The Manchurian Candidate

Question 1

The film begins with a title:

Answer 1

“Korea 1952” during the Korean War. Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) and Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) are part of an American infantry platoon that is serving overseas in Korea. In the pre-credits sequence, the unlikeable Sergeant curtails the late night carousing of his troops in a Korean brothel-bar.
During a night-time maneuver as they are led by a traitorous local interpreter named Chunjin (Henry Silva), the Americans are advised to walk in a single file line - a tactically-indefensible strategy. While on patrol, they are ambushed, knocked unconscious, and taken away by helicopter into Manchuria to be held captive.

Question 2

Symbols

Answer 2

Patriotic symbols and images abound throughout the film, often juxtaposed with contradictory, ironic meanings.

Question 3

Characters

Answer 3

Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) - Captain Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) - Shaw’s politically-motivated, power-mad mother Mrs. Iselin (37 year old Angela Lansbury - step-father Senator John Iselin (James Gregory), an aspiring, right-wing (McCarthy-ish), buffoonish Vice-Presidential candidate - respected and decent liberal publisher Holborn Gaines (Lloyd Corrigan) - black Corporal Al Melvin (James Edwards) - youngest member and “mascot” Bobby Lembeck (Tom Lowell) - traitorous local interpreter named Chunjin (Henry Silva) - bald Communist Chinese/Korean doctor-spylord Yen Lo (Khigh Dhiegh) - Communist infiltrators led by Zilkov (Albert Paulsen) -