The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Richard Condon (novel)
George Axelrod (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

24 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

When you've seen it all, you'll swear there's never been anything like it!

Plot:

A former Korean War POW is brainwashed by Communists into becoming a political assassin. But another former prisoner may know how to save him.

Plot Keywords:

Korean War | Nightmare | Army | Korea | Medal Of Honor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Maj. Bennett Marco
Laurence Harvey	...	Raymond Shaw
Janet Leigh	...	Eugenie Rose Chaney
Angela Lansbury	...	Mrs. Iselin
Henry Silva	...	Chunjin
James Gregory	...	Sen. John Yerkes Iselin
Leslie Parrish	...	Jocelyn Jordan
John McGiver	...	Sen. Thomas Jordan
Khigh Dhiegh	...	Dr. Yen Lo
James Edwards	...	Cpl. Allen Melvin
Douglas Henderson	...	Col. Milt
Albert Paulsen	...	Zilkov
Barry Kelley	...	Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Holborn Gaines
Madame Spivy	...	Female Berezovo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Adams	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Frank Basso	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Mary Benoit	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Whit Bissell	...	Medical Officer (uncredited)
Nicky Blair	...	Silvers (uncredited)
Merritt Bohn	...	Jilly (uncredited)
Nick Bolin	...	Berezovo (uncredited)
Robert Burton	...	Convention Chairman (uncredited)
Evelyn Byrd	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Lana Crawford	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Ray Dailey	...	Page Boy (uncredited)
Mimi Dillard	...	Mrs. Melvin (uncredited)
Joan Douglas	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Mickey Finn	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Gomel's Lady Counterpart (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
John Francis	...	Hiken (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Ralph Gambina	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tom Harris	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Maggie Hathaway	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Maye Henderson	...	Chairlady (uncredited)
Sam 'Kid' Hogan	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Harry Holcombe	...	General (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Miyoshi Jingu	...	Miss Gertrude (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Man seated next to projector (uncredited)
Rita Kenaston	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Senator (uncredited)
Helen Kleeb	...	Mrs. Henry Whitaker, Chairlady (uncredited)
Lou Krugg	...	Manager (uncredited)
John Lawrence	...	Grossfeld (uncredited)
Richard LePore	...	Pvt. Edmund 'Ed' Mavole (uncredited)
Tom Lowell	...	Pvt. Bobby Lembeck (uncredited)
Michael Masters	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Marquita Moll	...	Soprano (uncredited)
Reggie Nalder	...	Gomel (uncredited)
Frances E. Nealy	...	Woman in Lobby (uncredited)
Karen Norris	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Richard Norris	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Julie Payne	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Robert Riordan	...	Benjamin K. Arthur (uncredited)
Anna Shin	...	Korean Girl (uncredited)
Ray Spiker	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Irving Steinberg	...	Freeman (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Officer (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Senator (uncredited)
William Thourlby	...	Little (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Second Reporter (uncredited)
Raynum K. Tsukamoto	...	Man in Lobby (uncredited)
Jeanne Vaughn	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Anton von Stralen	...	Officer (uncredited)
James Yagi	...	Chinese Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Frankenheimer

Writing credits
Richard Condon		(novel)
George Axelrod		(screenplay)
John Frankenheimer		uncredited

Produced by
George Axelrod	....	producer
John Frankenheimer	....	producer
Howard W. Koch	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Amram

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Philip M. Jefferies		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry

Makeup Department
Ron Berkeley	....	makeup artist
Jack Freeman	....	makeup artist
Bernard Ponedel	....	makeup artist
Gene Shacove	....	hair stylist: Janet Leigh
Mary Westmoreland	....	hair stylist
Dorothy Parkinson	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph C. Behm	....	assistant director (as Joseph Behm)

Art Department
Arden Cripe	....	property master
Philip M. Jefferies	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Joe Edmondson	....	sound mixer
Del Harris	....	sound effects editor
Buddy Myers	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects (as Paul Pollard)

