Manchurian Candidate Analysis

During the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the thought of communism instilled fear within many Americans because it was portrayed in such a way that confined diversity and corroded political culture while the United States was supposed to be the land of the free. This fear of communism was nicknamed the “Red Scare” and was fed by Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of hidden communist in the country. The Manchurian Candidate was a black-and-white American film released in 1962 that depicted the Cold War and the affects of that paranoia had on the nation. It was released at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the spread of communism. This film was about Raymond Shaw, the son of a right-wing political family, who was brainwashed to act as an assassin

During the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the thought of communism instilled fear within many Americans because it was portrayed in such a way that confined diversity and corroded political culture. This fear of communism was nicknamed the “Red Scare” and was fed by Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of hidden communist in the country. The Manchurian Candidate was a black-and-white American film released in 1962 that depicted the Cold War and the effects that paranoia had on the nation. It was released at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the spread of communism. This film was about Raymond Shaw, the son of a right-wing political family, who was brainwashed to act as an assassin for his mother in a communist conspiracy theory. Major Bennet (Ben) Marco was another main character that played an important role in discovering the truth of Shaw’s brainwashing. Raymond Shaw faced the conflict of acting upon his free will while still being subconsciously manipulated by someone else. Throughout the film, Shaw was shown committing actions that he does not recall whatsoever later due to his programming which was triggered by the Queen of Diamonds playing card. Through the use of film techniques, The Manchurian Candidate creates a scenario which resembles the manifestation of America’s “Red Scare” paranoia in that the film portrays Raymond Shaw as an individual who lacks human agency due to his brainwashing because of a communist conspiracy.

In an effort to capture the effects of paranoia of the Red Scare in 1950s America, The Manchurian Candidate is filmed with the intentional techniques of character-following shots, plays on lighting, and mise-en-scene. These film techniques are utilized to make the argument that paranoia can be used to control others with the use of force as one tries to make sense of the chaos around themselves. Throughout the film, audiences fall into a sort of confusion when trying to determine the characters on the side of good or evil. Just as the audience gets trapped in the confusion of the film, the American people fell into pandemonium during the Cold War and were forced upon by the government to be on the side of freedom and democracy or be forced

The 1950s marked an incredible time in United States history. Many events that lead to the inspiration of future generations were revolutionized in economic and social expenditures of paramount proportion, most notably the manufacturing of war related materials for World War II. With an economic surge that catapulted the US even further into a position of world power, several industries flourished and suburban America took shape. Of these industries, film was one of the most substantial influences on the public and subsequently sparked a multitude of emotions. The culmination of entertainment adjoined with pressing issues allowed for designations of many political agendas. Some agendas proved to be melodramatic in nature regarding social reform while others were seen as substantial regarding national safety and protection.

In the time after WWII, propaganda that was used to garner support and encourage patriotism for the war had turned into a tool to perpetuate a state of paranoia. America feared losing its integrity to the conflicts that continuously cropped up on the other side of the world. One of the greatest threats came from communism: an entity that seemed to be intent on the consumption the entire European continent and would quickly reach out towards U.S. shores. In an attempt to combat this perceived threat, the U.S. government produced a new line of propaganda to convince her citizens that the communists were evil. One of the most common, and effective, ways to reach the people was through cinema. In the short film, “Make Mine Freedom”, John Q. Public represents communism as deceitful, corrupt, and non-individualistic in comparison to capitalism’s opposite representation as a prosperous, free, and economically mobile society that can be conflated with freedom in a patriotic light.

In Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a naïve Jefferson Smith sets off for Washington D.C. as a United States Senator, where he learns that politics is not as transparent as it may seem. Released in 1939, one of the most successful years for film, Mr. Smith became a smash hit, easily becoming the second largest blockbuster of that year. However, 1939 was also the year World War II had started, and coupled with the war’s association with the Great Depression, the hit film was bound to cause conflict and controversy among the viewing public, which included global audiences. With post-Depression America seeking realism and optimism and the events that would eventually lead to World War II, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington culminates

