On 7 Jul 1963, NYT reported that producer James B. Harris optioned film rights to Mark Rascovich’s newest novel, The Bedford Incident. According to a 27 Jul 1964 LAT news story, Harris paid $100,000 of his own money for the property, which would mark his first foray into directing after a series of successful collaborations with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. Upon making the deal, Harris learned that actor Richard Widmark was also interested in the novel, and agreed to sign him as both star and co-producer through his company, Heath Productions. A 23 Sep 1963 DV brief announced the hiring of screenwriter James Poe, at which point Harris and Widmark reached out to Sidney Poitier to play the role of the ship’s medical officer, “Lieut. Comdr. Chester Potter.” Although the role had been written with Poitier in mind, he instead requested to play reporter “Ben Munceford,” and Harris negotiated a distribution deal with Columbia Pictures executive Mike Frankovich.
       A 27 Jul 1964 DV news item stated that Peter Fonda was in talks for a role, but he does not appear in the film.
       According to the 20 Aug 1964 NYT, the Pentagon refused to cooperate with the production due to tightened “acceptability standards” following the unfavorable depictions of the U.S. military in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and Seven Days in May (1964, see entries). A 3 Aug 1964 DV article reported that the Pentagon offered to loan out a missile frigate only on condition that the filmmakers removed the critical final plot point, in which “Ensign Ralston” accidentally destroys a Russian submarine. Harris kept the scene, promising to complete the necessary effects using miniatures or by leasing another vessel. However, a 18 Nov 1963 LAT item reported that he and Poe were able to conduct research onboard a U.S. destroyer stationed off the coast of Norfolk, VA.
       A 4 Nov 1964 Var brief indicated that principal photography began two days earlier at Shepperton Studios in London, England. The 9 Nov 1964 DV stated that the unit was expected to remain in London for two months; the 18 Dec 1964 edition reported that the banquet scene was scheduled to be filmed on Christmas Eve using real props. Ocean sequences were shot in the North Sea, with the full participation of the British Royal Navy. According to the 3 Aug 1965 DV, the crew had access to British destroyers, helicopters, and camera ships. The film qualified for the U.K.'s Eady Plan, as the 22 Jan 1965 DV noted that Poitier was a citizen of both the U.S. and the Bahamas, which was then a British Crown colony.
       Although the 4 Mar 1965 Los Angeles Sentinel announced that Poitier had completed his work on the picture, filming continued at the Malta Film Facilities. On 12 May 1965, Var reported that Harris and the crew had returned to Shepperton following eight weeks at the facility’s newly constructed water tank.
       That autumn, the 2 Sep 1965 LAT noted that Harris and Poitier would present the film at ten U.S. universities prior to its release. A few days later, the 8 Sep 1965 Var reported that the premiere would take place at London’s Garde Theatre on 11 Oct 1965, with simultaneous domestic engagements in New London, CT; San Diego, CA; Corpus Christi, TX; and Norfolk, VA—all cities home to important U.S. naval bases. The Bedford Incident opened 2 Nov 1965 in New York City, followed by a Los Angeles release on 10 Nov 1965.