The Manchurian Candidate was incredible. I saw the remake several years ago but I obviously did not appreciate it for what it was supposed to represent. The remake is updated to revolve around the Gulf War rather than the Korean War era. And I was only 16 when I saw it so I didn't see the underlying message.
I'm glad that Professor McRae put the Cold War and McCarthyism and momism and behaviorism in our heads before we watched the movie. I knew that the movie was supposed to have a lot to do with Communist fears. But if I wasn't reminded of certain things, I'm not sure if I would have noticed them as much in the movie.
All of the actors in this movie were incredible. Frank Sinatra was phenomenal in his role as Major Ben Marco. He was so believable and respectable that it didn't even seem far fetched that he would figure out that someone was controlling Raymond Shaw by telling him to play Solitaire.
Laurence Harvey was great in the role of Raymond Shaw. It really creeped me out when he would just go blank and be under complete control of other people. He would do absolutely whatever he was told to do and then have no conscious memory of it. That gives me the shivers right now just thinking about it. It reminded me of White Zombie, when someone can just make you their slave and you can't do anything to save yourself. There is definitely a deep fear in all of us that someone will take away our free will and have complete control over our minds and bodies. That is why no one likes to give up their control in situations. That is definitely why brainwashing is such a scary thought.
I'm so glad Janet Leigh was in this movie. I really enjoy her as an actress. She doesn't play that idiotic airhead woman in anything I have seen her in. She is always intelligent, independent and strong. Her role in The Manchurian Candidate was slightly peculiar. She met Ben on a train and immediately dumped her fiance? I guess I give her some props for following her... heart. At first, I was suspicious that she had a part in the brainwashing plot. But I guess she was there to be the supportive love interest of Ben Marco.
Angela Lansbury was another one who gave me the heebie geebies in this movie. She was so plotting and conniving that it made me sick to my stomach. I definitely saw how the fear of "momism" was portrayed in her character. At the end of the movie, she confessed that she did not know that Raymond was supposed to be the instrument to all of this destruction. However, she still went along with the plan! She was a hideous character. And the Freudian kiss at the end was really bizarre.
Senator Johnny Iselin was obvious a caricature of Senator Joseph McCarthy. However, he was a blithering idiot most of the time. He was always drunk or drinking. I really don't think he knew about the plot to kill the Presidential candidate, though. Mrs. Iselin always told him what to say and when to say it. I also noticed the major incorporation of Abraham Lincoln in almost every scene that the Iselins were in. I'm not sure if Senator McCarthy invoked Lincoln's name in his war against Communism, but I am going to look into that. I'm assuming it has something to do with saving the Union by irradicating Communism and any Communist traitors.
I was personally very upset when Raymond had to kill Senator Jordan and his new bride Josie. Senator Jordan's character was incredibly likable. He was sensible and honest and I was not pleased to see his life ended that way. Also, Josie was Raymond's one chance for happiness and OF COURSE his mother took it away from him for a second time!
It was both shocking and pleasing to see that Raymond shot his step-father and mother at the end of the movie, instead of the Presidential nominee. Though I really didn't see his suicide coming. I felt very sad for his character.
I want to look more into the Communist witch-hunts of the 1950s. It seems so bizarre that the fear and anxiety was so strong that McCarthy could get away with as much as he did. I will definitely be writing my final paper on this movie and this era.
Angela Lansbury looks the same then as she does now.
ReplyDeleteLook at the crap going on today with terrorism. Even though celebrities and government officials aren't be accused like they were during the Cold War, citizens who are brown are being ostracized and sometimes kidnapped. At least, that last part is supposed to be a secret.
I really like your comment about brainwashing and how Robert Shaw's situation is very much like Madeline's in White Zombie. This connection really shows how the idea and fear of brainwashing is not restricted to one point in time.
ReplyDeleteAFI came out with a list of their top 50 heroes and villains in films and, to no surprise, Mrs. Iselin was number 21 for the villains (Phyllis Dietrichson of Double Indemnity was number 8). I absolutely hated this woman. I was actually surprised to see how much she was similar to the "mom" that was described by Wylie and his theory of momism. She was so psychotic and manipulating. She had this negative and dark presence about her every time she entered a room. It's funny though. I hate her so much but I think she's a wonderful and memorable character that will definitely stick with me.
I also noticed the references to Lincoln throughout. I'm not sure what this meant exactly but I actually really liked it. Let me know if you find out anything about it.
I agree that Raymond Shaw's death and overall character was very tragic. Even if we temporarily hate him for doing some of the things he did, we soon realize that none of this is his fault.
I like your connection with White Zombie too. I'd have liked some more explicit connection with the respective cultural fears at the time--this would make an interesting paper, actually.
ReplyDeleteShaw's suicide was the only logical copnclusion... he had to kill his mother and the senator to make sure the evil plot died with them, and he had to kill himself because (even though he was told not to remember) I think deep down he knew that he had killed Josie. Even if he didn't remember killing her, what did he have left? Shaw said it himself... She was his only chance at happiness. So what was there for him? We would have felt sorry for him if he lived because he probably would be taken to prison for murdering his Mother and step father...
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