An American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.An American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.An American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 6 wins & 9 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- Richard Condon
- George Axelrod
- John Frankenheimer(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFrank Sinatra broke the little finger of his right hand on the desk in the fight sequence with Henry Silva. Due to on-going filming commitments, he could not rest or bandage his hand properly, causing the injury to heal incorrectly. It caused him chronic discomfort for the rest of his life.
- GoofsIn the opening sequence, set in 1952, the bar in Korea has a US flag with 50 stars. In 1952, the US included only 48 states, and the flag had only 48 stars. In 1959, Alaska became the 49th state on January 3rd, so the flag was redesigned with 49 stars, effective July 4th, 1959. When Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21st, the 50-star flag was authorized, effective July 4th, 1960.
- Quotes
Bennett Marco: Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits specify, "Released thru United Artists". This uses an informal spelling of the standard "through".
- Alternate versionsThe West German version was edited (ca. 4 minutes) to remove every scene with the ladies in the greenhouse. This version was also released on DVD. In 2005 the uncut version (with subtitles for the missing scenes) was shown on Arte. Only in 2020 was the complete version released on Blu-ray/DVD.
- ConnectionsEdited into Commercial Entertainment Product (1992)
- SoundtracksThe Washington Post
(1889) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played by a band in the first scene after the opening credits
Featured review
A political and social thriller/drama ahead of its time.
John Frankenheimer's surrealistic direction and George Axelrod's adaptation of the 1959 book by the same name offer Laurence Harvey a career defining role.
Set in 1950's, A Korean War veteran Raymond Shaw(Harvey) returns home to a medal of honor for rescuing his POW platoon from behind Chinese lines and back to safety. One of the returning soldiers, (played effectively by Frank Sinatra) however, has recurring dreams of his platoon being brainwashed and Shaw committing acts of murder.
He eventually convinces army brass that Shaw is still a puppet of his Communist-Marxist operators.
Angela Lansbury, (although barely a few years older than Harvey was at the time) plays his mother in a tour de force role. She absolutely captivates and steals every scene she is in, playing a very complex role that needs to convince the viewer of many things without much dialogue.
There's a rich cast of characters, including Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, James Edwards, and a painfully accurate James Gregory. Each character weaves through the methodical subplots and tapestry of Frankenheimer's masterful "Hitchcockian" pace.
I won't give away the plot, but dear readers, allow me to sat that this one is really worth watching--until the nail-biting and chilling conclusion.
There are many undertones in this film -- political, sexual, class and power, and social. You will want to view this film several times to approach it from different perspectives.
Set in 1950's, A Korean War veteran Raymond Shaw(Harvey) returns home to a medal of honor for rescuing his POW platoon from behind Chinese lines and back to safety. One of the returning soldiers, (played effectively by Frank Sinatra) however, has recurring dreams of his platoon being brainwashed and Shaw committing acts of murder.
He eventually convinces army brass that Shaw is still a puppet of his Communist-Marxist operators.
Angela Lansbury, (although barely a few years older than Harvey was at the time) plays his mother in a tour de force role. She absolutely captivates and steals every scene she is in, playing a very complex role that needs to convince the viewer of many things without much dialogue.
There's a rich cast of characters, including Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, James Edwards, and a painfully accurate James Gregory. Each character weaves through the methodical subplots and tapestry of Frankenheimer's masterful "Hitchcockian" pace.
I won't give away the plot, but dear readers, allow me to sat that this one is really worth watching--until the nail-biting and chilling conclusion.
There are many undertones in this film -- political, sexual, class and power, and social. You will want to view this film several times to approach it from different perspectives.
helpful•13519
- teren
- Aug 19, 2001
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Botschafter der Angst
- Filming locations
- Jilly's, 52nd Street at 8th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(bar where Shaw hears he ought to go jump in a lake)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,757,256
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $87,850
- Feb 15, 1988
- Gross worldwide
- $2,757,256
- Runtime2 hours 6 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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