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Seven Days in May, a review by Antares

Seven Days in May





Year: 1964
Film Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures, Seven Arts Productions, Joel Productions
Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Drama
Length: 118 Min.

Director
John Frankenheimer (1930)

Writing
Fletcher Knebel (1911)...Novel
Charles W. Bailey II...Novel
Rod Serling (1924)...Screenplay

Producer
Edward Lewis

Cinematographer
Ellsworth Fredericks (1904)

Music
Jerry Goldsmith (1929)...Composer

Stars
Burt Lancaster (1913) as Gen. James Mattoon Scott
Kirk Douglas (1916) as Col. Martin 'Jiggs' Casey
Fredric March (1897) as President Jordan Lyman
Ava Gardner (1922) as Eleanor Holbrook
Edmond O'Brien (1915) as Sen. Raymond Clark
Martin Balsam (1919) as Paul Girard
Andrew Duggan (1923) as Col. William 'Mutt' Henderson
Hugh Marlowe (1911) as Harold McPherson

Review
       Today it is hard to imagine the fear and anxiety that the populations of the two superpowers felt after the Cuban Missile Crisis. With the buildup of each countries arsenal of nuclear missiles, insuring the concept of mutual assured destruction, both the United States and the Soviet Union teetered on the brink of annihilation in their quest to extend their political ideologies around the world. With the Soviet Union entrenched in the dogma of the Communist manifesto, debate as to the lunacy or viability of the nuclear arms race was left to the varied political factions of the United States. It is in this tense political atmosphere that the film Seven Days in May occurs. With a taut screenplay by Rod Serling and helmed by the hottest director of the time John Frankenheimer, Seven Days in May Casey (Douglas) becomes apprehensive about his commanders intentions, forcing him to contact the president with his suspicions. Over the course of the film the battle by both sides to stop the other is played against a timeline leading up to the coup, hence the .

       It must have been refreshing for Serling to be able to move away from the science fiction scripts he had become famous for while making The Twilight ZoneSeven Days in May delivers the goods and I give it my highest recommendation.


Ratings Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.


(From Seven Days in May (1964) on February 21st, 2010)

Quartet, a review by Antares

Quartet (2012) 62/100 - This film was kind of like eating an entire bag of marshmallows. The first few taste great, but after a while, you realize that they all taste the same, and you filled yourself up on a whole lot of puffed air and sugar. I actually found myself more intrigued by the supporting cast, who are highlighted in the end credits. And I must say, it was nice to see Pauline Collins again. Aside from that, this film just exists and is really quite forgettable.

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on May 7th, 2014)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

1.21 Victoria's Secret - Part 2 (1995-05-11)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Paul Haggis (Writer), David Shore (Writer)
Director: Paul Haggis
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Melina Kanakaredes (Victoria Metcalf), Denis Forest (Jolly Hughes), Shay Duffin (Father Behan), Lee Purcell (Louise St. Laurent), Joe Lisi (Lennox), Deborah Rennard (Dr. Esther Pearson), Gordon Pinsent (Fraser Sr.), Paulina Gillis (Maria), David Calderisi (Mr. Vecchio), Vito Rezza (Tony), Sam Moses (Mr. Mustafi), Bruce McFee (Moran), Victor Ertmanis (Staff Sgt. Meers), Kim Ange (Boswell), Sam Malkin (Brown), Arthi Sambasivan (Jasmine), Craig Eldridge (Criminalist), Reiner Schwarz (Peddlar), Bob Fisher (Bonilla)

Probably the most dramatic episode of the entire series. The friendship between Ray and Fraser will be tested hard in the following few episodes.

Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on July 27th, 2009)