The Incident

Set in grimy, tension-ridden New York City of the 1960s, The Incident is an intense, dark psychological thriller directed by Larry Peerce and starring the talented trio of Tony Musante, Martin Sheen, and Beau Bridges. The narrative focuses on the interplay of fear, power, and the human instinct for survival within the confined space of a New York City subway car late at night.

The scene opens in the otherwise everyday, mundane life of the city, where two roguish thugs, Joe Ferrone (Tony Musante) and Artie Connors (Martin Sheen), wander aimlessly. Their journey sets the pace as wild, reckless, and untamed, with their swagger and hostile manner revealing a dangerous edge to their personalities. They find their way into a Bronx subway station late at night, the subway platform serving as a stage for the drama about to unfold.

As a subway car bustles with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, each passenger inadvertently becomes a character in a narrative that no one could predict. Among the passengers is a wide cross-section of society: a frightened, beaten-down family; a couple coming back from a date; a group of soldiers; a socially conscious pair of African American friends; an alcoholic; a homosexual man, and an elderly Jewish couple.

As the subway car moves from station to station, Ferrone and Connors board, transforming what was merely an unpleasant subway ride into a harrowing, nightmarish ordeal. Their presence is an explosive catalyst, bringing the underlying social tensions in the subway car to a boiling point. They derive pleasure from humiliating, harassing, and tormenting the powerless passengers, escalating the fear gradually and agonizingly, making the subway car a claustrophobic cage.

The heart of the movie is the confrontation between the two thugs and the ordinary people, each lost in their world when fate thrusts them into a chilling encounter with the animals lurking in human skin. Each passenger reacts differently, heightening the tension and increasing the stakes. Through its chilling narrative, the movie explores broader themes prevalent in American society of the 1960s, such as social apathy and fear, the futility of good intentions, and the difficulty of action under pressure.

The performance by Tony Musante as Joe Ferrone is bone-chilling and primal, harnessing a raw, explosive energy that strikes terror into the hearts of the passengers and viewers alike. In contrast, Martin Sheen’s Artie Connors is more cunning, subtle and manipulative, providing a gradual, steady build-up of tension. Beau Bridges, in an early role of his career, portrays a soldier who becomes torn between his duty and fear, resulting a gripping performance.

Larry Peerce's direction is stark and relentless, conveying the grim reality of the late-night subway ride with an unsparing, almost documentary-like authenticity. The visuals effectively contribute to the ambiance as the dark, gloomy subway station and the confined subway car amplify the suspense and fear that permeate the film. The screenplay by Nicholas E. Baehr penetrates beneath the surface, probing deep into the inner core of his characters and revealing stark truths about human nature.

The Incident, despite its status as lesser-known cinema, remains a compelling, thought-provoking piece. Its brutally realistic approach to the class system, the hostility towards individuals considered "other," and the various social nuances of its time make it a worthy and intelligent drama. The gritty, realistic, and tension-filled narrative takes viewers on a terror ride fraught with suspense and intrigue.

The tension is not brought about by simple physical threats but comes mainly from the psychological conflict created within the subway car as the passengers grapple with fear, survival instincts, and the very essence of their human values, invoking a palpable, inevitable dread that lingers long after the film has ended.

In summary, The Incident is an intense confrontation of societal norms and the dregs of humanity; it makes for uncomfortably compelling viewing and serves as a stark reminder of how quickly civility can crumble under the right pressures, transforming ordinary humans into monsters or heroes, often in the same breath. It acts as a potent social commentary on distinction and indifference amidst shared public spaces, provoking questions on societal standards, roles, and the essential human fortitude against adversity and fear.