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The Incident

The Incident

When a German officer in a US Army POW camp in a rural American town is accused of murder, Harmon Cobb becomes his reluctant counsel.

TV movie1990100 minPG-13Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Joseph Sargent
Starring
Walter Matthau, Susan Blakely, Robert Carradine, Harry Morgan

Small town lawyer, Harmon Cobb, defends a Nazi prisoner of war against murder charges. Set during World War II, Cobb has to contend with the difficulties of defending the devil when the town's only doctor (Barnard Hughes) dies while at "Camp Bremen" in the fictitious town of Bremen, Colorado.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Incident?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Incident streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Prime Video (free) and Tubi (free).

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Incident?

The Incident earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Incident worth watching?

The Incident's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 1.2K ratings across 4 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

82nd percentile among Drama81st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)69th
Approval (how many liked it)87th

67 /100

69th percentile of all films

71st percentile among Drama73rd percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

77% liked it

87th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1990s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

45th percentile

1.2K ratings across platforms

48th percentile among Drama40th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 49% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A TV movie courtroom drama where a small-town lawyer defends a German POW accused of murder during WWII.

Fans praised

  • Matthau's grumpy but compelling lead performance
  • surprising plot twists and courtroom mystery
  • strong moral dilemma and period authenticity

What stands out

Acting81

Matthau and Firth praised as superb; supporting cast strong

Ending75

surprising and satisfying conclusion

Plot and story73

twisty courtroom mystery with a cover-up

Tension72

foreboding and moral suspense

Dialogue70

witty and sardonic in Matthau scenes

Emotional impact70

personal anguish of war and loss

Characters65

interesting but familiar small-town archetypes

Originality60

WWII POW camp setting unusual for a TV movie

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 16 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is The Incident like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseContemplativeBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlayed straight as a sincere period legal drama; Matthau's dry humour lightens scenes without undercutting the moral weight.
The rideThe mood is built on courtroom tension and ethical unease, with a contemplative weight that sits heaviest as Cobb uncovers the conspiracy.
StructureA conventional court-and-investigation drama told in chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you mulling the cost of doing right by the rule of law, tinged with the personal loss at the centre.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeA small-town lawyer railroaded into rubber-stamping a German POW's conviction digs into the murder and uncovers a cover-up at the camp, making the truth the real prize.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsDuty · 2% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeCobb's reluctant defense of a Nazi prisoner forces him to confront what justice truly means, pitting his duty to the law against his personal grief and his community's prejudice.
StanceThe film questions whether justice can survive prejudice and political pressure, presenting Cobb's struggle as an unresolved moral test.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Laurence Rosenthal
SettingFictional town of Lincoln Bluff, Colorado, 1944, with a nearby German POW camp.
MusicA conventional orchestral score that underscores the period and the courtroom drama.

Content guide

Is The Incident okay for kids?

PG-13

The Incident is rated PG-13.

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Incident have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Incident?

Cast

Walter Matthau
as Harmon Cobb
Susan Blakely
as Billie
Robert Carradine
as Domsczek
Harry Morgan
as Judge Bell
William Schallert
as Wallace
Peter Firth
as Geiger
Norbert Weisser
as Riefenstahl
Barnard Hughes
as Doc Hansen
Ariana Richards
as Nancy
Douglas Rowe
as Clarence

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Incident?

Movies like The Incident include Denial (2016), The Chamber (1996) and The Mauritanian (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, most are courtroom dramas, and most are stories about unlikely alliances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its story type: legal thriller. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Incident?

237 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: legal thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.