Discover
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Kirk Douglas
Co-Executive Producer -
John Frankenheimer
Director -
Rod Serling
Screenplay -
Jerry Goldsmith
Original Music Composer -
Cary Odell
Production Design -
Robert J. Anderson
Assistant Director -
Sydney Guilaroff
Hairstylist -
Ferris Webster
Editor
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CinemaSerf 12/2/2024 10:18:51 AM
This is an enthralling political drama that pitches Fredric March ("Pres. Lyman") against the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Burt Lancaster ("Gen. Scott") in a battle for control of the United States. When an aide to the General - "Jiggs Casey" (Kirk Douglas) notices some odd goings on, he begins to suspect that his boss is plotting - and plotting on a treasonous scale. When he brings this to the attention of the President, a race is on between the elected authorities and their military commanders to stop the scheming general from achieving his goal. Lancaster is superb as the imperious 4-star general, as are Douglas and March. The star, for me at any rate, though, is Edmond O'Brien as the regularly sozzled Senator "Clark", who is despatched to investigate the existence of a secret base - and potentially thwart the entire rogue operation. The pace is excellent, the dialogue thoughtful and penetrating leaving us with a worrying degree of paranoia - might this actually be possible?
Kirk Douglas
Col. Martin "Jiggs" CaseyMartin Balsam
Paul GirardBurt Lancaster
Gen. James Mattoon ScottRichard Anderson
Col. MurdockAva Gardner
Eleanor HolbrookGeorge Macready
Christopher ToddWhit Bissell
Sen. Frederick PrenticeEdmond O'Brien
Sen. Raymond Clark