Posted on 03/23/2020 2:38:23 PM PDT by simpson96

The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 American neo noir psychological political thriller film about the Cold War and sleeper agents. It was directed and produced by John Frankenheimer. The screenplay was written by George Axelrod and was based on the 1959 Richard Condon novel The Manchurian Candidate. The film's leading actors are Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Janet Leigh, with Angela Lansbury, Henry Silva and James Gregory in supporting roles.
The plot centers on the Korean War veteran Raymond Shaw, the progeny of a prominent political family. Shaw was a prisoner of war during the conflict in Korea and while being held was brainwashed by his captors. After his discharge back into civilian life, he becomes an unwitting assassin involved in an international communist conspiracy. Officials from China and the Soviet Union employ Shaw as a sleeper agent in an attempt to subvert and take over the United States government.
The film was released in the United States on October 24, 1962, at the height of U.S.Soviet hostility during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was well-received by critics and was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Lansbury) and Best Editing.
Frank Sinatra broke the little finger of his right hand on the desk in the fight sequence with Henry Silva. Due to on-going filming commitments, he could not rest or bandage his hand properly, causing the injury to heal incorrectly. It caused him chronic discomfort for the rest of his life.
Karate Fight From "The Manchurian Candidate' (1962, video)
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...

Great movie, but truly frightening.
Pretty good fight scene for the era - Henry Silva is still with us, age 91.
Frank Sinatra was no Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris, that’s for sure.
This is the one to watch.
Rod Tayler. These two actors didn’t like each other and in the fight scene, they started throwing punches for real.
So violent, the movie was rated X.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0igiQA5jvI
Rod Taylor.
I won’t even get started on the Insp Clouseau/Kato martial arts fights.
Laurence Harvey died too young - 45 years old.
Then his daughter died too young - 35 years old.
He died of cancer; he was a heavy smoker and drinker.
She died of a Fentanyl overdose.
Since China & Manchuria it would have been Wushu or Kung Fu not karate but I quibble! :)
The original Travis McGee!
And what a completely hokey fight it was.
Fight watch ping!
Henry Silva was the assassin in Burt Reynolds’ “Sharky’s Machine”.
Henry Silva still with us at 91.
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