The Manchurian Candidate colorized movie

🎬 Review of The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Angela Lansbury, The Manchurian Candidate is a chilling Cold War-era political thriller that blends psychological drama with biting satire. The film follows Raymond Shaw, a decorated Korean War veteran who is unknowingly brainwashed by communists to become an assassin. Major Bennett Marco (Sinatra), plagued by disturbing dreams, begins to unravel the sinister plot.

Critics have hailed it as one of the most sophisticated satires ever produced in Hollywood. Roger Ebert called it “inventive and frisky,” noting its fearless critique of McCarthyism and its surreal, fragmented storytelling. Angela Lansbury’s performance as the manipulative mother is especially lauded—she’s terrifyingly brilliant.

📍 Filming Locations
The 1962 film was shot in several iconic locations:

• Manhattan, New York City: Jilly’s bar on 52nd Street, Shaw’s apartment on Riverside Drive, and Central Park Lake.
• Santa Monica Airport, California: Used as the Washington airport.
• Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles: Featured in key scenes.

🕵️ Was It Withdrawn After JFK’s Assassination?
Yes—but the story is more nuanced than legend suggests. After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, The Manchurian Candidate—which centers on a plot to assassinate a presidential candidate—was quietly pulled from circulation. Many believed Frank Sinatra, a close friend of JFK, withdrew the film out of grief. However, the real reason appears to be a combination of factors:

• United Artists, the distributor, initially removed it out of respect.
• Sinatra later acquired the rights in 1972, partly due to a poor original deal, and kept it out of theaters.
• The film wasn’t shown in cinemas again until 1987, when the New York Film Festival revived interest.