The Manchurian Candidate 1962

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: The Manchurian Candidate pops up with a rash supposition that could serve to scare some viewers half to death -- that is, if they should be dupes enough to believe it, which we solemnly trust they won't. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Powerful experience, alternately corrosive with dark parodic humor, suspenseful, moving, and terrifying. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Not a moment of The Manchurian Candidate lacks edge and tension and a cynical spin. Read more

Time Out: A masterpiece. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Every once in a rare while a film comes along that works in all departments, with story, production and performance so well blended that the end effect is one of nearly complete satisfaction. Such is The Manchurian Candidate. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Its story of Cold War intrigue, murky East-West dealings, assassination, brainwashing -- and the idea of a glorified cue-card reader playing president -- resonates today like never before. Read more

Hal Hinson, Washington Post: Has an excoriating, destabilizing wit that seems as knowingly sophisticated today as it must have then. Read more