The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Richard Condon (novel)
George Axelrod (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

When you've seen it all, you'll swear there's never been anything like it!

Plot:

A former Korean War POW is brainwashed by Communists into becoming a political assassin. But another former prisoner may know how to save him.

Plot Keywords:

Korean War | Army | Nightmare | Korea | Dream

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Maj. Bennett Marco
Laurence Harvey	...	Raymond Shaw
Janet Leigh	...	Eugenie Rose Chaney
Angela Lansbury	...	Mrs. Iselin
Henry Silva	...	Chunjin
James Gregory	...	Sen. John Yerkes Iselin
Leslie Parrish	...	Jocelyn Jordan
John McGiver	...	Sen. Thomas Jordan
Khigh Dhiegh	...	Dr. Yen Lo
James Edwards	...	Cpl. Allen Melvin
Douglas Henderson	...	Col. Milt
Albert Paulsen	...	Zilkov
Barry Kelley	...	Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Holborn Gaines
Madame Spivy	...	Female Berezovo

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1964) (cut) | Finland:(Banned) (1964) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1989) (uncut) | UK:A (1962) (cut) | West Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

67 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

M.C. Productions

Trivia:

Angela Lansbury was thirty-six at the time of filming, only three years older than Laurence Harvey, who played her son.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The presidential convention, where the assassination is supposed to take place, is held in 1954. 1954 was not a presidential nomination year. The correct date would be 1956.

Quotes:

Mrs. Iselin: [cordially, at a party the Iselins are giving] How good of you to come, Tom.
Sen. Thomas Jordan: [matter-of-fact, rather than cordial] I've explained to your husband why I'm here.
Mrs. Iselin: Tom, I know you have strong, personal feelings about Johnny and about me. But, what I would like to find out is, how strong they really are. To put it as simply as possible, If Johnny's name were to be put forward at the convention next week, would you attempt to block him?
Sen. Thomas Jordan: [taken slightly aback] You're joking, of course?
Mrs. Iselin: Mr. Stevenson makes jokes, I do not.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Soundtrack:

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Belongs in Top 50 Dramas

Manchurian Candidate is, quite simply, the best political thriller of all time. I can't think of another that keeps me on the edge of my seat, even on the tenth viewing. The incredible script, Angela Lansbury's Dearest Mommy, the effective use of black & white film for a movie about issues that were anything but black & white--I could go on and on.

I know that most people rave about Ms. Lansbury above all the other cast members, but--for me--Frank Sinatra wins the prize hands down. His disbelief, and then his disillusionment, and then his despair are perfectly portrayed. There were really two Sinatras, the singer AND the great actor.

In watching The Manchurian Candidate again and again, I never cease to be amazed at its prescient theme, the danger of the combination of fanaticism and patriotic fervor. Goldwater's famous quote comes to mind, "Extremism in the defense of virtue is no vice". In my opinion, this film just gets better with age.