thinker1691 Review of The Manchurian Candidate

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

" Could there ever be anything so dark as one's own mother "

[7/10 · 5 December 2008]

Each and every war produces it's own casualties. This movie is no different. The film is entitled " The Manchurian Candidate " and deals specifically with the physiological warfare used against U.S. soldiers in the Korean War. Hundreds of men came home complaining they could not differentiate between friend and foe. So many casualties complained of being 'Brain-washed' that a specific department was created to deal with dark memories. In this true life story, Maj. Ben Marco (Frank Sinatra) is one of a handful of men from the same company as their platoon's hero, Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey). Like all the rest of the survivors of a doomed patrol, Marco speaks highly of the Medal of Honor recipient Raymond Shaw, to the point of reciting exactly the same praise phrases as everyone else. Little attention is given to Marco when this irregularity is brought to the attention of the Military or government authorities. However, Marco remains persistent with his allegations, when he discovers his best friend may have been hypnotically programmed to kill someone important. Angela Lansbury plays Mrs. Iselin, who assures Marco there is nothing to worry about. Henry Silva is superb as Chunjin, a bodyguard out to make sure Marco is silenced, before he discovers the truth. James Gregory and John McGiver give stirring performances to an obvious black and white suspense classic. There is Great and powerful drama in this futuristic film and none more so than to believe it could happen. ****