He kills Gaines as a test, following the orders he receives when he plays solitaire and the Queen of Diamonds card appears in his hand. Shaw despises both and takes a newspaper job far away from them in NYC under a respected political columnist his parent’s hate, Holborn Gaines.Īfter two years, Shaw is now ready to be used as an assassin.
Iselin (Lansbury), and his loudmouth idiotic, bumbling stepfather, Senator Iselin (Gregory), who is a thinly veiled imitation of the politically ambitious Red-baiting Senator McCarthy. When Shaw returns home to a hero’s welcome he is greeted by his domineering, bitterly acerbic, widowed mother, Mrs. He’s also been chosen to be an assassin, as he will await word of that assignment from his American operatives. During the brainwashing Shaw is ordered to strangle one soldier and another he shoots in the head, which he does in a calm and assured manner. During the intensive brainwashing by the Korean spy Yen Lo (Dhiegh), the men are given details of an imaginary action that makes Shaw the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and the rest of the soldiers are forced to refer to him as “the bravest, finest, most lovable man I ever met.” They respect him because they think he saved their lives during this fictitious interpretation of their mission. The men in the platoon include those in charge, Captain Bennett Marco (Sinatra) and the detested Sergeant Ray Shaw (Laurence Harvey), and the traitorous interpreter Chunjin (Silva). The film opens during the Korean War in 1952 and an American army platoon is captured and brought behind the Manchuria border to be brainwashed for three days by Soviet and Chinese Communists at the Pavlov Institute. The film was put out of circulation for 25 years because of a money dispute between Frank Sinatra and United Artists. Nevertheless, it stands the test of time as an absorbing political thriller. Frankenheimer’s direction is a mixed bag of marvelously bizarre situations and of supporting characters who say the most ridiculous things. The film is based on the Richard Condon novel and scripted by George Axelrod, and despite its flaws it delivers an intelligent response to the witch hunt tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy. It’s a film that JFK encouraged to be made. “A fascinating political conspiracy theory satire about the Cold War.”Ī fascinating political conspiracy theory satire about the Cold War. Thomas Jordan), Khigh Dhiegh (Yen Lo), James Edwards (Corporal Melvin), Albert Paulsen (Zilkov), Lloyd Corrigan (Holborn Gaines) Runtime: 126 United Artists 1962) John Iselin), Leslie Parrish (Jocie Jordon), John McGiver (Sen.
Iselin), Henry Silva (Chunjin), James Gregory (Sen.
(director: John Frankenheimer screenwriters: George Axelrod/from the book by Richard Condon cinematographer: Lionel Lindon editor: Ferris Webster music: David Amram cast: Frank Sinatra (Bennett Marco), Laurence Harvey (Raymond Shaw), Janet Leigh (Rosie), Angela Lansbury (Mrs.