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3 internautes sur 3 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A hidden gem
Seven Days in May is a wonderful cold-war suspense drama that looks superb on DVD. It features excellent acting and a truly unique and riveting storyline. The story, written primarily by Rod Serling (he of the Twilight Zone), describes the events leading up to a near-military coup within the U.S. at the height of the cold war. Given that the U.S. represents the largest...
Publié le Fév 12 2003 par Roger Thornhill
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1 internautes sur 1 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A cold war general with god-like pretensions.
That is General James Matoon Scott, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, played by Burt Lancaster. He is dismissive & looks down on everyone including the president whom he despises for his perceived weakness. The President (Fredrick March) has decided to unilaterally disarm our nuclear weapons. General Scott will attempt to seize power. This concerns Col...
Publié le Juil 1 2004 par JOHN GODFREY
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3 internautes sur 3 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A hidden gem, Fév 12 2003
Seven Days in May is a wonderful cold-war suspense drama that looks superb on DVD. It features excellent acting and a truly unique and riveting storyline. The story, written primarily by Rod Serling (he of the Twilight Zone), describes the events leading up to a near-military coup within the U.S. at the height of the cold war. Given that the U.S. represents the largest fully democratic system of government on Earth, a military coup would usually be unthinkable. However, Serling makes the possibility semi-plausible: an unpopular pacifistic president, the threat of nuclear war, and a rising military star who is revered by the joint chiefs.The acting is amazing. Lancaster and Douglas are at their very best here. And Frederic March easily gives the best portrayal of any U.S. president in a movie. He shows exactly the right mix of emotions: you see his leadership skills, his diplomacy skills, and even his own weaknesses. Two amazing scenes stand out: the one between Douglas and March where the coup is revealed and the one between March and Lancaster near the end of the film. Martin Balsam and John Houseman are equally convincing -- the latter actor only appears for a short time onscreen, but milks the time for all its worth. The DVD is worth purchasing for 2 reasons. The picture quality is great and the movie looks crisp in its original 1:85:1 ratio. The second reason is that you get to hear the excellent commentary of the late John Frankenheimer, who goes into extraordinary detail about the scenes. He even relates one story where his ex-wife noticed a set decoration in apartment owned by Ava Gardener's character that Frankenheimer stole from the house they shared together -- it's a total crack up.
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1 internautes sur 1 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A cold war general with god-like pretensions., Juil 1 2004
That is General James Matoon Scott, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, played by Burt Lancaster. He is dismissive & looks down on everyone including the president whom he despises for his perceived weakness. The President (Fredrick March) has decided to unilaterally disarm our nuclear weapons. General Scott will attempt to seize power. This concerns Col. "Jiggs" Casey, (Kirk Douglas) Scott's chief of staff & best friend. Douglas's character is the key. He informs the president of the plot, as it becomes known to him & contacts Scott's old mistress (Ava Gardner). Edmund O'Brien won an Oscar as the president's best friend, a drunken southern senator. Rounding out the fine cast is Martin Balsam as a presidential advisor. The suspense builds as they attempt to stop the coup. No special effects here, very little action of any kind.
Frankenheimer has a more subtle touch in this movie, the follow-up to the Manchrian Canidate. This one is not quite as good but still an engossing flick.
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GREAT POLITICAL THRILLER, Jui 7 2004
One year after "The Manchurian Candidate", John Frankenheimer was back at it with "Seven Days in May", screenwritten by "Twi-Light Zone" creator Rod Serling. Serling's "Zone's" were a masterpiece of semi-liberal social conscience. Frankenheimer seized on another 1950s novel based on the real events of 1934, in which Republican industrialists recruited Marine hero Smedley Butler to orchestrate a coup d'etat against FDR. The novel and Frankenheimer's film fictionalize the event. It was, again, one of the best movies ever made, but completely liberal. Frankly, I have to ask why in 1963 the decision was made to examine a political conspiracy from 1934 when the worst political crime in U.S. history, the stealing of the 1960 election by Kennedy over Nixon, had occurred just three years prior. The answer to that question, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.
After JFK's assassination, "The Manchurian Candidate" was pulled because it hit too close to home, but in June, 1968 RFK was staying at Frankenheimer's Malibu home the night of the California Primary. He was tired and wanted to stay there. The enthusiasm of his victory that night convinced him to make the long drive on a twisting, turning Pacific Coast Highway, up the Santa Monica Freeway to downtown Los Angeles, where Sirhan Sirhan was waiting for him with a gun at the Ambassador Hotel.
Kirk Douglas is the Butler character In "Seven Days In May", an upright Marine whose politics are explained early by a fellow officer who says to him, "I though you'd be an ACLU lawyer by now, protecting the great unwashed." Douglas describes this officer as the kind who would be better suited for an army that goosesteps. Good dialogue, though. Burt Lancaster is the right wing Air Force General and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is modeled after Curtis LeMay, although the Lancaster swagger and charisma make him far more appealing. Frederick March is President Jordan Lyman, an ardent liberal who has just signed a peace treaty with the Soviets that presumably dismantles much of our nuclear arsenal. Lancaster does not trust the Soviet will honor their end of the bargain. Therefore he is convinced they will strike and America will be lost. A U.S. Senator is in on Lancaster's plot to take over the Presidency. They make him from California just to make sure he is affiliated with Dick Nixon. Nice touch. The public is solidly against the President, fueled by a right wing radio host in a prescient script device. In the end, the "protector of the great unwashed," Douglas, foils the plot and March's speech to the D.C. press corps is met by a standing ovation. Oh, those evil militarists and Republicans.(...)
