The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Frank Sinatra’s having bad dreams. Ever since his return from the Korean War, he’s had nightmares of his sergeant, Laurence Harvey, killing men in their unit. Is it shell shock? Is it a premonition? Larry is also struggling with his return to civilization, since his overbearing mother Angela Lansbury is a very powerful force in the political realm.
If the title or plot sounds familiar to you, Hollywood remade The Manchurian Candidate in 2004, with Denzel Washington, Liev Shrieber, and Meryl Streep as the three leads, and updated to the Iraq War. The remake was also a great film, although perhaps not quite as chilling during the time of its release, since political corruption films were a new genre in the 60s. And the plot is so complex and confusing, even if you’ve seen one version, chances are you can watch the other without being able to guess or untangle the twists and turns. I have a soft spot in my heart for Frank Sinatra, so I’d recommend watching the original first, but Meryl Streep is frightening in her Hillary Clinton-esque portrayal in the remake, so if you want to watch that version first, that’s fine.
In addition to the tension-filled plot and scary setting of American politics, the acting in The Manchurian Candidate is fantastic. Both Frankie and Larry give wonderful performances, but only Angela Lansbury was honored with a nomination by the Academy in 1962. In a very sad scene, Larry buries his head in his hands and cries. “Some people are lovable and others are not. I am not lovable.” He made a career out of playing heartless cads, so when you see him in this different type of role – a victim – it breaks your heart. He never did play someone lovable, and it makes you wonder what kind of career he would have had if given a second chance.
If you haven’t yet seen it, rent at least one of the versions. It really is a classic. It’s very upsetting and extremely dark, especially when you consider the time period and the very recent demise of the Production Code. And when you think about it, it barely squeaked by in time. Had the film sat on the shelf for a year, it wouldn’t have been released at all.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Whit Bissell movies here!
More Frank Sinatra movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2004's The Manchurian Candidate here!
If the title or plot sounds familiar to you, Hollywood remade The Manchurian Candidate in 2004, with Denzel Washington, Liev Shrieber, and Meryl Streep as the three leads, and updated to the Iraq War. The remake was also a great film, although perhaps not quite as chilling during the time of its release, since political corruption films were a new genre in the 60s. And the plot is so complex and confusing, even if you’ve seen one version, chances are you can watch the other without being able to guess or untangle the twists and turns. I have a soft spot in my heart for Frank Sinatra, so I’d recommend watching the original first, but Meryl Streep is frightening in her Hillary Clinton-esque portrayal in the remake, so if you want to watch that version first, that’s fine.
In addition to the tension-filled plot and scary setting of American politics, the acting in The Manchurian Candidate is fantastic. Both Frankie and Larry give wonderful performances, but only Angela Lansbury was honored with a nomination by the Academy in 1962. In a very sad scene, Larry buries his head in his hands and cries. “Some people are lovable and others are not. I am not lovable.” He made a career out of playing heartless cads, so when you see him in this different type of role – a victim – it breaks your heart. He never did play someone lovable, and it makes you wonder what kind of career he would have had if given a second chance.
If you haven’t yet seen it, rent at least one of the versions. It really is a classic. It’s very upsetting and extremely dark, especially when you consider the time period and the very recent demise of the Production Code. And when you think about it, it barely squeaked by in time. Had the film sat on the shelf for a year, it wouldn’t have been released at all.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Whit Bissell movies here!
More Frank Sinatra movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2004's The Manchurian Candidate here!