Seconds

There’s a good reason this paranoid thriller bombed at the 1966 box office – it’s possibly the bleakest film ever made. John Frankenheimer’s chief target is a society obsessed by youth and success. For anyone unhappy with their career, relationship or even themselves, Seconds will touch the rawest of nerves.

Arthur Hamilton (Randolph) is a burned-out executive trapped in a loveless marriage. A sinister corporation who operate by word-of-mouth offer him a unique opportunity – a second chance. His death is faked and he undergoes surgery to be reborn as “successful painter” Tony Wilson (Hudson). Has Hamilton/Wilson finally found the happiness he craves?

Seconds has proven to be highly influential, with its DNA apparent in the likes of The Stepford Wives, Jacob’s Ladder and Fincher’s The Game. It’s taken almost 50 years for Frankenheimer’s film to be recognised as a modern classic – this Masters of Cinema release is a cause for celebration.