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Fabulous Political Thriller, Janv. 28 2004
John Frankenheimer's masterpiece is probably one of the best political thrillers of all time. Burt Lancaster is superb in the role of General James Matoon Scott, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and chief conspirator of a plot to overthrow the United States government after a weak-kneed President, played wonderfully by Frederic March, signs a disarmament treaty with the Russians.Helping foil the plot is General Scott's aide, Colonel Jiggs Casey, played by Kirk Douglas. Intrigue, deception, and treachery are played out against a backdrop of Washington offices and political seats of power. Edmund O'Brien, Martin Balsam, and Ava Gardner all add significant performances in the film. I was also very impressed with the way the military was portrayed with regard to uniforms and behavior--especially Lancaster's character. Very realistic indeed. Rumor has it that Frankenheimer wanted to shoot some scenes in the actual Pentagon but was turned down (probably because of the heretical subject of the movie). The tense story starts a bit slowly, but the tension builds as more the plot is revealed. The ending is very credible. I really like movies where Lancaster and Douglas are paired, and this is my favorite of them.
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This is How Movies Should be Made, Oct. 16 2003
I'd been meaning to see this film for many years and finally did last year in our local photography museum's theater. They used the DVD and I was not only very impressed with the film itself, but the quality of the DVD's image projected on the big screen as well. This was one of those times where I left the theater saying to myself, "Now THAT'S how movies should be made!" I feel Leonard Maltin's review is sufficient; I will only add that some of the rocket models (intermingled with scale models of real ones) used to decorate Gen. Scott (Burt Lancaster)'s office and the Senate hearing room looked like cheap props out of bad science fiction movies, but that was only a minor distraction for me. Lancaster's character was quite frightening, Fredric March made a believable President of the United States, Edmond O'Brien turns in another great character performance (this time as a Senator from Georgia), and the title sequence (reportedly by Saul Bass) coupled with Jerry Goldsmith's score is quite dramatic. And I found it amusing that Kirk Douglas (Col. Casey) once again crossed swords with George MacReady (Sec'y. Todd) and Richard Anderson (Col. Murdock) as he previously did in "Paths of Glory!"My only complaint with the DVD is that it did not have more in the way of supplemental features, especially more complete cast information than was provided in the film itself. I was interested in knowing who other actors in minor roles were since a good many of them are not listed at all (most notably John Houseman as Adm. Barnswell); I ended up having to go to the Internet Movie Database for that. Other than that (and a few other very minor technical nitpicks in the plot), this is indeed a true classic and I'm proud to have it in my collection.
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Another Stark Thriller from John Frankenheimer, Aoû 11 2003
John Frankenheimer (who died not very long ago) left us with a terrific repertoire of films, yet I don't hear his name mentioned often in discussions about influential American directors. "Seven Days in May" seems to be all but forgotten; at least, I don't know anyone who's seen it or even heard of it. But it's a terrific political intrigue film, its impact lessened only somewhat by the release of "The Manchurian Candidate" two years earlier.There's no mistaking the John Frankenheimer style: the sharp black and white cinematography, stark sets and lighting, claustrophobic compositions. Faces are framed in extreme close-up to completely dominate the screen. He uses deep focus effectively; two characters will be having a conversation in the foreground, but a third will be constantly in view in the background, as if to suggest that every whispered secret has the potential to be overheard. This style is fabulously on display in "Candidate" and is reprised here in "Seven Days in May." Frankenheimer makes great use in both films of TV screens: a character will be simultaneously in view of the film's camera and projected on a screen within the world of the film, giving the movie viewer different angles of the same scene both literally and figuratively; since media plays a role so frequently in his movies, Frankenheimer constantly draws our attention to its existence and the power it has to manipulate what we perceive to be the truth. As for the performances, there is no improving on Fredric March's understated interpretation of an ailing president, stuck in the dilemma of acting in what he thinks is the country's best interests even though the country itself is rejecting his beliefs. Burt Lancaster does his usual steely Burt Lancaster thing as the film's villain and Kirk Douglas meets him line for line as a subordinate who begins to doubt his boss's integrity. Ava Gardner gives a somewhat weird performance as the film's lone female character; she walks through the film as if drugged, but it works. And Edmond O'Brien won an Oscar nomination as a hot-tempered southern senator and friend to the president, somewhat curious since March's performance of all of them seems ripe for Academy consideration. "Seven Days in May" isn't as taut a film as "The Manchurian Candidate," and it's more heavy handed in its political agenda (this severely dates the film), but it's still a rousing good time and comes highly recommended. Grade: A-
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Crisp and Compelling Drama, Juil 23 2003
