Seven Days in May Sale
Buy Seven Days in May. The story of an attempt to overthrow the United States government by military coup.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-MAY-2003
Media Type: DVD
John Frankenheimer's follow-up to The Manchurian Candidate is as intimate and subdued as its predecessor is flamboyant and energetic. Burt Lancaster is calm and calculating as the steely-eyed military hawk General Scott, who opposes the president's (Fredric March) plan to end the cold war with a bold nuclear disarmament plan. Lancaster's longtime friend and frequent costar Kirk Douglas is his smiling, joking right-hand man, Colonel "Jiggs" Casey, whose easygoing manner is jolted by evidence of a possible plot to overthrow the American government. Scripted by Rod Serling from the novel by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey, the film plays much like a classic live TV drama (the medium that spawned both Frankenheimer and Serling), with the drama arising from conversations and confrontations and the action largely limited to scenes within the Pentagon and the White House. An ominous undercurrent of danger seeps through the realistic (and often real) settings of the film, conveyed chiefly through the intensity of the excellent ensemble performances. Notable among the supporting cast are Ava Gardner as a lonely Washington socialite who was once the general's mistress, Edmond O'Brien as an amiable alcoholic senator, Martin Balsam as the president's shrewd but skeptical secretary, and underrated character actor George Macready as the wily presidential advisor. --Sean Axmaker
Seven Days in May Review
I found this movie in looking at films similar to some of my favorites such as Fail-safe (Special Edition) and On the Beach, movies I loved watching with my Dad growing up. If you like films along those lines, you will like this one.
First, review of the content: This is a chilling tale of one variation on a way we could have found to destroy ourselves during the cold war. I won't say any more, no spoilers here. The acting is top notch. Both Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster play their roles with just the right amount of emotion. As my fellow reviewer noted in a review also strangely enough written today, a number of familiar character actors have great roles as well. I particularly like Martin Balsam. The "futuristic" set design is a bit dated but intriguing and quaint. The direction is interesting especially after listening to the director's commentary track. I rarely watch commentary tracks all the way through but I did for this one. It was interesting hearing about his preferred setups and back-stage secrets. Who would have guessed that the long-appearing hall at the pentagon was a forced-perspective set and that they hired little people (he uses another term) to walk at the far end. I know I am reviewing this on April Fools Day but I kid you not. I felt the direction seemed more television-like than for most movies but that also imparted a bit more tension to it in some ways. Rod Serling's script is sensational and there are a number of classic Serling monologues.
Second, review of the presentation: This is why I'm giving this one "just" 4 stars. The print this is made from can't possibly be the best they could find, but even if it is they should have at least taken the time to clean it before putting in through. This transfer has quite a bit of dirt and hair visible along with less easily correctable issues like occasional film tears and scattered spots where the picture warps for a second, likely from this print getting heated in a stuck projector and not quite burning. Despite these quibbles this is a very watchable film and is well worth buying or renting. I doubt that a better DVD will be produced in the future given the relatively limited appeal of this type of picture - one has to actually watch closely and think about it to enjoy it. You can buy Cheap Seven Days in May online fast and easy, Shop Today!.
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