Question: when is the game of solitaire creepy? Answer: when you watch "The Manchurian Candidate". While this film was made in the sixties and the main terror of the film is no longer a threat, this film is still relevant and gripping today. The basic story, a company of men are taken kidnapped and brainwashed (during the Korean War). When they return to the states they "remember" the heroics of one of their own, Raymond Shaw (Harvey). Their commanding officer, Bennett Marco (Sinatra) has nightmares about the ACTUAL events, and confronts Shaw (who has been conditioned to forget the real incidents). The majority of the film is Marco's struggle to learn the truth and help his friend, who has been trained as an assassin (and is called through the game of solitaire).
In general the acting is pretty bad, with the exception of Angela Lansbury who plays Shaw's domineering mother Mrs. Iselin. She is ruthless and unlikeable, but she steals every scene she is in. The other two women in the film serve as the romantic foils of Shaw & Marco. Shaw's love interest is Jocelyn Jordan (Leslie Parrish): the daughter of his mother's political enemy. Jocelyn's character is not fully developed, and only appears in a few scenes, but she is a tragic character, sigh.
Marco's awkward love interest is Rose (Leigh). Their relationship is awkward since they meet on the train, and after only knowing each other for a few days are discussing marriage. It is my personal opinion (one which is shared by Roger Ebert, check it out), since Marco was conditioned about Raymond, he could potentially also be conditioned for something else. If this assumption is correct, Rose is probably his controller. Take a close look at their dialogue on the train: the random questions she asks, and the quick response and ability to remember the details, but I digress.
The only other "main" characters are Chunjin (Henry Silva) and Senator Iselin (James Gregory). Chunjin served as the companies translator in Korea (he was the one who set up their capture and subsequent brainwashing, "his brain has not only been washed, as they say... It has been dry cleaned". After the war, he becomes Shaw's manservant in order to keep an eye on him. Senator Iselin is Shaw's stepfather (whom he hates). The Senator is not the brightest man out there, "I keep telling you not to think! You're very, very good at a great many things, but thinking, hon', just simply isn't one of them", but he is good at doing what he is told, and his wife is a willing party.
It is a fascinating film...overlook the acting (or lack thereof) and you'll be hooked! I suggest seeing this film prior to the 2004 version (which stars Denzel Washington, Merle Streep, Liev Schreiber).
Watch while doing homework: if you can tune out the majority of the film it's pretty good..and its not too hard to follow, especially after you understand the flow
Wait till it comes on tv: i wouldn't pay money to see this film...(i was sorely disappointed that i paid to see the 2004 version), but it could potentially be worth it, if this is the kind of film you're interested in
In general the acting is pretty bad, with the exception of Angela Lansbury who plays Shaw's domineering mother Mrs. Iselin. She is ruthless and unlikeable, but she steals every scene she is in. The other two women in the film serve as the romantic foils of Shaw & Marco. Shaw's love interest is Jocelyn Jordan (Leslie Parrish): the daughter of his mother's political enemy. Jocelyn's character is not fully developed, and only appears in a few scenes, but she is a tragic character, sigh.
Marco's awkward love interest is Rose (Leigh). Their relationship is awkward since they meet on the train, and after only knowing each other for a few days are discussing marriage. It is my personal opinion (one which is shared by Roger Ebert, check it out), since Marco was conditioned about Raymond, he could potentially also be conditioned for something else. If this assumption is correct, Rose is probably his controller. Take a close look at their dialogue on the train: the random questions she asks, and the quick response and ability to remember the details, but I digress.
The only other "main" characters are Chunjin (Henry Silva) and Senator Iselin (James Gregory). Chunjin served as the companies translator in Korea (he was the one who set up their capture and subsequent brainwashing, "his brain has not only been washed, as they say... It has been dry cleaned". After the war, he becomes Shaw's manservant in order to keep an eye on him. Senator Iselin is Shaw's stepfather (whom he hates). The Senator is not the brightest man out there, "I keep telling you not to think! You're very, very good at a great many things, but thinking, hon', just simply isn't one of them", but he is good at doing what he is told, and his wife is a willing party.
It is a fascinating film...overlook the acting (or lack thereof) and you'll be hooked! I suggest seeing this film prior to the 2004 version (which stars Denzel Washington, Merle Streep, Liev Schreiber).
Watch while doing homework: if you can tune out the majority of the film it's pretty good..and its not too hard to follow, especially after you understand the flow
Wait till it comes on tv: i wouldn't pay money to see this film...(i was sorely disappointed that i paid to see the 2004 version), but it could potentially be worth it, if this is the kind of film you're interested in
Director: John Frankenheimer
Starring: Frank Sinatra as Marco
Laurence Harvey as Shaw
Janet Leigh as Rose
Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Iselin
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