For whatever reasons, I am intrigued by films and television programs which offer recreations of Presidential activities which are presumably authentic. The West Wing, for example, as well as The American President and this film. Produced by Kirk Douglas and directed by John Frankenheimer, Seven Days in May is based on a hypothetical and perhaps plausible idea: During the Cold War, a cabal of senior-level officers in the United States military services led by General Robert Mattoon Scott (Lancaster) secretly plan a coup by which to remove President Jordan Lyman (March) who is perceived to be "soft" on Communism, indeed naive as he stubbornly pursues policies which (the officers fear) would render their beloved nation impotent to foreign domination. Kept highly secret for obvious reasons, the coup preparations have been underway for quite some time as the film begins. Douglas plays Colonel Martin ("Jiggs") Casey, a Marine officer who reports directly to General Scott. Casey views Scott (as do countless others) as a great American patriot. As portrayed by Lancaster, he is indeed impressive. At times intimidating. Scott's brilliant mind is wholly free of any second thoughts, either about himself or about the course on which he proceeds. Of course, he and his coup associates are committing treason. Inadvertently, Casey learns about the coup and at first refuses to believe it. Loyal to Scott and methodical by nature, he begins to gather the salient facts like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle (no pun intended), dreading the image which begins to emerge. At this point, it would be a disservice to those who have not as yet seen the film to reveal any more about the narrative. Suffice to say that Frankenheimer brilliantly increases the tension as President Jordan and his associates (who include a reluctant Colonel Casey) scramble to prevent the coup. The acting is consistently outstanding. The events preceding the inevitable climax are credible (including some unexpected luck which does not seem to me farfetched), and the film concludes with style and grace. It is worth noting that Rod Serling wrote the screenplay, based on a best-selling novel co-authored by Fletcher Knebel and Charles Waldo Bailey II. Also, that Ava Gardner skillfully plays a small but essential role as Eleanor Holbrook. This is not a thriller, much less a chiller. Rather, the film offers an especially interesting story, well-told. It has lost little (if any) of its dramatic impact during the almost 40 years since its initial release. Thoughtful and thought-provoking entertainment is always appreciated, whenever and wherever we may find it.
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It could have happened, Jui 11 2003
This is one of the great Cold War movies made during the '50's and '60's, and, like Fail Safe and Dr. Strangelove, it does an excellent job of showing how screwed up the anti-communist mindset became during those years.
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Makes me want to stand up and salute, Jui 6 2003
Par Un client
"Seven Days In May" has an impressive cast list, great direction, and great story. For the MTV generation, this would probably be very boring as it relies on insightful realistic dialog and some powerful non-jerking camera-work to tell a great story. Burt Lancaster is Kirk Douglas' superior officer in the same military outfit, and Douglas suspects Lancaster is up to something secret and no good. The relationship and animosity between them is powerful and convincing as the story unfolds and the secret slowly comes out. Frederick March plays a convincing president, who, at first cautiously suspicious, grows more determined as the movie reaches its climax. The three or four supporting roles are handled superbly as well. I guess it would fit into the category of "political thriller", and goes well with the other 3 major cold-war era movies - "Dr. Strangelove" (satire), "Fail Safe" (drama), and "The Manchurian Candidate" (drama, also directed by John Frankenheimer). The DVD includes an entertaining commentary by the director, John Frankenheimer. All around a well-done movie. I have over 200 DVD's and this goes in my top 20 for sure.
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It could never happen here... or could it??, Nov. 11 2002
"Seven Days in May" was a so-so book that John Frankenheimer turned into an absolutely brilliant movie. It's an excellent cold-war drama, made at a time when tension between this country and the Soviet Union was at boiling point. At the center of the story is President Jordan Lyman, a well-meaning, somewhat naive chief executive who has pushed through a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviets, which most of the country, and all of the military, fear the Soviets have no intention of honoring. The stage is set for a political confrontation between the president's supporters, who feel they must back him whatever their private apprehensions, and his opponents, who fear he is selling the country out. Enter at this point a career soldier with political ambitions, General James Scott, who plans to put his enormous popularity to work in devising a scheme that he thinks will save his country, which is nothing less than a military plot to overthrow the government. However, loose lips can sink a ship, and a few chance words reach the ears of Colonel Jiggs Casey, a Marine torn between his loyalty to his general, General Scott, and his commander in chief, president Lyman. What makes a good soldier, and what makes a true patriot? That is the dilemma Casey has to come to grips with as he realizes that the clock is ticking, the plot is underway, and there are less than seven days left before something very big goes down. The movie has minimal action and a lot of dialogue, but the tension is maintained nicely throughout, and the acting is uniformly excellent. Among the excellent cast, the standouts are Frederic March as the president, Burt Lancaster as General Scott, Kirk Douglas in one of his finest roles as Colonel Casey, and Ava Gardner, still drop-dead gorgeous, as Scott's cast-off mistress, drowning herself in booze, self-pity and resentment. The final verbal confrontation between Casey and Scott near the movie's end is one of the best I've ever witnessed on film. The movie grabs hold of you from the opening frames and keeps you riveted right to the end, all the while making you wonder, could it really happen here? Let's hope we never find out...
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CDN$ 18.70 CDN$ 15.99
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