Visual Effects by
Howard A. Anderson	....	photographic effects

Stunts
Gordon Doversola	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Beau Vanden Ecker	....	assistant stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Indrisano	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Mehl	....	camera operator
William Read Woodfield	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wesley Jeffries	....	costumer (as Wesley V. Jefferies)

Editorial Department
Carl Mahakian	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
David Amram	....	conductor
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Vinton Vernon	....	music recordist

Other crew
Thom Conroy	....	dialogue coach
Amalia Wade	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• M.C. Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United Artists (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Howard Anderson Company, The (photographic effects)

Other Companies

• American Map Company Inc.  maps
• Ruser  jewels

Also Known As:

Botschafter der Angst (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
El embajador del miedo (Argentina) (Mexico) (TV title) [es]
Casuslara karsi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
El mensajero del miedo (Spain) [es]
Hjärntvättad (Sweden) [sv]
Kagenaki sogekisha (Japan) [ja]
Kandidaten fra Manchuriet (Denmark) [da]
Kato apo enan allo ilio (Greece) [el]
Mandzurijski kandidat (Serbia) [sr]
Mandzuský kandidát (Czech Republic) [cs]
Mantshurian kandidaatti (Finland) [fi]
Mantsurian sankari (Finland) [fi]
O Candidato da Manchúria (Portugal) [pt]
O Enviado da Manchúria (Portugal) [pt]
O anthropos tis Mantzourias (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Sob o Domínio do Mal (Brazil) [pt]
Un crime dans la tête (France) [fr]
Ushinawareta toki wo motomete (Japan) (new title) [ja]
Va' e uccidi (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1964) (uncut) | Finland:(Banned) (1964) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1989) (uncut) | UK:A (1962) (cut) | West Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

67 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

M.C. Productions

Trivia:

The army psychiatrist in this movie was the first black actor cast in a part that wasn't specified as a black character.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Raymond shoots Senator Iselin, the senator jolts in reaction. Theres a cut away and then back to a view of Iselin and Angela Lansbury's character and the senator jolts again.

Quotes:

Bennett Marco: Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Essentials: The Manchurian Candidate (#6.26)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Politics Aside, A Riveting Film

The first time I saw this film, about 10 years ago, I thought it was really fascinating. One year later, I still enjoyed but was a bit perplexed: was this the usual Liberal Hollywood taking shots at right-wingers or is this actually the reverse with the left-wingers, the Communists really being shown as the "bad guys?" After a third and final viewing a few years later, I felt it was both but the leaned toward Liberal, which is par for the course. The general plot had left wingers brainwashing an influential American family into looking like extreme right wingers and gaining access to the White House through political influence and assassination. Most of the movie featured a Joe McCarthy-ish senator (James Gregory) and his conniving wife (Angela Lansbury) as the villains. They were portrayed as right wingers, of course, but were really just dupes of the Communists (left wing)! Got that??!

Suffice to say the movie had messages from both the Right and Left but politics aside, the film boasts an involving story that keeps your interest for most of the two hours and six minutes, and had some very interesting characters who are fascinating to watch. That includes the supporting roles. It didn't hurt to have John Frankenheimer direct, either. His films usually were outstanding.

I thought Lansbury and Laurence Harvey had the best parts of the film. The only really stupid and/or annoying character in the movie was played by Janet Leigh. Her romance scenes with Frank Sinatra added nothing to this riveting film. Eliminated, it would have made for a tighter, even better movie. Also, Sinatra found out too easily where Harvey was hiding in Madison Square Garden. Nobody could figure it out that fast! Nonetheless, the ending was a bit surprising and I won't spoil it for anyone who has not seen this.

The movie has endured the test of time and, from what I hear, would have been best left on its own instead of watering down the name of this film with an insipid re-make. This is "The Manchurian Candidate" version you want to see.