In the 1990s there was far too much briefing time when films dealing with Cold War themes felt obsolete. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the spread of democracy throughout Eastern Europe, there was good reason to believe that the Western immobilisation example of representative government won in the global market for ideas. A country, driven by a corrupt authoritarian leader, suddenly wanted to join the capitalist game. Alas, as most of us already knew, When the law is not in effect, there are no more corrupt games in towns. Looking at the daily headlines makes it clear that these Cold War films aren’t just related again. These are harsh dispatches from the strange world that the West has emerged over this horrifying conflict.
It’s a difficult drug to swallow, and if you don’t feel like the classic paranoid political thriller of the time, I won’t blame you. After all, we definitely failed to pay attention to the warnings of this genre. But if you have a strong stomach and/or simply want to see a beautifully made film about an attempted US government acquisition, you can’t do anything more than John Frankenheimer’s 1962 classic, The Manchurian Candidate. And here’s some real good news: you can now watch it (with ads) for free on YouTube.
Candidate Manchurian is a riveting political thriller
The Frankenheimer film was adapted from a Richard Condon novel by skilled satirist George Axelrod and stars Frank Sinatra as Bennett Marco, the US Army Intelligence Bureau officer who was captured by the Chinese during the Korean War. It also proves that the prisoner received Raymond Shaw (Lawrence Harvey) is a valuable asset, the son of a powerful US senator with presidential ambitions. While restrained, men are brainwashed through techniques that make them susceptible to certain triggers. For Shaw, it is the Queen of Diamonds, and it is the goal of his unpleasant mother (the delicious and evil Angela Lansbury) to instruct her unconscious son to clear the path of murder to her husband’s president.
“The Manchurian Candidate” was released on October 24, 1962, four days before the resolution of the Cuban missile crisis, and has remained a favorite of political thriller Junkie for over half a century. The film was supported by a well-received screening at the New York Film Festival in 1987, prompting a re-release of the play. It was filmed in black and white (this should never be a turn-off, but if it’s for you, boy, you’re missing out), but Frankenheimer’s staging skills on suspense sets are timeless. The film closes you down with that grip and to its amazing finale. Whether it makes you angry or despair, I guarantee it will shake you. This is an unforgettable film that ponders what it takes to overthrow the US government. After all, Condon, Frankenheimer and Axelrod could have been too hopeful.
