Summary: The story begins in 1952 during the Korean War. Sergeant Raymond Shaw and his platoon are on a mission when they are captured by enemy forces. However this platoon is not taken in as a regular group of hostages, and they are not treated like prisoners of war. Rather they are used as lab rats for a Communist organization. Through a series of experiments, the members of the platoon are brainwashed. Yet Raymond Shaw is much more valuable to the members of the conspiracy. They have not only brainwashed him, but have created an assassin, in their eyes a perfect weapon. He can kill basically anyone, and he won't remember doing it. He can do this without much suspicion, as he is beloved nationwide and regarded as a hero for his "efforts' in battle. Following their release, a recurring dream leads Major Bennett Marco on an adventure to prove that the images that wake him up at night are more than just dreams. Although he does not completely remember what happened when they were captured, he knows that something is off. It is a race against time for him and the other men investigating Shaw. As Shaw is sent on more "missions," Marco and his team work to figure out who is behind the scheme and how to make it stop.
Analysis: Overall the film was well done. I did not notice any major plot holes. The movie appears as an action packed thriller, and while there is definitely surprise and action in the film, there was not as much action as I expected.. The storyline is well written and well portrayed. Some points were predictable while others were very surprising. Aside from this, the main motif is the queen of diamonds playing card. This card is what triggers Raymond, what derails his focus on what he is doing and makes him key into his mission. I thought this was an interesting choice, and it fits in with the story well. The pace was kind of slow, but part of that was necessary for story development. Parts of the story were confusing at times, but overall it was easy to follow. Opinion: Overall I really liked the movie. I thought the story was interesting and I liked the way it was told. I thought the cast did well in portraying their characters. I also liked how Raymond was kind of a monster, but was also very human. It was sad to watch his character's story, as he was doing something horrible by no will of his own and without realizing what he was doing. On top of that, his mother and step father are power hungry liers who will do anything to be in the spotlight. While I don't condone the murders he committed, I did feel sympathy towards Raymond. I also liked Frank Sinatra's character Bennett. I wasn't sure what to expect from his character. At first, I thought he was the one who had been brainwashed and would become an assassin. However I was pleasantly surprised when he essentially became the hero of the story. I admired how he cared about Raymond despite saying that he was difficult to get along with and being the one to ask for Raymond to be investigated. I felt a bit of sympathy for him too. Towards the beginning of the movie, it is plain to see that Bennett is facing his own struggles and his nightmares are not . helping. I was happy for him when he met Eugenie, although at first I thought she was working for the enemy and was trying to turn him into their next assassin. In the beginning, Raymond's mother just seemed overbearing and needy, especially for public attention. Yet as the story developed I too began to strongly dislike her character more and more. I felt the same about Raymond's step-father. The two of them were disgusting, They would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, even if that meant using their son and not caring about the consequences. I was surprised at the end, but I was glad it ended that way. I don't think it could have or should have ended any differently. I only wish there had been a bit more action in the movie. I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it to others. Frankenheimer, John, director. The Manchurian Candidate. Richard Condon, George Axelrod, United Artists, 1962
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AuthorHello fellow film lovers! Just a little bit about me: I love movies from the Old Hollywood era, especially musicals. In general, my movie taste is a bit all over the place. I don't really stick to one genre, as I just watch whatever looks interesting! I look forward to broadening my horizons in terms of film and reviewing them to the best of my ability in an honest way. Reading another passion of mine, and I'm frequently told I have an old soul, so expect to see a lot of older films being reviewed. I hope you can find what you need here! Archives
May 2019
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