As the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States strengthened in the late 1940s and mid 1950s, mania over the apparent risk postured by Communists in the U.S. got to be known as the Red Scare. (Communists were frequently alluded to as "Reds" for their constancy to the red Soviet signal.) The Red Scare prompted a scope of activities that had a significant and persevering impact on U.S. government and society. Elected workers were investigated to figure out if they were adequately faithful to the administration, and the House Un-American Activities Committee, and also U.S. Congressperson Joseph R. McCarthy, examined affirmations of subversive components in the legislature and the Hollywood film industry. The atmosphere of apprehension

If there was a crisis at hand, the elections were the perfect time to sway anyone’s minds. Since the United States could only talk about communism, Joseph McCarthy knew it was the right time to persuade fellow voters to vote for him. According to an article, “McCarthy enthusiastically agreed and took advantage of the nation’s wave of fanatic terror against communism, and emerged on February 9, 1950, claiming he had a list of 205 people in the State Department who were known members of the American Communist Party.” (Oh & Latham, n.d.)

There was an uprise in the political world during the 1950’s that most blamed Senator Joseph McCarthy for. The fear of communism had many American’s distraught. Anti-communism was on the rise, which caused hysteria within the U.S citizens and their leaders. Senator Joseph McCarthy started most of the uproar and took charge exposing communist and those thought to be flight-risks; this time was known as the McCarthy era or The Red Scare. It was called the red scare because communists were often referred to as “Reds” for their allegiance to the red Soviet flag.

High Noon, the shocking American film from the 1950’s, shines light on the true nature of one standing their ground when the world is against them. This movie was written to represent the Red Scare, when Hollywood members were falsely accused of being communist. These actors were forced to give names of others who they thought were “communists” or else they would be punished. If the “communist” actors gave out names, however, they would be ruining other’s careers. Some of the people refused to give names. Like the Marshall in the movie High Noon, these brave actors stood up for what they believed in. Nevertheless, the other members of Hollywood around were not very willing to support. They were like the townspeople in High Noon. They didn’t want to risk their own reputation and safety. In the film, Zinnemann successfully revealed the hardships of those falsely convicted, and exposed the hearts of those who saw the false conviction, but did nothing about it in order to protect themselves.

Manchurian Candidate Some themes from the movie, The Manchurian Candidate, are as followed. One theme is political assassination. This film was evidently ahead of its time, and sparked controversy and fears. The idea of political assassination was seen as a viable threat and, following Kennedy’s assassination, the film was shelved. Another notable theme is mind control.

The U.S. then terrified and threatened by communistic spread denounced many men and women in the government and throughout hollywood as having communist affiliations striking fear and paranoia into the public. In the movie we see this paranoia

History has proven that when art is made, art becomes timeless. This is the reality with countless of classic films that have proven that when directors utilize various film techniques, they are able to create magnificent shots and scenes. In the film, “All the President’s Men”, the director, Alan J. Pakula employs various techniques that he effectively utilizes to make the political thriller an intriguing experience for his audience. As a political thriller, the film is based on the true story and events of the “Watergate Scandal” that the director tells from the perspective of two journalists that worked for The Washington Post. While Pakula’s film is excellent through the skills used to supplement the

Simultaneously, McCarthyism took shape in the United States. It was started by the then the United States Senator Joe McCarthy and gripped fear across the country. He highlighted how people in America could be communist sympathizers, spies or communist themselves. Through scrutiny of the film, many people comprehend the theme differently. Communism, McCarthyism and the key ideas of thinking and conformity are all speculated, but they come together in a manner that disproves the ideologies of the 1950s.

McCarthyism is the practice of accusing someone, in this case being a communist, with little to no evidence. McCarthyism began when Wisconsin senator, Joseph McCarthy, claimed he knew 205 members of communist parties that worked for the United States Department of State. The 205 alleged communists were investigated by the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) with very little evidence. This became a popular practice during the Cold War because Americans were extremely worried that America would become a communist country. HUAC investigated every rumor related to communism. The people most affected by this practice were the ones working in Hollywood; filmmakers, producers, film writers, and actors. HUAC believed that films were an easy way to promote communism which meant that many of them were blacklisted because of suspicion. When this occurred, getting a job became difficult. McCarthyism was an unfair practice that caused trouble to many