The Manchurian Candidate
“When you've seen it all, you'll swear there's never been anything like it!”
Synopsis
Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned home, and Sergeant Raymond Shaw is lauded as a hero by the rest of his platoon. However, the platoon commander, Captain Bennett Marco, finds himself plagued by strange nightmares and soon races to uncover a terrible plot.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE - Original Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2016-03-14
Top Cast
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Frank Sinatra
Capt./Maj. Bennett Marco
Laurence Harvey
Raymond Shaw
Angela Lansbury
Mrs. Iselin
Janet Leigh
Eugenie Rose Chaney
James Gregory
Sen. John Yerkes Iselin
Henry Silva
Chunjin
Leslie Parrish
Jocelyn Jordan
John McGiver
Sen. Thomas Jordan
Khigh Dhiegh
Dr. Yen Lo
James Edwards
Cpl. Allen Melvin
Douglas Henderson
Col. Milt
Albert Paulsen
Zilkov
Barry Kelley
Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Corrigan
Holborn Gaines
Madame Spivy
Female Berezovo
Bess Flowers
Gomel's Lady Counterpart (uncredited)
Leoda Richards
Woman at Press Confrence (uncredited)
Reggie Nalder
Gomel (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 24, 1962
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$7.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.5x
+$5.5M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Frankenheimer
- Screenplay & Story
- George Axelrod
- Original Score
- David Amram
- Original Title
- The Manchurian Candidate
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Production Budget
- $2.2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $7.7M
- Production Studios
- MC Productions, United Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Frankenheimer
George Axelrod, Richard Condon
David Amram
Lionel Lindon
Ferris Webster
George Axelrod, Howard W. Koch, John Frankenheimer
Department Leadership Roster
Richard Sylbert
Production Design
Ferris Webster
Editor
George Axelrod
Screenplay
George Axelrod
Producer
Lionel Lindon
Director of Photography
Moss Mabry
Costume Design
John Frankenheimer
Producer
John Frankenheimer
Director
David Amram
Original Music Composer
John Indrisano
Stunt Coordinator
Gordon Doversola
Stunt Coordinator
Beau Vanden Ecker
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Manchurian Candidate.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Manchurian Candidate.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Manchurian Candidate
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Manchurian Candidate about?
Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned home, and Sergeant Raymond Shaw is lauded as a hero by the rest of his platoon. However, the platoon commander, Captain Bennett Marco, finds himself plagued by strange nightmares and soon races to uncover a terrible plot.
Who directed The Manchurian Candidate?
The Manchurian Candidate was directed by John Frankenheimer.
Who stars in The Manchurian Candidate?
The principal cast of The Manchurian Candidate includes Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, Janet Leigh, James Gregory.
When was The Manchurian Candidate released and how long is it?
The Manchurian Candidate was released in 1962 with a total runtime of 2h 6m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Manchurian Candidate?
The Manchurian Candidate had a reported production budget of $2.2M and grossed $7.7M at the worldwide box office (3.5 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Manchurian Candidate?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Manchurian Candidate was composed by David Amram.
Is The Manchurian Candidate based on a book or true story?
The Manchurian Candidate is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Richard Condon".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Manchurian Candidate?
The Manchurian Candidate holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: R; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).