Manchurian Candidate

From The Book of THoTH (Leaves of Wisdom)

The Manchurian Candidate is a 1959 thriller novel written by Richard Condon.

The term "Manchurian candidate," spawned by the book and later films, refers to an individual who has undergone brainwashing and / or mind control with the intent of creating a "Sleeper" personality within that individual.

While a popular fictional trope, and while there have been well-attested efforts at brainwashing and mind control (such as MKULTRA) the general scientific consensus is that the creation of a "sleeper agent" such as the type shown in the film was not possible then, is still not possible, and is not likely to be possible in the near future. See the respective articles for more details.

1 Plot
2 Film adaptations
3 See also
4 External links

[edit]

Plot

Major Bennett Marco, Sergeant Raymond Shaw and the rest of their platoon are captured during the Korean War in 1952. They are all brainwashed into believing Shaw saved their lives in combat, for which he receives the Medal of Honor when they return to the US. After the war is over, Marco begins to have a recurring nightmare in which Raymond kills two of his fellow comrades. When he learns that another platoon member has been having the same dream, he sets out to uncover the mystery.

The Communists intend to use Raymond as a test sleeper agent and, using the queen of diamonds in a deck of playing cards as a subconscious trigger, compel him to follow their orders, which he doesn't remember afterwards. Raymond is controlled by none other than his own domineering mother, who is working with, but not for, the Communists.

[edit]