The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Richard Condon (based on a novel by)
George Axelrod (screenplay)
(more)

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:

Nightmare | Korean War | Army | Korea | Medal Of Honor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Major Bennett Marco
Laurence Harvey	...	Raymond Shaw
Janet Leigh	...	Eugenie Rose Chaney
Angela Lansbury	...	Mrs. Eleanor Shaw Iselin
Henry Silva	...	Chunjin
James Gregory	...	Senator John Yerkes Iselin
Leslie Parrish	...	Jocelyn Jordan
John McGiver	...	Senator Thomas Jordan
Khigh Dhiegh	...	Dr. Yen Lo
James Edwards	...	Corporal Allen Melvin
Douglas Henderson	...	Colonel Milt
Albert Paulsen	...	Zilkov
Barry Kelley	...	Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Holborn Gaines
Madame Spivy	...	Female Berezovo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Adams	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Frank Basso	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Mary Benoit	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Whit Bissell	...	Medical Officer (uncredited)
Nicky Blair	...	Silvers (uncredited)
Merritt Bohn	...	Jilly (uncredited)
Nick Bolin	...	Berezovo (uncredited)
Robert Burton	...	Convention Chairman (uncredited)
Evelyn Byrd	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Lana Crawford	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Ray Dailey	...	Page Boy (uncredited)
Mimi Dillard	...	Mrs. Melvin (uncredited)
Joan Douglas	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Mickey Finn	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Gomel's Lady Counterpart (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
John Francis	...	Hiken (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Ralph Gambina	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tom Harris	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Maggie Hathaway	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Maye Henderson	...	Chairlady (uncredited)
Sam 'Kid' Hogan	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Harry Holcombe	...	General (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Miyoshi Jingu	...	Miss Gertrude (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Man Seated Next to Projector (uncredited)
Rita Kenaston	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Senator (uncredited)
Helen Kleeb	...	Mrs. Henry Whitaker - Chairlady (uncredited)
Lou Krugg	...	Manager (uncredited)
Jack Latham	...	TV Newscaster (uncredited)
John Lawrence	...	Grossfeld (uncredited)
Richard LePore	...	Private Ed Mavole (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness	...	Delegate (uncredited)
Tom Lowell	...	Private Bobby Lembeck (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	Delegate (uncredited)
Rankin Mansfield	...	Delegate (uncredited)
Michael Masters	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Marquita Moll	...	Soprano (uncredited)
Reggie Nalder	...	Gomel (uncredited)
Frances E. Nealy	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Karen Norris	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Richard Norris	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Julie Payne	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Robert Riordan	...	Benjamin K. Arthur (uncredited)
Anna Shin	...	Korean Girl (uncredited)
Ray Spiker	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Irving Steinberg	...	Freeman (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Officer (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Senator (uncredited)
William Thourlby	...	Little (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Second Reporter (uncredited)
Raynum K. Tsukamoto	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Jeanne Vaughn	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Anton von Stralen	...	Officer (uncredited)
James Yagi	...	Chinese Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Frankenheimer

Writing credits
Richard Condon		(based on a novel by)
George Axelrod		(screenplay)
John Frankenheimer		uncredited

Produced by
George Axelrod	....	producer
John Frankenheimer	....	producer
Howard W. Koch	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Amram		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster		(film editor)

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Philip M. Jefferies		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry		(costumes by)

Makeup Department
Ron Berkeley	....	makeup artist
Jack Freeman	....	makeup artist
Bernard Ponedel	....	makeup artist
Gene Shacove	....	hair stylist: Janet Leigh
Mary Westmoreland	....	hair stylist
Dorothy Parkinson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph C. Behm	....	assistant director (as Joseph Behm)
Read Killgore	....	assistant director (uncredited)
David Salven	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Arden Cripe	....	property master
Philip M. Jefferies	....	assistant art director
Richard Borland	....	props (uncredited)
Lucius O. Croxton	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John M. Elliott	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Seymour Klate	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Richard M. Rubin	....	props (uncredited)
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	props (uncredited)
Joseph S. Toldy	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joe Edmondson	....	sound mixer
Del Harris	....	sound effects editor
Bill Flannery	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Buddy Myers	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Paul Wolfe	....	recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects (as Paul Pollard)

Stunts
Gordon Doversola	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Beau Vanden Ecker	....	assistant stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Indrisano	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Mehl	....	operative cameraman
Felix Barlow	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Robert Campbell	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bill Craemer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eugene Levitt	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
William Read Woodfield	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wesley Jeffries	....	costumer (as Wesley V. Jefferies)
Angela Alexander	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Morris Brown	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ron Talsky	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Rose Viebeck	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Carl Mahakian	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
David Amram	....	conductor
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Vinton Vernon	....	music recordist

Other crew
Thom Conroy	....	dialogue coach
Amalia Wade	....	script supervisor
Grace Dubray	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Mollie Kent	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Gene Martell	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• M.C. Productions (copyright holder)

Distributors

• United Artists (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (as United Artists Pictures Inc.)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Park Circus (2010) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United Artists (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Howard Anderson Company, The (photographic effects) (as The Howard Anderson Co.)

