The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
(John Frankenheimer, US 1962, 126 min., 35mm)
Ben Marco (Frank Sinatra) and Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) were prisoners of war during the Korean conflict. When they return, Marco is assigned to Army Intelligence and recommends Shaw for the medal of honor. Shaw’s mother (Angela Lansbury), also the wife of Senator John Iselin (James Gregory), capitalizes on this honor for political benefit. When Marco begins having nightmares that make him doubt his faith in Shaw, he connects with other soldiers from his platoon who have had the same dream. Investigating these occurrences leads Marco down a path that uncovers a new and insidious form of warfare. As relevant today as it was sixty years ago, this political thriller wonders who holds the strings of the political puppets we elect.