Seven Days in May

The early '60s were known for paranoid thrillers, like The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May, which was released in 1964, directed by John Frankenheimer. Scripted by Rod Serling, it was a story about a general who tries to lead a military coup against the president.

The president (Fredric March) is hot for a nuclear disarmament deal with the Soviets. Congress and the American people are down on it (his approval ratings are in the basement). The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Burt Lancaster) testifies before the Senate that it's a bad idea. His aide (Kirk Douglas) is also against it, but starts to smell a rat and comes to the shocking conclusion that Lancaster plans to take over the country by seizing all communications.

Serling, who of course was one of our greatest television writers, fashioned a snappy, suspenseful screenplay that is also warm and fuzzy about the Constitution, and is still relevant today. Lancaster today would be the type who would inspire hucksters like Bill O'Reilly (in the film he is trumpeted by right-wing pundit Hugh Marlowe) and sees his megalomania as superior patriotism. A showdown between March and Lancaster at the end of the film is a wow, with March telling Lancaster if he wants to change things, "Run for office!"

The film also stars Ava Gardner, who has spent intimate time with both Lancaster and Douglas, and Edmond O'Brien as one of March's allies, a Senator from Georgia who seems just like Sam Ervin (I think Ervin came first). O'Brien won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar. I was also surprised to see John Houseman pop up as an admiral. This was Houseman's acting debut (he was, of course, a man of the theater and produced many of Orson Welles' productions)--he didn't make a second film until The Paper Chase nine years later.

With this film, Dr. Strangelove, and Fail Safe all happening in the same year, one could be excused for thinking we were on the cusp of Armageddon. Thankfully, fifty years later, it hasn't happened yet.