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{{short description|genre of fiction}}
A '''political thriller''' is a [[thriller (genre)|thriller]] that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle{{Citation needed|reason=What does this mean|date=June 2020}}. They usually involve various extra-legal plots{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}, designed to give political power to someone, while their opponents try to stop them{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}. They can involve national or international political scenarios. [[Political corruption]], [[organized crime]], [[terrorism]], and [[warfare]] are common themes. Political thrillers can be based on true facts such as the [[assassination of John F. Kennedy]] or the [[Watergate Scandal]]. There is a strong
overlap with the [[conspiracy thriller]].

When reviewing the film ''[[The Interpreter]]'', Erik Lundegaard attempted a definition:
{{quote|The basic plot is an ordinary man pulling an innocent thread which leads to a mess of corruption. The corruption should be political or governmental in nature.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Manchurian movie - Who took the politics out of the political thriller?| last=Lundegaard | first=Erik | work=Today.com | url=https://www.today.com/popculture/manchurian-movie-wbna7547900 | date=1 August 2006| access-date=2007-05-03}}</ref>}}

==Literature==
Before 1950, there were [[spy fiction|spy novels]] with political elements.

Some earlier examples, however, can be found in the [[historical novel]]s of [[Alexandre Dumas]] (particularly his ''[[Three Musketeers]]'' novels, which often involve political conspiracies), as well as such literary works as [[Joseph Conrad]]'s novel ''[[The Secret Agent]]''.

The actual political thriller came to life in the early days of the [[Cold War]]. [[Graham Greene]]'s ''[[The Quiet American]]'' (1955) tells about the American involvement in [[Vietnam]] during the [[First Indochina War]]. [[Richard Condon]]'s ''[[The Manchurian Candidate]]'' (1962) is set in the aftermath of the [[Korean War]] and the days of [[McCarthyism]]. In [[Frederick Forsyth]]'s ''[[The Day of the Jackal]]'', an assault on [[Charles de Gaulle]] has to be prevented.

Other authors of political thrillers include [[Jeffrey Archer]] and [[Daniel Silva (novelist)|Daniel Silva]]. In [[Bengali literature]], [[Samaresh Majumdar]]'s ''Aat Kuthuri Noy Dorja (বাংলা : আট কুঠুরি নয় দরজা,'' meaning: eight rooms and nine doors'')'' is one example. A recent political thriller that happens in the backdrop of Bihar and Indian politics is [[Fawaz Jaleel]]'s Nobody Likes An Outsider.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-16|title=Indian Author, Fawaz Jaleel’s Political Thriller Garners Positive Reviews from Readers|url=https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/infotainment/article/indian-author-fawaz-jaleel-political-thriller-garners-positive-reviews-from-readers-23178510|access-date=2021-07-05|website=www.mid-day.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Film==
Several [[Alfred Hitchcock]] films already contain elements of the political thriller. In ''[[The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)|The Man Who Knew Too Much]]'', a political assault has to be prevented. In 1962, [[John Frankenheimer]] made a film adaptation of ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]''. ''[[All the President's Men (film)|All the President's Men]]'' is based on the [[Watergate Scandal]]. Other examples of political thrillers are ''[[Seven Days in May]]'', ''[[Z (1969 film)|Z]]'', ''[[Three Days of the Condor]]'', ''[[V for Vendetta (film)|V for Vendetta]]'', ''[[Romero (film)|Romero]]'', ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]'', ''[[City Hall (1996 film)|City Hall]]'', ''[[Air Force One (film)|Air Force One]]'', ''[[Snowden (film)|Snowden]]'' and ''[[The Post (film)|The Post]]''. Several [[post-9/11]] political thriller films refer to the [[September 11 attacks]] or [[terrorism]] in general.

==Television==

Shonda Rhimes' television series ''[[Scandal (TV series)|Scandal]]'' contains many elements of a political thriller in a chronological format.

The 1990 British drama serial ''[[House of Cards (UK TV series)|House of Cards]]'', later adapted for Netflix in 2013, is a political thriller set after the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with a Chief Whip [[Francis Urquhart]] attempting to rise to Prime Minister. The subsequent Netflix adaptation is set in the United States, and details Congressman Francis Underwood's machinations to become elected President.

The former [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and now [[Netflix]] series ''[[Designated Survivor (TV series)|Designated Survivor]]'' depicts the political power struggle that follows as a result of a terrorist attack that destroys the [[United States Capitol]] during the [[State of the Union]], assassinating the [[United States President|President]] and all but one of his [[United States presidential line of succession|line of succession]].

2015's [[Okkupert]] (English: Occupied) quickly became Norway's most expensively produced TV series, depicting [[Russia]] and the [[European Union]] cooperating to get Norway to restore its gas and oil production. The series had a budget of over 90 million Norwegian Krona (3.8 Million GBP). It was first broadcast on [[TV 2 (Norway)|TV2]] in Norway, and then broadcast on [[Sky Arts]] in the United Kingdom. It was later added to [[Netflix]] worldwide.

The 2017 [[ABS-CBN Corporation|ABS-CBN]]'s Revenge Crime-Political Suspense Epic ''[[Wildflower (TV series)|Wildflower]]'' tells of a woman named Ivy Aguas/Lily Cruz ([[Maja Salvador]]) plots her vengeance for the loss of her family and is willing to determine to dethrone the exploitative and oppressive Ardiente Political Dynasty.
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, or simply Jack Ryan, is an American action political thriller [[streaming television]] series, based on characters from the fictional "Ryanverse" created by Tom Clancy, that premiered on August 31, 2018 on Amazon Video.

In 2018, British political thriller ''[[Bodyguard (UK TV series)|Bodyguard]]'' quickly achieved popularity throughout the UK, achieving the [[BBC]]'s highest viewing figures since 2008. The series depicts PS David Budd, a [[British Army]] war veteran suffering from [[PTSD]]. He is working for the [[Metropolitan Police]] within their [[Protection Command|Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch]]. He is assigned to protect the ambitious [[Home Secretary]], Julia Montague, whose politics stand for everything he despises. It was released on [[Netflix]] worldwide on 24 October 2018.

==Theater==

A playwright who has embraced the genre is [[Gary Mitchell]], who in the 2000s became "one of the most talked about voices in European theatre ... whose political thrillers have arguably made him Northern Ireland's greatest playwright".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,1671799,00.html Loyalist paramilitaries drive playwright from his home] — ''[[The Guardian]]'' news article, 21 December 2005.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{film genres}}
{{Filmsbygenre}}

[[Category:Film genres]]
[[Category:Political thrillers| ]]
[[Category:Thriller genres]]
[[Category:Thrillers]]

Political thriller - Revision history

Kamdhenupaints: basic expanded page for clarity and updated info

Hoci Mini: Created page with "{{short description|genre of fiction}} A '''political thriller''' is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle{{Citation n..."