Other Companies

• American Map Company Inc.  maps: provided through the courtsey of
• Ruser  jewels (as Ruser - Beverly Hills)

Also Known As:

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) (uncut) | Finland:(Banned) (1964) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1989) (uncut) | UK:A (1962) (cut) | West Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:15 | UK:12A (2010) | Australia:M | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (1988) | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

M.C. Productions

Trivia:

A scene where Laurence Harvey jumps in Central Park lake was shot on the coldest day in 30 years. They had to break the foot-thick ice on the lake with a bulldozer before the scene could be shot.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Marco and Rosie are talking in the vestibule of the railroad car, she tells him, "I live on 64th Street, a few doors from The Modern Museum of Art". (She should correctly have said, "The Museum of Modern Art".)

Quotes:

Dr. Yen Lo:I'm sure you've all heard the old wives' tale that no hypnotized subject may be forced to do that which is repellent to his moral nature, whatever that may be. Nonsense of course.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Charmed: Mr. & Mrs. Witch (#8.11)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Twelve Days of Christmas

I Was Warned About People Like This!!!

You have to realize the full extent of how the monster of Communist paranoia prevailed in our American culture after World War II!! The nation's cold war conditions, which stalemated America's citizens with needless trepidation, necessitated that Americans manufacture an adversarial enemy. Such a scenario was established irregardless of the fact that our nation's peoples could find a legitimate enemy or not!! Lawrence Harvey is magnificent in this role, as he exudes a helplessness that exaggerates the intensity of tumultuousness which every one around him has become burdened by!! Angela Lansbury plays Raymond's mother, she has all the free flowing compassion of a refrigeration plant... Her personality is less pleasant than a largess of lagoon algae!! This is an instance where manipulation becomes intrepidly criminal!! Being hypnotically mesmerized ultimately backfires in this movie!!! Major Bennett Marco, (Frank Sinatra's character), must endure the unfortunate task of being the hapless recipient to witnessing an onslaught of heinous ordeals in Raymond's tormented life!! Back in 1962, when this film came out, it brought on a myriad of emotional complexities which had not been delved into until this movie brought them out!! Angela Lansbury's character was one which far exceeded the label of right wing Conservative!! She manifested a personality which was overtly lethal, and, her temperament contained an unmitigated temerity for the slightest concept which advocated even a modicum of non-conventionalism!! I was warned about people like she was!! The vitriolic rancor with the major characters in this movie was predicated on the paucity of trust each and every one of them had for the existing circumstances!! Nothing was simple anymore, war and hypnosis were an ephemeral obsession with Raymond, these tales of agitation resulted in the fact that he no longer possessed the ability to think rationally!! New York City has always been a playground for the counter-culture elements of our society to breed and proliferate!! At one time, rumors were going around about how there were more KGB agents in Manhattan, than there were in Moscow!! Such a venue, like New York, induced an undaunted ambiguity with relation to the motives of any individual embracing one political philosophy or another!! At some point, however, what constitutes a warranted concern, as opposed to what is an invalid concern, should have been dichotomized accordingly!!! The film "Manchurian Candidate" is indeed one of the finest films ever made!! The candid responses that this movie makes provision for, bring on the potential to utterly sensitize the movie audience with regard to the film's formidable aspects of ideological extremism!! This website ranks "Manchurian Candidate" the 95th best picture out of the top 250 films in the cinema!! AFI (American Film Institute) ranks this film 65th best film out of the top 100 American films ever made!! The introverted belligerence was superbly depicted with this movie, and the political rumination for the film's justifiable ending sparked a seriously pontificating insight for the rationale of cold war phobia!! Ultimately, man's primate instincts, for which he gets severely stigmatized by, sadly resonated with almost every one of the major characters in this film!! "Manchurian Candidate" was a harbinger of things to come in the political arena, as it illustrates how people who sought political office demonstrated a repugnant display of greed!! I definitely feel that this movie, "Manchurian Candidate" is head and shoulders above most films, particularly in terms of this movie's astute correlation to the complicated storyline in which it presented!! "Manchurian Candidate" deliberately articulates a disconcerting premise to the gist of their plot with a very painstaking brilliance!! Based on the novel by Richard Condon, this movie explodes with top notch Hollywood talent!! John Frankenheimer directs "Manchurian Candidate" ( He is well known for a numerous list of "Playhouse 90" productions), Frankenheimer does a marvelous job with this movie!! The acting for "Manchurian Candidate" is sensational!! Frank Sinatra was a box office big wig at the time, and Angela Lansbury plays a character who is absolutely despicable!! Of course, this was the idea!! The '2004 remake of this movie is just mediocre, a little too stilted!! However, I give the original '1962 movie a PERFECT TEN!!! SEE IT FOR SURE!!!