Seven days of may

Seven Days in May is a 1964 American film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Fredric March, Martin Balsam and Edmond O&# 39;Brien in the leading roles, and Ava Gardner in a supporting role.

Although it was nominated for two Oscars, the film only managed to win the 1965 Golden Globe Award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for Best Supporting Actor (Edmond O'Brien). In Europe it won the David Award. di Donatello 1964 for Best Foreign Actor (Fredric March), and the 1965 Bodil Award for Best Non-European Film (John Frankenheimer).

Black-and-white photography, by Ellsworth Fredericks, adds to the dramatic effect of the film. Fletcher Knebel, one of the co-authors of the eponymous bestseller, which was at the top of sales for a year, said he came up with the plot after interviewing the former head of the United States Air Force., General Curtis LeMay, who had accused President John F. Kennedy of cowardice in his handling of the crisis unleashed by the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Plot

At the height of the Cold War, United States President Jordan Lyman (Frederic March), an idealist, gets Congress to pass a major nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. Many disagree and call him soft.

General James M. Scott (Burt Lancaster), Chief of Staff and highly popular hero with political aspirations, is the leader of the treaty opponents. Scott is unwilling to leave his nation defenseless and he plans to overthrow the president.

All of President Lyman's efforts to expose him come to nothing. A subordinate of General Scott, Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey (Kirk Douglas), realizes his superior's intentions, and his conscience is torn between loyalty to his superior and loyalty to President Lyman.

The story takes place over several days during the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. It is set in the near future, not long after a Korean War-like stalemate conflict in Iran (the novel is set in May 1974, while the film only refers to a possible alignment of dates only in 1969, 1975 or 1980 while an electronic map of active military bases shows the date May 9, 1970). Faced with the threat of nuclear war, which would guarantee mutual total destruction, US President Jordan Lyman signs a nuclear disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union, under which the two countries will simultaneously destroy their nuclear weapons under mutual international inspection. The ratification of the treaty produces a wave of public discontent, especially among the opposition to the president and among the military, who believe that the Soviets are not to be trusted.

As the debate continues, a Pentagon official, Marine Corps Col. Martin "Jiggs" Casey, realizes the existence of a conspiracy headed by the charismatic General of the Air Force James Mattoon Scott of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). He also discovers a shocking secret: Scott and his fellow JCS, along with their allies in the United States Congress, led by Senator Prentice and the media influence run by Harold McPherson, are planning a coup. of State to overthrow President Lyman and his cabinet within seven days, during a defense exercise. In a procedure known as ECOMCON (an emergency communications control plan), the telephone, radio and television infrastructures of the entire country are to be seized by a secret army unit created by Scott based near Fort Bliss, Texas.. From their headquarters in a large underground nuclear shelter called "Mount Thunder" (based on the actual existence of a US government facility in Berryville, Virginia), the general will use the power of the media and the military to prevent the implementation of the treaty and become President.

Although he personally opposes Chairman Lyman's position, Casey is appalled by the unconstitutional move. He alerts Lyman and his inner circle: Secret Service Director Arte Corwin, Treasury Secretary Christopher Todd, presidential adviser Paul Girard, and United States Senator from Georgia Raymond Clark, a political and personal ally. of the president. Lyman Casey sends his agents to New York to uncover secrets that can be used against Scott, and forces Casey to cruelly deceive the General's ex-lover, Ellie Holbrook, into possession of letters that would jeopardize General Scott's moral credibility. before the public. The president also sends his old friend Senator Clark to El Paso, Texas to see if he can locate the base (covered under the code name & # 34; Site & # 34;). Girard is sent to Gibraltar to obtain a confession from Vice Admiral C. Farley Barnswell, the commander of the 6th Fleet stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, who knows about the plot but chooses not to actively support it although he does not actively oppose it (the response of the conspirators would be given through a participation code in a horse race the Preakness). Girard obtains the admiral's written confession, and telephones the President before boarding a plane from Madrid to Washington.

Girard dies when the passenger plane he is traveling in crashes on a mountain in Spain. Clark discovers the secret base, but is taken prisoner by Colonel Broderick, who is part of the conspiracy, and placed incommunicado. Clark is visited by the base's deputy commander, Colonel Henderson Mutt, a friend of Jiggs's, who knows nothing of the plot. The senator convinces Henderson to help him escape, but at the airport, while Clark makes a call to the president, Henderson is arrested by Scott's men.

In a meeting with Scott in the Oval Office, the president confronts him and demands his resignation, "along with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff involved in this treason." Scott at first denies any blame, claiming that the president had verbally approved the secret base in Texas. When Scott fails to convince the president of his innocence, he begins to speak freely and launches into a debate with Lyman, arguing that passing the treaty would weaken the US and lead to a Soviet attack. Lyman tries to reason with Scott, explaining that a military coup would be a sign that a preemptive strike by Moscow might result. They argue bitterly and Lyman even challenges Scott to run for office and defeat him, but Lyman is indifferent, indicating that he feels the American people would support his position. Lyman, desperate at "Napoleonic delusions" Scott considers using the blackmail letters but decides against it, Scott is allowed to leave.

Shortly after, Scott writes to the other three members of the Joint Chiefs, who are starting to freak out. Scott demands they go through with the plan, pointing out that the President doesn't seem to have incontrovertible evidence to successfully charge them with treason. Calmer, the others agree to continue with the plan to appear on all the radio and television networks at the same time on Sunday to denounce the president. However, Lyman first holds a press conference in which he demands the resignation of Scott and all members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The conference is interrupted when an attaché from the US Embassy in Spain arrives, bringing the handwritten confession Girard had obtained from Vice Admiral Barnswell, who survived the crash hidden in Girard's cigarette case. Lyman orders a copy to be sent to Scott and the other plotting officers, who have no choice but to resign and call off the coup. At the end Lyman makes a speech to the American people about the future of the country, defending democracy.

Cast

• Burt Lancaster.... General James Mattoon Scott
• Kirk Douglas.... Colonel Martin Casey ("Jiggs")
• Fredric March... President Jordan Lyman
• Ava Gardner... Eleanor "Ellie" Holbrook
• Edmond O'Brien.... Senator Raymond Clark
• Martin Balsam.... Paul Girard
• Andrew Duggan.... Colonel William "Mutt" Henderson
• Hugh Marlowe.... Harold McPherson