Seven Days in May

The novel

Seven Days in May is a political thriller novel [current hardcover edition: ISBN 0060124369] written by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey .

The film

The novel was made into a movie in 1964, with screenplay by Rod Serling. It tells the story of fictitious Jordan Lyman (Fredric March), who is a widely unpopular President of the United States (and who bears a striking similarity to real-world U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson). His unpopularity stems from his decision to ratify a treaty with the Soviet Union that will supposedly result in both nations simultaneously destroying their nuclear weapons under international inspections. This move is extremely unpopular with segments of the President's political opposition and the military, who believe the Soviets cannot be trusted.

Eventually, Lyman and his inner circle learn from a high-ranking Pentagon insider, USMC Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey (Kirk Douglas), that a conspiracy including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and led by the charismatic Air Force Major General James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster), along with their allies in Congress and the Cabinet, are secretly plotting to stage a coup d'etat and overthrow the President seven days hence. The plot itself, called ECOMCON (for "Emergency Communications Control"), entails the seizure of the nation's telephone, telegraph, radio, and television infrastructure by a secret army controlled by Scott and based at Fort Bliss, Texas. Once this is done, General Scott and his co-conspirators will control the nation's communications and military assets from a vast underground nuclear shelter called "Mount Thunder" (based on the actual Alternate Seat of Government maintained by the U.S. at Mount Weather VA) and use them to prevent the ratification of the treaty.

As the countdown to takeover begins, Colonel Casey is sent by Lyman to ferret out secrets that can be used against Scott, forcing him to cruelly deceive the general's former lover, the vulnerable and winning Ellie Holbrook (Ava Gardner) in order to obtain certain salacious love letters written to her by the general. When Ellie discovers Casey's true intentions, he must choose between his growing affection for her and his oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the United States. Meanwhile, Lyman's closet advisors, the aging and alcoholic Sen. Raymond Clark (Edmond O'Brien) and the earnest Paul Girard (Martin Balsam) race against time to block the ECOMCON conspirators in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

Actor John Houseman debuts in the film, and a young Richard Anderson , better known as Oscar Goldman from the 1970s ABC-TV hit series The Six Million Dollar Man makes an early screen appearance as well. John Frankenheimer directed the film, which garnered several prestigious awards, including the Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for O'Brien and the Best Art Direction-Set Decoration/Black-and-White Oscar nomination for Cary Odell and Edward G. Boyle. Edward O'Brien also won a Golden Globe award for his performance in the film.

--67.173.219.125 01:41, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)