashinski
* [[Kristen Holden-Ried]] as Captain-Lieutenant Anton Malahov
* [[Dmitry Chepovetsky]] as Sergei Maximov
* [[Tygh Runyan]] as Petty Officer 1st Class Maxim Portenko, Sonar Operator
* [[Jacob Pitts]] as Grigori
* [[Michael Gladis]] as Senior Seaman Yevgeny Borzenkov
* [[JJ Feild]] as Andrei Pritoola
* [[Peter Oldring]] as Vanya Belov
* [[Joshua Close]] as Viktor
* [[Jeremy Akerman]] as Fyodor Tsetkov, Captain of the ''S-270''
* [[Shane Glenfield]] as Russian Radio Operator
{{div col end}}

==Production==
''K-19: The Widowmaker'' cost between $90 to $100 million to produce,<ref name="NUM">{{cite web |title=K-19: The Widowmaker |url=https://the-numbers.com/movie/K-19-The-Widowmaker#tab=summary |access-date=September 22, 2023 |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |archive-date=June 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605182821/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/K-19-The-Widowmaker#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name = "dvdmg">[http://www.dvdmg.com/k19.shtml "K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)."] ''DVDmg.com'', March 14, 2009. Retrieved: July 3, 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HOT? or NOT? - Hollywood's Biggest Names: Are They Still Worth Their Price? |url=http://www.ez-entertainment.net/bankable.htm |access-date=September 22, 2023 |website=ez-entertainment.net |archive-date=November 4, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021104130859/http://www.ez-entertainment.net/bankable.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> but gross returns were only $35 million in the United States and $30.5 million internationally.<ref name=mojo>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=k19.htm "K-19 The Widowmaker (2002)."] ''BoxOfficeMojo.com''. Retrieved: July 3, 2016.</ref> The film was not financed by a major studio (National Geographic Films was a wholly owned taxable subsidiary of the [[National Geographic Society]]), making it one of the most expensive independent films to-date. The film was shot in [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]; [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]; [[Gimli, Manitoba]]; and [[Moscow]], Russia.

The producers made some efforts to work with the original crew of ''K-19'', who took exception to the first version of the script available to them, and called for an end to Russian cooperation with the filmmakers.<ref>Gentleman, Amelia. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/feb/23/filmnews.russia "Hollywood infuriates Russian veterans."] ''The Guardian'', February 23, 2001. Retrieved: July 3, 2016.</ref> The nickname "The Widowmaker" was used only in the film. In real life, the submarine had no nickname until the nuclear accident on July 3, 1961, when it received the nickname "Hiroshima".<ref>Huchthausen 2002, p. 167.</ref>

==Reception==
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported that 59% of 170 critics gave the film a positive review. The website's critics consensus reads: "A gripping drama even though the filmmakers have taken liberties with the facts."<ref>{{cite web |title=K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/k19_the_widowmaker/ |work=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=28 September 2009}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] calculated a weighted average score of 58 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=K-19: The Widowmaker Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/k-19-the-widowmaker |access-date=February 28, 2022 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[CinemaScore]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

When ''K-19: The Widowmaker'' was premiered in [[Russia]] in October 2002, 52 veterans of the ''K-19'' submarine accepted flights to the [[Saint Petersburg]] premiere; despite what they saw as technical as well as historical compromises, they praised the film and, in particular, the performance of Harrison Ford.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-10-07 |title=K-19 premiere divides Russians |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2305541.stm |access-date=2024-07-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In his review, film critic [[Roger Ebert]] compared ''K-19: The Widowmaker'' to other classic films of the genre, "Movies involving submarines have the logic of chess: The longer the game goes, the fewer the possible remaining moves. ''K-19: The Widowmaker'' joins a tradition that includes ''[[Das Boot]]'' and ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' and goes back to ''[[Run Silent, Run Deep (1958 film)|Run Silent, Run Deep]]''."<ref>Ebert, Roger. [http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/k-19-the-widowmaker-2002 "K-19: The Widowmaker Movie Review (2002)."] ''[[RogerEbert.com]]'', July 19, 2003. Retrieved: July 3, 2016.</ref>

In a 2023 interview with [[James Hibberd (writer)|James Hibberd]] of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', Ford cited his role as Alexei Vostrikov as one of the roles he is most proud of playing, and considered the movie to be good in spite of its lukewarm critical reception.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/harrison-ford-interview-shrinking-indy-5-1923-1235318736/ |title=Harrison Ford: "I Know Who the F*** I Am" |last=Hibberd |first=James |author-link=James Hibberd (writer) |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=February 8, 2023 |access-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* Huchthausen, Peter. ''K-19, The Widowmaker: The Secret Story of The Soviet Nuclear Submarine''. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2002. {{ISBN|978-0-7922-6472-9}}.
* ''K-19, The Widowmaker: Handbook of Production Information''. Los Angeles, California: Paramount Pictures, 2002.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{TCMDb title|434111|K-19: The Widowmaker}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{AFI film|id=62444|title=K-19: The Widowmaker}}
* {{mojo title|k19|K-19: The Widowmaker}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{Metacritic film}}

{{Kathryn Bigelow}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:K-19 The Widowmaker}}
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