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Seven Days in May

Seven Days in May

Drama · Thriller · 1964

A U.S. Marine Corps colonel alerts the president of a planned military coup against him.

Movie details

Seven Days in May

“The astounding story of an astounding military plot to take over the United States! The time is 1970 or 1980 or, possibly, tomorrow!”

1964 Drama · Thriller 1h 58m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

A U.S. Marine Corps colonel alerts the president of a planned military coup against him.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Seven Days in May?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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A broker of lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten them breaks his own rules when a new client seeks his protection to stay alive.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Frankenheimer

Written by

Rod Serling

Burt Lancaster

Burt Lancaster

Gen. James Mattoon Scott

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Col. Martin "Jiggs" Casey

Fredric March

Fredric March

President Jordan Lyman

Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Eleanor Holbrook

Edmond O'Brien

Edmond O'Brien

Sen. Raymond Clark

Martin Balsam

Martin Balsam

Paul Girard

Andrew Duggan

Andrew Duggan

Col. William "Mutt" Henderson

Court is in session

Put Seven Days in May on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.