Seven Days in May | | Cast : | Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas | | Director : | John Frankenheimer | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Black & White, Widescreen | | Released Date : | February 12, 1964 | | DVD Released Date : | May 13, 2003 | | Language : | French (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | May 17, 2005 | | Summary | Huge cast makes it real. | Content
 | Seven Days in May has everything going for it - directed by John Frankenheimer from a screenplay by Rod Serling with an all star cast including a number of great character actors such as Edmond O'Brien (D.O.A.), Martin Balsam (12 Angry Men), Whit Bissell (Trial), Hugh Marlowe (Come to the Stable), Richard Anderson (Six Million Dollar Man), John Houseman (Paper Chase), George Macready (Gilda), Victor Buono (King Tut on Batman), Andrew Duggan, and even Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) in a bit part, all in addition to the stars - Douglas and Lancaster, Fredric March (A Star Is Born) and Ava Gardner. Douglas plays a Colonel at the Pentagon who finds evidence that his boss, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Burt Lancaster), is plotting to overthrow the government. Concerned that the President's (Fredric March) new treaty with the Soviets has enervated the defense of the USA, Lancaster devised a scheme to kidnap the president during a military alert, and take over the nation's communication systems - primarily the major TV networks. Douglas goes to the president and convinces him to at least look into his suspicions. You'd think the plot could be easily foiled at this point, but the president's few trusted friends each run into trouble trying to get the proof to stop Lancaster. If you like movies about national consipiracies, like Twilight's Last Gleaming and The Pelican Brief, or just political thrillers like The Sum of All Fears, Seven Days in May is one of the earliest major examples, along with The Manchurian Candidate. It's pulled off well, made realistic by the competent actors in every role. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 28, 2005 | | Summary | A Classic | Content
| Sometimes the old movies pack more of a punch than todays movies. Seven Days in May is one such movie. It is a tense intellegnt thriller about a fictional attempted coup in the US. The script was written by Rod Serling and it crackles with witty lines. The plot is full of twists while maintaining an "edge of your seat" pace and all the while the movie comes across as a quite believable scenario. Some of the performances are magnificent and it is a movie you will enjoy seeing over and over.
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| Rating | | | Date | March 17, 2005 | | Summary | An Excellent Political Thriller From John Frankenheimer | Content
| President Jordan Lyman: All right, Colonel. Let's sum it up, shall we? You're suggesting what?
Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey: I'm not sure, Mr. President: just some possibilities, what we call, uh "capabilities" in military intelligence...
President Lyman: You got something against the English language, Colonel?
Colonel Casey: No, sir.
President Lyman: Then speak it plainly, if you will.
Colonel Casey: I'm suggesting, Mr. President, there's a military plot to take over the government. This may occur some time this coming Sunday.
And we're off on one of the best political thrillers Hollywood has made. Jiggs Casey (Kirk Douglas) works at the Pentagon as an aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster). The president, Lyman Jordan (Frederic March) is planning to implement a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviets. A large number of the military and not a few politicians are deeply opposed, believing that the treaty will effectively lead to unilateral disarmament by the U.S. A few senior military officers, led by General Scott, plan to do something about it. Casey discovers secret activities leading to Scott that could suggest a military take over of the government. He reluctantly goes to the president with his suspicions. The movie details the struggles of the president and a close circle of his advisors, men he can trust including Casey, to verify the existence of the plot and then to checkmate Scott.
John Frankenheimer, who also directed The Manchurian Candidate with Sinatra, knows how to put together a movie that crackles with energy and tension. Jordan sends his close friend, Senator Raymond Clark (Edmond O'Brien) to the Nevada desert to try to locate a hidden military base where soldiers are being trained to seize communications and energy centers. He sends his press secretary, Paul Girard (Martin Balsam) to the Mediterranean to get a sworn statement from a wily admiral admitting the plot. He has Jiggs Casey continue to work for Scott while looking for any evidence that can implicate Scott directly in the plot, an assignment Casey hates. All these threads weave back and forth until there is enough for Jordan to confront Scott directly...and Scott doesn't back down. The conclusion centers on a televised press conference where, given vital evidence at the last minute, Jordan announces that he's requesting the resignation of Scott and most of the other joint chiefs, speaks of the role of the military to bring honest opinions to the table, but when a decision is made, to support it. He talks about the Constitution. It's a dramatic and effective moment.
The movie was written by Rod Serling. He has Lyman Jordan a couple of times almost slip over into preaching...but not quite. Jordan speaks for decency and the rule of law under the Constitution. Serling does a first rate job.
And so do the actors. March plays the president as an honest but realistic politician, determined to do the right thing regardless of how unpopular it might make him. Lancaster, in my view, has one of his great roles as General Scott. He's dynamic and absolutely sure of himself. Watch Lancaster as he testifies before a senate committee on the treaty. His face is stern and he is absolutely attentive, but he barely suppresses his contempt for the treaty, for the process and for the senators. All the while a finger is impatiently tapping on the table. Douglas is Douglas, sincere and intense. He does a good job. Part of what makes this movie work is how effective the secondary characters are. O'Brien and Balsam are first rate and so are George Macready as a crusty, cynical and trusted advisor and Whit Bissell as an opportunistic Senator. They're all good.
This is a fine movie that is just as involving to watch now as it was when it came out. The DVD transfer is very good. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 02, 2005 | | Summary | Treasonous Cold War plot | Content
| In the midst of the Cold War, sitting U.S. President Jordan Lyman, portrayed sterlingly by actor emeritus Frederic March has proposed a bilateral nurclear disarmament treaty in John Frankenheimer's controversial and conceivable "Seven Day in May". March, an unpopular president with a low approval rating is seen as an idealistic dreamer. Meanwhile General Scott head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, played by the authoritative, tough Burt Lancaster, is secretly coordinating a desert based military installation with a mission to overthrow the government. Lancaster has widespread support among the heads of the armed forces in carrying out this plot.
Lancaster aide Colonel "Jiggs" Casey played by the moralistic and patriotic Kirk Douglas, gets wind of this plot although being kept out of the loop. Douglas, in a personally dangerous manuever alerts the President as to Lancaster's aspirations. March with the aide of his senatorial and cabinet friends attempts to reveal and thwart Lancaster's plan for sedition.
Frankenheimer's worthy follow up to "The Manchurian Candidate" proves to be an important message movie in a time of divergent ideologies. The supporting cast consisting of solid actors including Martin Balsam and personal fave Edmond O'Brien give powerful and memorable performances. Ava Gardner is passionate playing Lancaster's ex-mistress. March, Douglas and Lancaster are all extraordinarily convincing in their roles. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 15, 2004 | | Summary | Terrific Commentary - a keeper | Content
| This is a terrific movie with a terrific director's commentary on DVD. Excellent cast, including John Houseman's first acting gig.
I'm not sure how much of the movie works without the commentary - the film takes place in the "near future" a few years after it was made in 1963 - Frankenheimer's commentary makes it clear what props (like the videoconferencing) would have seemed futuristic at the time.
The film is fascinating on many levels. For example, I can imagine why Richard Nixon would think that recording all Oval Office conversations would be a good idea, if he had seen this film (which I imagine he had).
Many similarities in direction and photography to The (original) Manchurian Candidate, which is also an excellent DVD. |
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