THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE Movie Review
1962 John Frankenheimer
In their adaptation of Richard Condon's brilliant novel, John Frankenheimer and George Axel-rod invent the post-World War II thriller. The form had traditionally been a matter of heroism and suspense built around an innocent man caught in the wrong place. Condon and the filmmakers move to a deeper, darker level of paranoia where all of the fears and hatreds of the Cold War coalesce. In their funhouse mirrors, every political idea is actually its opposite: the red-baiting senator is a tool of the communists, the hero is almost completely ineffectual, the villain is the most cheerful and intelligent character in the piece, and his plans are mostly successful.
Despite the story's bizarre premise and shaky narrative structure, its influence has increased steadily over the decades. Doubtless, some of that importance is due to timing. Political assassination was unimaginable in the America of the late 1950s and early '60s. The prophetic elements give the more fantastic conspiratorial fantasies a degree of believability that still resonates. The plot is so familiar now that it needs little comment. In the Korean War, a night patrol is captured by North Korean and Chinese troops. The men are brainwashed by the jovial Yen Lo (Khigh Deigh) into believing that Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) singlehandedly wiped out their captors and brought them back to safety. After the war, Maj. Marco (Frank Sinatra) and Cpl. Melvin (James Edwards) suffer nightmares that gradually reveal the truth. Meanwhile, Raymond's arch-conservative mother (Angela Lansbury) positions her husband, Sen. John Iselin (James Gregory) for higher office.
The realistic blocks upon which Condon's story is built are obvious. Iselin—superbly played by familiar character actor Gregory—is a boozy, only slightly exaggerated parody of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. The symptoms that Marco and Melvin suffer mirror what was then called “battle fatigue,” A.K.A. shell shock, or post-traumatic stress syndrome. Franken-heimer, who had come to film from television, sets the action squarely in the everyday world of cluttered apartments and self-important politicians. The real subject—the corrosive bitterness of extremist politics—is made clear in his twisted ironic use of American symbols of liberty: the eagle, the flag, Lincoln.
Some of Frankenheimer's techniques are showy, most notably the 360-degree pan during Yen Lo's demonstration, while others—like the hand-held camera that follows Raymond and family into the backseat of a limo—are simply the most effective way to get close to the characters. Though the big fight scene between Sinatra and Henry Silva may not measure up to expectations of today's more jaded martial arts fans, it's still one of the best furniture-smashing hand-to-hand sequences ever put on film.
So much background information has to be delivered that important characters are not even mentioned, much less introduced, until the almost the midpoint. The romantic relationship involving Janet Leigh has almost nothing to do with the rest of the action, and several transitions are rough and poorly explained. But the film works so smoothly on the elemental what's-going-to-happen-next? level that the flaws evaporate. Also, the ensemble performances, led by Angela Lansbury, Laurence Harvey, and Sinatra, never strike a false note. The same can be said of David Amram's somber score.
The pieces all fit together perfectly. Along with Dr. Strangelove, The Manchurian Candidate is a masterpiece of the Cold War.
Cast: Frank Sinatra (Bennett Marco), Laurence Harvey (Raymond Shaw), Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Iselin), Janet Leigh (Rosie), James Gregory (Sen. John Iselin), Leslie Parrish (Jocie Jordon), John McGiver (Sen. Thomas Jordon), Henry Silva (Chunjin), Khigh Deigh (Yen Lo), James Edwards (Cpl. Melvin), Douglas Henderson (The Colonel), Albert Paulsen (Zilkov), Barry Kelley (Secretary of Defense), Lloyd Corrigan (Holborn Gaines), Whit Bissell (Medical officer), Joe Adams (Psychiatrist), Madame Spivy (Berezovo), Mimi Dillard (Melvin's wife), John Lawrence (Grossfeld), Tom Lowell (Lembeck); Written by: John Frankenheimer, George Axelrod; Cinematography by: Lionel Lindon; Music by: David Amram. Producer: M.C. Productions, George Axelrod, John Frankenheimer. Awards: American Film Institute (AFI) '98: Top 100; Golden Globe Awards '63: Best Supporting Actress (Lansbury); National Board of Review Awards '62: Best Supporting Actress (Lansbury), National Film Registry '94; Nominations: Academy Awards '62: Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actress (Lansbury). Running Time: 126 minutes. Format: VHS, Beta, LV, Closed Caption, DVD.