John T. Ryan IT IS INDEED a very humiliating experience to sort of accidentally run across such a film as this! We mean that just when one thinks he knows of all of the truly great movies, both big and small, here comes a relatively unheralded masterpiece; such as this one, today's subject, THE INCIDENT (Moned Associated/20th Century-Fox, 1967).WHILE BOASTING Of A GREAT roll call of acting talent, the film really has no "star" as such. Instead, we are presented with an array of outstanding characterizations of people who are unrelated to each other; other than being New Yorkers who find themselves out late and sharing a precarious trip home via public transportation (aka the Elevated Line).ONE BY ONE we are introduced to couples (Ed Mcmahon & Diana Van der Vis, Jack Gilford & Thelma Ritter, Brock Peters & Ruby Dee, Mike Kellin & Jan Sterling) as well as some individuals (such as Gary Merrill, Beau Bridges, Robert Bannard, Tony Musante, etc). We add to the mix some young couple; who almost continuously swap spits during the first part of the story; being that they are the first to enter the train car, which has only a derelict wino sleeping it off.ENTER THE TWO street punks (Martin Sheen & Other Player), who proceed to terrorize everyone; starting with one couple and moving onto all the others. Their insult and abuse knows no bounds; be it sexually (to the young lovers), physical brutality, or all out mockery, Racial Insults to RubyDee and Brock Peters and mocking,threatening intimidation (as to the young homosexual man).NO Where IS there any attempt to stand up to the thugs. There is no initiative in joining together and put up a united front. All seem to desire to just be left alone and all seem to have cultivated a 'go on and bother someone else' attitude.EVENTUALLY THE CHARACTER of the one soldier (Beau Bridges)is pushed just a little too far and he manages to club tho one thug into unconsciousness with the use of the plaster cast on his right arm. The Martin Sheen thug is dumbfounded and tries to escape. Shortly thereafter, the train stops, the conductor, the police arrive* and take away the bad guys. Slowly and seemingly in turn, all others leave the train.GOING ON THEIR separate ways, in a way of telling us that they have learned nothing. If any of them would find themselves in the same or similar situation; the very same outcome would play out.OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO Mr.Nicholas E. Baehr (Writer) and Larry Pierce (Director) for bringing us an outstanding work of art and definitely a one of a kind movie; which is as great as it is obscure. They've given us what is essentially a slice of reality, which, unfortunately, still finds itself being repeated daily in Big City U.S.A.NOTE: * (Having been a member of the Chicago Ploice Deppartment for nearly 35 years, the reviewer (yours truly) feels the need to comment on one aspect of the finale.) When the Cops enter the train car, they immediately start to frisk the Brock Peters character, the Black Man. While this goes by very quickly, it could portray a fallacious message. No Cop who has any experience would move in such an impetuous a manner. When one enters a scene such as this, caution is one virtue that is expended in all directions. This scene is obviously more an indicator of the attitude of the writer and/or the director; than it is to a realistic depiction of the real world.

cptjimmy This film which stars an array of notable celebrities, including Ed McMahon gives a portrayal of the era that changed our country and the split between generations. While the message of uncaring New Yorkers is the description of this film one can't help, But to see the attempt at expressing the anti-war sentiment as wheel as issues that highlighted the 60's. This film also represents how film makers continue to preach their political one sided agendas to audiences. Any 4th grader can see through this film and its not so hidden format. This film has the creativity of a bad high school play and proves that movie companies need tax write offs because this was a waste of film and money, liberalism at its finest.

Harveyher Never saw or heard of film before-caught it on AMC this morning and could not stop watching it until it ended. I did not even know it was on the channel. Great cast-Martin Sheen and Tony Musante were great.Beau Bridges,Ruby Dee,Brock Peters,-an All Star cast, among others. I loved it-how come I did not hear about it 40 years ago when it was released.I enjoyed it greatly!!! The fact that it was in black and white made it even better. I grew up in N.Y. and it really hit home-how people could be passive and do nothing to help one another in a time of stress.(Kitty Genovese incident in 1964). Martin Sheen of course was so young then and went on to a great TV and movie career. Brock Peters and Ruby Dee had been terrific in many films. Beau Bridges played a part that was unusual for him. Ed McMahon we all know was Johnny Carson's side kick for his entire career on the Tonight Show-this part was not the Ed McMahon we saw on TV and he played it well.Gary Merrill also played a nice part in the film,as did Thelma Ritter, a great character actress,Jan Sterling, Jack Gilford and Donna Mills.An unbelievable cast of characters.

MarieGabrielle This is a film rarely shown on cable; good performances all around (especially a very young Martin Sheen). Ruby Dee, Mike Kellin, Jack Gilford and Thelma Ritter as the older couple, a very young Donna Mills and even Ed McMahon as an irate father, traveling home on the subway with his young wife and child, at 2 A.M.This film was made during a time in NYC when crime was on the uprise, the mayor (Mayor Lindsey) was not in control, and people were seeing a general downturn in their quality of life. There were still racial tensions, even in NYC, at that time.The mood is set as people are traveling home late, and two men (Martin Sheen and Tony Musante), enter the subway car; initially harassing a bum, then gradually moving to other passengers.There is some suspension of disbelief required. One could have gotten out of the subway car, certainly by fighting back. Some of the scenes are upsetting, as when Sheen is harassing the older woman, who finally stands up to him.This film was made at the same time as the Kitty Genovese incident in Kew Gardens, NY. A metro area where many witnesses heard Genovese screaming for her life,as she was being murdered and yet denied being witnesses. It shows the effect of fear and paralysis when people are confronted with criminal behavior.