The director, John Frankenheimer, had an amazing string of movies in the early to mid-1960s. First, The Manchurian Candidate, then this movie followed up a couple years later by Seconds. These are three of the absolute best thrillers EVER--and all with the same director! Seven Days in May is about a coup d'etat in progress to remove the President of the United States from office. It seems his more liberal course in regard to arms control doesn't meet with the approval of those in the military and they are afraid the US will be destroyed if they continue on the President's path. This plot is great because you can see BOTH sides on this issue and understand so well where they come from and why they think they are correct, so it is NOT a cut and dried issue. IT MAKES YOU THINK and it seems so plausible the way it is laid out for the viewer.
The acting is GREAT as well--with Burt Lancaster as the popular general planning the coup, Kirk Douglas as the military officer who agrees with Lancaster but cannot allow himself to violate his oath as an officer, Frederick March as the idealistic President, and Edmund O'Brien as his trusted (though occasionally intoxicated) adviser--along with many others.
See this, then try the other two Frankenheimer thrillers listed. Unless you are extremely stupid, you'll love the films.
The acting is GREAT as well--with Burt Lancaster as the popular general planning the coup, Kirk Douglas as the military officer who agrees with Lancaster but cannot allow himself to violate his oath as an officer, Frederick March as the idealistic President, and Edmund O'Brien as his trusted (though occasionally intoxicated) adviser--along with many others.
See this, then try the other two Frankenheimer thrillers listed. Unless you are extremely stupid, you'll love the films.