In 1962, director John Frankenheimer turned Richard Condon's novel The Manchurian Candidate into a classic. Frankenheimer wasn't with the American political scene, however. Released within eighteen months of his earlier film, Seven Days In May was another adaptation of a bestselling novel of political intrigues. The enemy this time was the Communists but an enemy far closer to home.
The premise of the film (and the 1962 source novel by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II) is simple enough. Set in the then near-future with the Cold War ongoing, President Jordan Lyman (Fredric March) has signed a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union that has won Senate approval. Despite being on the brink of peace, Lyman has found himself unpopular with many including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster). Scott, charismatic and outspoken, is an admired figure by some including his aide Colonel Casey (Kirk Douglas). When Casey uncovers evidence of something nefarious underlining a planned military alert exercise, the fate of the American Republic rests with a handful of people including a Presidential aide (Martin Balsam), a heavy drinking Georgian Senator (Edmond O'Brien ), and a Washington socialite with a link to Scott and Casey (Ava Gardner).
As that description might imply, this isn't a wham-bam sort of thriller heavy on action sequences. Instead, armed with a script written by the legendary Rod Serling, this is the kind of thriller driven by characters, dialogue, and plot twists. That isn't to call the film slow-moving or plodding by any means because it isn't. Serling's adaptation of the novel is one of those rare cases of a screen version being better than its source, trimming away the fat and streamlining its plot which makes the most use of the titular days and the ticking clock they present. Making it all the more effective is Serling's ear for dialogue with every conversation being crisp and pushing things forward. The film is full of great Serling dialogue from the confrontation between Lyman and Scott in the Oval Office to the final conversation between the General and his long-time aide, scenes well played by the cast. The result is a masterclass from Serling in thriller writing without resulting to action set pieces.
Serling's script also has the benefit of being superbly brought to life, especially with its cast. Douglas and Lancaster play off of each other nicely of course as the Colonel and the General, the trusted aide and the man who thinks himself the savior of America. Neither plays their roles over the top but pitch them just right throughout, especially in confrontations such as the climactic scene with Lancaster in the Oval Office. March's President Lyman is every bit their equal, a principled man looking for peace and trying to stave off a military coup. Balsam gives as solid a performance as any in his career as aide Paul Girard while Edmond O'Brien steals scenes and provides comic relief as Senator Clark and Ava Garner gets a chance to shine in her brief appearances. The film is very much an ensemble piece though despite the big names of the era involved and together they bring the words off the page nicely.
The cast isn't alone in bringing the film to life, of course. The world of the film displays Frankenheimer's same flair for visuals he showed in Manchurian Candidate from the protest turned riot outside the White House that opens to the film to giving the audience the chance to see events unfolding both in front of them and on TV at the same time. His penchant for mixing filming on location with detailed sets is also apparent with convincing 1960s versions of the White House and Pentagon alongside actual DC locations and beyond. Underlined by a sparse but effective score from Jerry Goldsmith including a memorable opening title sequence. The results are apparent in the effectiveness of the film.
While perhaps overlooked at times thanks to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days In May is no less of a thriller. From Serling's script to a strong cast and Frankenheimer's direction, it is a taut thriller indeed. It's also a masterclass in doing so without resorting to car chases, explosions, and the like. It also remains, despite its Cold War setting, an ever-timely reminder of the fragility of American democracy and the need to guard against not just enemies without but also the forces of demagoguery within.
The premise of the film (and the 1962 source novel by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II) is simple enough. Set in the then near-future with the Cold War ongoing, President Jordan Lyman (Fredric March) has signed a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union that has won Senate approval. Despite being on the brink of peace, Lyman has found himself unpopular with many including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster). Scott, charismatic and outspoken, is an admired figure by some including his aide Colonel Casey (Kirk Douglas). When Casey uncovers evidence of something nefarious underlining a planned military alert exercise, the fate of the American Republic rests with a handful of people including a Presidential aide (Martin Balsam), a heavy drinking Georgian Senator (Edmond O'Brien ), and a Washington socialite with a link to Scott and Casey (Ava Gardner).
As that description might imply, this isn't a wham-bam sort of thriller heavy on action sequences. Instead, armed with a script written by the legendary Rod Serling, this is the kind of thriller driven by characters, dialogue, and plot twists. That isn't to call the film slow-moving or plodding by any means because it isn't. Serling's adaptation of the novel is one of those rare cases of a screen version being better than its source, trimming away the fat and streamlining its plot which makes the most use of the titular days and the ticking clock they present. Making it all the more effective is Serling's ear for dialogue with every conversation being crisp and pushing things forward. The film is full of great Serling dialogue from the confrontation between Lyman and Scott in the Oval Office to the final conversation between the General and his long-time aide, scenes well played by the cast. The result is a masterclass from Serling in thriller writing without resulting to action set pieces.
Serling's script also has the benefit of being superbly brought to life, especially with its cast. Douglas and Lancaster play off of each other nicely of course as the Colonel and the General, the trusted aide and the man who thinks himself the savior of America. Neither plays their roles over the top but pitch them just right throughout, especially in confrontations such as the climactic scene with Lancaster in the Oval Office. March's President Lyman is every bit their equal, a principled man looking for peace and trying to stave off a military coup. Balsam gives as solid a performance as any in his career as aide Paul Girard while Edmond O'Brien steals scenes and provides comic relief as Senator Clark and Ava Garner gets a chance to shine in her brief appearances. The film is very much an ensemble piece though despite the big names of the era involved and together they bring the words off the page nicely.
The cast isn't alone in bringing the film to life, of course. The world of the film displays Frankenheimer's same flair for visuals he showed in Manchurian Candidate from the protest turned riot outside the White House that opens to the film to giving the audience the chance to see events unfolding both in front of them and on TV at the same time. His penchant for mixing filming on location with detailed sets is also apparent with convincing 1960s versions of the White House and Pentagon alongside actual DC locations and beyond. Underlined by a sparse but effective score from Jerry Goldsmith including a memorable opening title sequence. The results are apparent in the effectiveness of the film.
While perhaps overlooked at times thanks to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days In May is no less of a thriller. From Serling's script to a strong cast and Frankenheimer's direction, it is a taut thriller indeed. It's also a masterclass in doing so without resorting to car chases, explosions, and the like. It also remains, despite its Cold War setting, an ever-timely reminder of the fragility of American democracy and the need to guard against not just enemies without but also the forces of demagoguery within.