Review of The Manchurian Candidate (1962) by Jason O — 11 Oct 2009

It's not many movies that start by deliberately confusing and infuriating you. Then again, The Manchurian Candidate was made in unique times. Paranoia was rife, and Frankenheimer was adept at putting you right in the heart of it.

The Manchurian Candidate is special. It combines so many classic fear in one setting. Fear of communism. Fear of politicians. Fear of losing one's free will. Fear of insanity. It portrays a world in which paranoia is justified because even your nearest and dearest is out to get you, here personified in the malevolent performance of Angela Lansbury.

And in the heart of it, there is Laurence Harvey - who specialised in cold and distanced characters - making you feel sympathetic for his plight. The film becomes his tragedy, and there is a feeling of Greek fate about how he cannot overcome his destiny that draws you into an unexpected emotional core to the film. The final scene in which Sinatra confronts Harvey has the sensitivity that Brando showed in his scenes with Steiger in On The Waterfront. Beyond sympathy, reaching genuine empathy.

The film is nervewrackingly tense. It is not necessarily pleasurable and not a movie that you may look forward to seeing again. But it is utterly original. And unforgettable.