Harrison Ford And Liam Neeson Worked Together Only Once On This Underrated Cold War Movie

Harrison Ford was at a precarious point in his career when he signed on to star in the period submarine drama "K-19: The Widowmaker." Though he'd scored a hit in 2000 with Robert Zemeckis' "What Lies Beneath," his star power felt diminished after the failures of "Six Days, Seven Nights" and "Random Hearts." It would be absurd to say that a Hollywood icon like Ford needed a hit, but he turned 60 in 2002, which left many wondering how long he could remain a true leading man. After all, Cary Grant retired when he was 62, and Ford seemed too savvy and/or proud to overstay his movie-star welcome like John Wayne did.

"K-19: The Widowmaker" offered an appealing path forward for Ford. He could continue playing strong, capable men, while acknowledging his advancing age in a way that was working quite well for Clint Eastwood at the time. As Russian submarine commander Alexei Vostrikov, he could emphasize that gruffness in a role that deprived him of his trademark sense of humor. And if the film worked, maybe he'd earn his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (his first coming in 1986 for Peter Weir's "Witness").

"K-19: The Widowmaker" also seemed like the perfect project for director Kathryn Bigelow, whose suspense-generating expertise could be put to superb use in the pressure cooker genre that is the submarine film. Set aboard a crippled Soviet nuclear sub in 1961, the film's script was evidently good enough to attract a formidable second star in Liam Neeson. This was pre-"Taken" Neeson, but he was still a highly respected actor on the strength of his performances in "Schindler's List," "Michael Collins" and the deeply underrated "Rob Roy." This proved to be a good pairing. Unfortunately, they've never crossed paths on screen since.

"K-19: The Widowmaker" is based on the true story of a nuclear-powered submarine that was doomed from the second the champagne bottle failed to break against its steel prow prior to launch. Its maiden voyage was one mishap after another, culminating in a reactor coolant pipe bursting. Suddenly, the entire crew is at risk of perishing from radiation poisoning. The vessel's engineers are forced to improvise a replacement coolant system, and suffice it to say they do not fare well in the reactor.

Bigelow's film hits most of the genre's conventions. There's a brewing mutiny, a concern of hitting crush depth and the looming possibility that one false move on either side could set off World War III. It's a gripping film that's knocked down a half-peg by Ford's dodgy Russian accent, but Ford was justifiably proud of his performance overall, and he's challenged every step of the way by Neeson's ethical executive officer Mikhail Polenin. It's not exactly "Crimson Tide" or "Run Silent, Run Deep," but the interplay between these two actors is crackling stuff.

"K-19: The Widowmaker" only managed to gross $66 million against an exorbitant $100 million budget, and earned a middling critical reception. 24 years after its release, it's fallen through the cracks because it's a downbeat tale of perseverance in the face of institutional failure. The Soviet Union cared less about its soldiers than they did about their country's glory. Vostrikov and Polenin save as many of their men as possible, and there's no reward. There will be more films like this to come with an American flavor. I hope one of these movies pairs Ford and Neeson again.