The Manchurian Candidate

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The Manchurian Candidate

PG-13

1962

2h 6m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned home, and Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is lauded as a hero by the rest of his platoon. However, the platoon commander, Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra), finds himself plagued by strange nightmares and, together with fellow soldier Allen Melvin (James Edwards), races to uncover a terrible plot.

Critics Consensus

A classic blend of satire and political thriller that was uncomfortably prescient in its own time, The Manchurian Candidate remains distressingly relevant today.

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Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

12/07/2022

Gaudy, surreal, inexplicable, sensible.

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Peter John Dyer

Sight & Sound

03/06/2020

Its unreal characters [are] essentially relevant to ourselves in the Cold War, its extravagant fears for the future rooted logically in the recent past.

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James Powers

The Hollywood Reporter

03/01/2018

The direction and acting are good, so interest is maintained. Frankeheimer's handling of the early sequences, in which he attempts and succeeds in creating on film the corruption of the mind, is imaginative filmmaking.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Mar 12

5/10

A political thriller in which Frankenheimer, with his sober style, attempts to narrate matters of anti-communism and partisan opportunism, but it is, in reality, a bland exercise that accumulates structural deficiencies. [Full review in Spanish]

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Michael Clark

Epoch Times

10/27/2024

5/5

With our country lurching ever closer to joining the “New World Order” mentality, a possible cold war, and many American voters embracing communist and socialist ideals and platforms, “The Manchurian Candidate” has never been more vital and relevant.

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Anna Richards

Radio Times

08/17/2024

5/5

Stealing the show is Oscar-nominated Angela Lansbury as Harvey's mother -- monstrous, manipulative and completely power-crazed, she is an unforgettable creation.

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Keith W

@Keith166 Feb 25

This film gets everything right at 5 star level. I have only one beef, and that was due to how the star system works. In order of importance to the film the star credit order should be Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra since Janet Leigh's role is a side story which could have been edited out without affecting the plot that much. I think James Gregory as the awful Senator Iselin is also brilliant and with Lansbury provides much of the humour to lighten and otherwise bleak film. I rewatched it recently and noticed something I hadn't seen before. When Raymond Shaw gets on Senator Isen's private plane, he asks his mother for permission to take off his Medal of Honour. He's a grown man. Why do that. When he takes it off he does it in the same way he puts it on at the end. And I confess I like Raymond Shaw. For one thing he both loathes and despises Senator Isen and his awful mother - and that's a start. Only he could stop them and he did.

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F R

@FR2021 Oct 19

Ridiculous plot. And no, it's not relevant to anything currently at all. On the other hand, I love the cast and they're all strong. But a silly story.

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revolver.0 8

@Revolver08 Jun 30

Ridiculous plot, but very influential for future scenarios like The Parallax View, Black ops, etc

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 2

A success for a spy movie in 2 hours and 6 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Frank Sinatra as Captain Bennett Marco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Fer S

@RT07531533 Apr 24

It is such a great plot. Sadly, halfway through the movie it gets so slow and boring that it made me lose all interest.

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John G

@RT13402221 03/02/2025

Incredibly prescient not only for the 60's and also for the present MAGA movement. Slow at times but the suspense holds up and the ending will shock you. Chilling considering Russian operatives may have infiltrated this nation's highest office in 2025.

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John Frankenheimer

Director

Frank Sinatra

Major Bennett Marco

Laurence Harvey

Raymond Shaw

Janet Leigh

Eugenie Rose Chaney

Angela Lansbury

Mrs. Iselin

Henry Silva

Chunjin

The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - A Cold War

2:33

The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - I Wanted a Killer

3:43

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Synopsis

Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned home, and Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is lauded as a hero by the rest of his platoon. However, the platoon commander, Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra), finds himself plagued by strange nightmares and, together with fellow soldier Allen Melvin (James Edwards), races to uncover a terrible plot.

Director: John Frankenheimer
Producer: John Frankenheimer, George Axelrod
Screenwriter: George Axelrod
Distributor: United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: M.C. Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 24, 1962, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.9M
Runtime: 2h 6m

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