THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)

Angela Lansbury was Nominated for Best Supporting Actress
as the Cunning and Ruthless Mrs. Eleanor Shaw-Iselin

On the twenty-fourth Lynchian day of Christmas, we present John Frankenheimer's mind-bending cold war thriller The Manchurian Candidate (1962). A remarkably sophisticated film, The Manchurian Candidate paved the way for later filmmakers to include more psychologically rich abstractions in mainstream movies. In the film we follow Raymond Shaw (Lawrence Harvey) and Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) who have returned from the Korean War changed men. Shaw and Marco's squad were captured by their communist enemies, held prisoner, and brainwashed before being released.

Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh Develop a Humorous Romance

Back in the real world, Shaw and Marco struggle with a problem they cannot define and continue fighting a war inside themselves that's long been forgotten by nearly everyone else. Meanwhile, pieces of the world chess board are moved into place by communist spies who prepare to infiltrate the highest rungs of the United States government and place in power their own puppet president. As Shaw and Marco become increasingly aware of their own roles in this master plan, they face the daunting challenge of overcoming their psychological programming and stop their handlers in time.

Jocelyn's Iconic Playing Card Costume Acts as a Trigger in Raymond Shaw

Mark Frost and David Lynch Pay Homage with Audrey's Similar Outfit
When She Infiltrates One-Eyed Jacks in Twin Peaks (1990-91)

The Manchurian Candidate includes a prominent Christmas scene and reveals subjective representations of Shaw and Marco's altered mental states, which makes this film about as Lynchian as you will find in a mainstream film of that era, or any other era for that matter. Frankenheimer's calculated and precise camera work is soaked deep in beautifully rich black and white cinematography, and is as psychologically compelling as it is visually stunning. From its opening scene at a communist tea party to the breathtaking climax, The Manchurian Candidate remains a classic work of art that explores man's will.

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