To kill the United States president, ex-soldier-turned-assassin John Baron (Frank Sinatra) and two cohorts invade a house in the town of Suddenly, California. As he prepares to make his risky move during the president's scheduled visit, Baron harasses the house's residents.
This film has a very 1950s vibe to it, including such lines as, "Ellen, stop being a woman!" I am not sure how to take that. I do not think it was facetious, because at no point does Ellen do anything besides whine, complain or hide in a corner. If women want role models, this is a terrible film.
The movie also has some notoriety for being falsely connected to Lee Harvey Oswald. I can see why people would connect the two. In fact, any film about assassination is questionable in general.
The film also raises the issue of war as a duty. Ellen says that her husband dying was a tragedy and not a duty, but her father-in-law (a former Secret Service agent) disagrees. The discussion is not pursued further, which I find striking since the war in question seems to be Korea. Korea is a hard war to defend. When the cop and the assassin talk about being soldiers, they talk of World War II, but that cannot be the war Peter Benson was in, or Pidge is much older than he looks.
I might consider many actors to be superior to Frank Sinatra, but Sinatra is a fine actor in his own right. And while this film is not as gripping as "Manchurian Candidate" (a film that was likely inspired by this one), it is a solid piece of art nonetheless. The writing is so-so and the acting (besides Sinatra's) is a little campy. But this seems more appropriate than an actual hindrance. Hearing the characters use such phrases as "that's swell", "you stink" and "for the love of mike" really brings back fond memories of "The Andy Griffith Show".
If you like Sinatra and have an hour and 15 minutes to spare, check this film out. This is a film about assassinating the president, and there is nothing dull about that. Gosh, this film is recommended for those who like classic films. (If you dislike black and white, though, you are watching the wrong movie.)
This film has a very 1950s vibe to it, including such lines as, "Ellen, stop being a woman!" I am not sure how to take that. I do not think it was facetious, because at no point does Ellen do anything besides whine, complain or hide in a corner. If women want role models, this is a terrible film.
The movie also has some notoriety for being falsely connected to Lee Harvey Oswald. I can see why people would connect the two. In fact, any film about assassination is questionable in general.
The film also raises the issue of war as a duty. Ellen says that her husband dying was a tragedy and not a duty, but her father-in-law (a former Secret Service agent) disagrees. The discussion is not pursued further, which I find striking since the war in question seems to be Korea. Korea is a hard war to defend. When the cop and the assassin talk about being soldiers, they talk of World War II, but that cannot be the war Peter Benson was in, or Pidge is much older than he looks.
I might consider many actors to be superior to Frank Sinatra, but Sinatra is a fine actor in his own right. And while this film is not as gripping as "Manchurian Candidate" (a film that was likely inspired by this one), it is a solid piece of art nonetheless. The writing is so-so and the acting (besides Sinatra's) is a little campy. But this seems more appropriate than an actual hindrance. Hearing the characters use such phrases as "that's swell", "you stink" and "for the love of mike" really brings back fond memories of "The Andy Griffith Show".
If you like Sinatra and have an hour and 15 minutes to spare, check this film out. This is a film about assassinating the president, and there is nothing dull about that. Gosh, this film is recommended for those who like classic films. (If you dislike black and white, though, you are watching the wrong movie.)