Rating of
3.5/4
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 02/19/13
Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) and Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) are friends. Ben suddenly have violent dreams in which he is being experimented on to kill his comrades. Mrs. Eleanor Iselin (Angela Lansbury) instructs her son in what to do. Senator John Yerkes Iselin (James Gregory) is part of a massive plan. Jocelyn Jordan (Leslie Parrish), the daughter of Senator Thomas Jordan (John McGiver), is married to Shaw.
The pace was somewhat sluggish to bring out the details of the inventive political plot. Laurence Harvey played his part well while Sinatra a successful support. Kudos though to the antagonist, Angela Lansbury was wicked. Score was effective and the one of the pioneering hand to hand combat was realistic. Aside from the length, dated action and overloaded of characters, The Manchurian Candidate conveyed the themes of an overpowering mother, patriotism, brain-washing and justice in an expert manner. One of the best thrillers ever onscreen.
