The Defection of Simas Kudirka (1978): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1978, The Defection of Simas Kudirka is a drama and tv movie film directed by David Lowell Rich, running about 100 minutes.

What it’s about. Based on the true story of the attempted defection in 1970 by a Lithuanian seaman seeking political asylum in the United States. Kudirka was denied asylum and returned to the Soviets, charged with treason, and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. It was later discovered and verified that his mother had been born in Brooklyn and gone to Lithuania at a young age, which meant she was a U. S. citizen. As a result, Kudirka was declared a U. S. citizen and in 1974 released by the Soviets.

Who’s in it. The Defection of Simas Kudirka stars Alan Arkin as Simas Kudirka, Richard Jordan as Cmdr. Edward Devon, Donald Pleasence as Capt. Vladimir Popov and George Dzundza as Gruzauskas, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The Defection of Simas Kudirka has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Defection of Simas Kudirka page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Defection of Simas Kudirka tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.