TV and Movies

[Oznell]

8:00 p.m. Eastern-   "The Manchurian Candidate"   Laurence Harvey, Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury, Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, James Gregory, Leslie Parrish, John McGiver, Douglas Henderson, Whit Bissell

Stunning Cold War thriller, in which Korean War-era American troops are captured and secretly brainwashed by Chinese Communists, then allowed to return home.

Laurence Harvey is one who has been primed to kill upon command by enemy agents Stateside.  Apart from not knowing that he has been turned into an assassin, he has other problems, including a powerful, twisted, Machiavellian mother, brilliantly played by Angela Lansbury (Best Supporting Actress nomination honors).

Frank Sinatra is his fellow soldier, an Army Captain, who ultimately makes an attempt to de-program Harvey.  Like Harvey and Lansbury, Sinatra is terrific in his role, and I kept wishing there would be more scenes between him and Janet Leigh, also effective in a small role....

 

Not for the faint-hearted, but riveting and thought-provoking.

And you could turn it into a Laurence Harvey double feature, by watching him co-star with Elizabeth Taylor in sudsy "Butterfield 8", at 10:15 p.m. Eastern, right after "The Manchurian Candidate".   "Larry" and "La Liz" have some serious chemistry there...

[Mz iMac]

This original version is "DA BOMB!"  I hated the Denzel Washington version.

Angela Lansbury plays an excellent "upper crust smothering her only baby boy bad mama."

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

Cannot watch Manchurian Candidate (seen it many times, but it creeps me out).

However Butterfield 8 is in my top picks.  I have the CD and have watched it often.  It's a guilty pleasure for me as I adore anything with Elizabeth Taylor.  Love when she smashes his foot with her spike heel!

It's a sizzler!

[Desert Lily]

@Oznell  Thanks for the headsup! Angela Lansbury is deliciously wicked in The Manchurian Candidate.

I'm also a fan of Liz in her role in Butterfield 8.

I'll be watching.

[kaydee50]

Angela is the best here, IMO.  What a mom!!

[drizzellla]

I enjoyed an Angela Lansbury interview that I saw. One of the tidbits that she talked about, stuck in my head. She was talking about "The Manchurian Candidate" and said she was 3 years older than Laurence Harvey and she played his Mom in the movie.

She had quite a laugh about it. 

[Big Joanie]

Over the years I have develped more respect for

Frank Sinatra as an actor.....

[chloe4578]

@Oznell 

I don't have TCM anymore, but have seen this picture more times than I can count.

Would you give me your thoughts on the role Janet Leigh played.  I always thought she was a spy.  I would like to know what you think.

[Oznell]

That is such an interesting take on her, @chloe4578 .   I hadn't thought of it, but given the circumstances under which they met, and other factors, you could very well be right!  Thanks for sharing that.  I'll be looking for 'clues' the next time I watch.

[godi]

Great movie, Frank Sinatra fought so hard to be in it.