The Manchurian Candidate 1962

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The Manchurian Candidate ★★★★ 1962

Political thriller about an American Korean War vet who suspects that he and his platoon may have been brainwashed during the war, with his highly decorated, heroic friend programmed by commies to be an operational assassin. Loaded with shocks, conspiracy, inventive visual imagery, and bitter political satire of naivete and machinations of the left and right. Excellent performances by an all-star cast, with Lansbury and Gregory particularly frightening. Based on the Richard Condon novel. Featuring a special interview with Sinatra and Frankenheimer in which Sinatra is deified. 126m/B VHS, DVD . Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, Janet Leigh, James Gregory, Leslie Parrish, John McGiver, Henry Silva, Khigh (Kaie Deei) Deigh, James Edwards, Doug(las) Henderson, Albert Paulsen, Barry Kelley, Lloyd Corrigan, Whit Bissell, Joe Adams, Madame Spivy, Mimi Dillard, John Lawrence, Tom Lowell; D: John Frankenheimer; W: John Frankenheimer, George Axelrod; C: Lionel Lindon; M: David Amram. AFI ‘98: Top 100; Golden Globes ‘63: Support. Actress (Lansbury); Natl. Bd. of Review ‘62: Support. Actress (Lansbury), Natl. Film Reg. ‘94.

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