In Appreciation: Seven Days In May (1964)

John Frankenheimer was responsible for one of the greatest political thrillers ever made--The Manchurian Candidate.  But, just in time for election day, you should watch another one of his great thrillers, Seven Days in May.  And this one is scary, because it's just plausible enough to happen.

Questioning the checks-and-balance system of American government, Seven Days in May asks the unthinkable: Could there be a political coup coming from in the Pentagon?

Veteran actor Fredric March plays the President, who is on the verge of signing a total nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia.  But there are numerous naysayers in the Pentagon, suspecting the country is leaving itself open to a nuclear attack.  One of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General James Scott (Burt Lancaster), plots to overthrow the President.  When Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey (Kirk Douglas) stumbles onto the plot, he alerts the President...and the game's afoot.

Seven Days has a brilliant script by Rod Serling, who made it a point to show that real power occurs behind closed doors, in the shadows, away from the public and the press.  It's another great teaming of Douglas and Lancaster, although Frankeheimer butted heads with Lancaster while making The Birdman of Alcatraz.  Douglas eventually convinced the director that no one else could portray General Scott.

The film has a dazzling supporting cast, led by Ava Gardner, who plays the General's ex-mistress--a woman with a lot of secrets to hide.  Also in the film are Martin Balsam, who got annoyed when the director would shoot off a gun during his scenes, just to make him more jittery.  And Edmond O'Brien won a well-deserved Oscar nod as an alcoholic Senator who stands on the President's side.

How realistic is the film?  The Pentagon wouldn't cooperate at all in the making of the film.  President Kennedy thought the film had to be made.  So whenever Frankenheimer needed to shoot around the White House, the President made sure he was away at Hyannisport on weekends, and the crew was given permission to shoot.  Seven Days in May is a thought-provoking thriller that still resonates today...and is still in the realm of possibility.

To purchase Seven Days in May on DVD, click here: