It's very eclectic, the way one chooses subjects in the movie business, especially in the commercial movie business. You need to develop material yourself or material is presented to you as an assignment to direct.

In later years Frankenheimer theorized that the audience may have developed an affinity over the course of the movie for the character played by Bruce Dern and thus felt conflicted when he was defeated at the end. In any event it was re-released to great acclaim in 1988. Birdman of Alcatraz
Production of Birdman of Alcatraz began under director Charles Crichton.

He developed a "tremendous propensity for exploring political situations" which would ensnare his characters. Among his credits were Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Seven Days in May (1964) The Train (1964) Grand Prix (1966) Black Sunday (1977) and Ronin (1998). ".