Economic collapse in the first half of thirties brought to disbelieve of many Americans in capitalism. Speeches of communistic ideology were tantalizing and promised beautiful life. In the year 1939, members of USA’s communistic party were 66,000 people. Almost ten times more than it was in the beginning of decade. Meantime, the Soviets whose propaganda machine always berated Nazis began praised them after signing a friendship deal in Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Jugashvili repeated mistake of Alexander I who made similar with Napoleon by believing and thinking it’s paper is about sharing of the world after which he launched a war with Finland and occupied it. A red leader invaded in Finland too, but succeeded only in taking of little parts of territory. That’s pact and Soviet united with Nazis activity in Poland alongside solo occupations in Eastern Europe disillusioned some Americans. Quantity of members of Communist Party USA reduced to 49,651 in 1943. Probably, Soviets’ fighting against and defeating of Nazi Germany resumed growth, which hesitated in followed years, but was going high and it reached 75,388 in 1947. Communists were occurring in the world. These adherents in Indochina wanted to liberate from French colonial control and launched a war for independence in 1946. China had a second civil war since 1945, which eventually ended by victory of communists in 1949. Red danger was everywhere. America in fighting with communism makes The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), which more known as House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), permanent in 1945, a year of began of First Cold War. Two years later, citizens of Wisconsin choose Joseph McCarthy for senator in Congress who will constantly claim on presence of communists in American government structures. HUAC in that year conducted first blacklist from Hollywood included ten people who can’t be involved in production of movies. There will add personalities who mostly will put outside of Tinseltown. Some of them made propaganda flicks in time of World War 2 by showing Commie Russia from friendly side and even disinforming about events and that Jugashvili isn’t an evil guy. There were people forced to call names for stay in industry. Rejection to give testimony caused ceasing from getting roles. There was a time where even just only talk with a person with communistic view will accept as sympathy to them. There were protests against of such acts as it was organizing by filmmakers Committee for the First Amendment. Some people hired blacklisted people. Under psychological pressure of atmosphere and politicians and by own will, a lot of filmmakers in Hollywood launched production of movies in which personages fight or have confrontation with communists.
Walk a Crooked Mile (1948).
Few years before first revealing of American and Britain traitors sending nuclear secrets to Russians was made a movie about collaboration of FBI and Scotland Yard agents seeking commie spies and scientists who transport them formulas of atomic weapon. It calls Walk a Crooked Mile. A film’s screenplay on approvable for watching. I can accept even despite rare one-liner from a character misplaces created seriousness of personages and agents discover body whose death supposed to be a suicide, but one of heroes sniffs a glass and concludes on poisoning – it can explain by that commies didn’t elaborate plan on killing of this person. Walk a Crooked Mile has a wonderful character in a woman survived communism – her experience and gratitude to the USA makes her a powerful figure, but somewhere required better acting from Tamara Shayne.
Producer of this film Edward Small experienced FBI’s influence, but he didn’t allow them to enter in approval of screenplay, involve filming process and watch before release. Personally J. Edgar Hoover requested Small to change title on FBI Meets Scotland Yard and later remove mentioning of agency, but producer declined in these asks.
Gordon Douglas was in director’s chair and he will stage another movie I Was a Communist for the F.B.I., which will get a confusing nomination as Best Documentary, because it doesn’t narrate on real person. I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. was inspired by true story and used actual name. Much of plot is fiction but it’s grandiose flick (while also espionage masterpiece Man on a String had similar thing with using of actual events whereas it changed Ernest Borgnine’s protagonist last name, which originally was Morros.). I would wish more people disliked communism in guts as protagonist, his brother and his son. A main hero Matt Cvetik in acting of Frank Lovejoy calls that communist party of US is “vast spy system funded nor other country then the Soviet” what isn’t lie. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t accept communism as evil as equally to Nazism. I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. has a powerful ending there as well as Walk a Crooked Mile is wonderful satisfaction, which was released a year before the Soviets became a nuclear state.
Tokyo File 212 (1951).
American agent Jim Carter, whom and mostly with no acting fire played Lee Frederick, was sent on assignment in Japan to catch a leader of communists. It’s underdeveloped and far-fetched story together, which has a lot of theater gestures. I clicked (it was when I lost a faith.) and saw a scene how a communist stabs other one while staying protagonist and three policemen don’t react. A murderer escapes from a room and only on that moment law enforcers activate. It was not an only time when such episode occurred. Initially, there wouldn’t an obstacle to arrest a target, because Japan wasn’t under communists and still was in control of Americans what will until 1952.
Specialty of Tokyo File 212 is that it was a first entirely American production in Japan. By that is certainly has a tantalizing in look on this country in that time. General Douglas MacArthur, who was superior man in Japan, approved filming with Lloyd Nolan in lead (but eventually Robert Payton will get a part.). It was in May 1950, one month before North Korea invaded of South Korea. It was only ever time when General MacArthur allowed filming in Japan. He additionally provided intelligence files to filmmakers for research as well as interpreters, secret service officers, real detectives and generals. The last two appeared in a movie. Elements of Korean War were added later while filming began in July 21 and was finished in August 26. It was when North Korea almost occupied South Korea. The USA is already intervened. Two weeks later General Douglas MacArthur will make a genius landing in Inchon.
Big Jim McLain (1952).
From a last name of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his performances “McCarthyism” came in formation, but his acts were pointless accusations and didn’t break fates what House of Un-American Activities Committee did. However, “witch-hunting” discovered communists in government structures and spy networks. Threat of communism existed, but it’s stance was exaggerated. Main heroes of Big Jim McLain are two agents of HUAC as says plot. A film begin with a doctor who accused in communism, but was released without punishment, which absolutely would be in losing of his job instead as said John Wayne’s Jim McLain “The good doctor Carter will go right back in his well-paid chair as a full professor of economics in university to contaminate more kids.” And, logically, John Wayne and James Arness supposed to be FBI agents due to HUAC hadn’t such workers. Anyway, catch communists in Hawaii was beautiful and pleasant idea. However, investigation of Jim McLain becomes falling in love in Nancy Olson’s personage (an actress didn’t like a script and agreed due to six weeks in Hawaii and work with John Wayne.) and he wishes to marry on her so soon. Sometimes intended seriousness turns into extravaganza comedy. Eventually, the plot will stay standard. Wayne is walking around, talks too much with somebody, he meets people, which find without explanation.
The Steel Helmet (1951).
Ten days in October 1950 were spent on filming a first Korean War film, which was made in California. Far away from there, Allied forces liberates South Korea and begins offensive on North Korea.
US Army provided stock footage, but weren’t happy that Samuel Fuller in The Steel Helmet showed racism, concentration camps for Japanese people and shooting into prisoner on what director answered that he saw it frequently by participating in World War 2 and his commander Brigadier General George A. Taylor phoned to them and confirmed it. However, The Steel Helmet makes to think a film hasn’t involvement of anybody who had a war experience.
The Steel Helmet is overdramatized since beginning by showing one American soldier pretends as dead and walking boy specially aims a gun at main character’s head, but it will reveal that he is on South Korean side. The boy speaks good English and imitates wrong building of words. They move together. Then personages see two priests situate behind of little Buddha’s prayer service who actually armed North Korean soldiers what reveal by attack. Gene Evans’s protagonist easily kills North Korean soldiers despite those behind of excellent cover and one of them is fully hidden by statue and that would make unreachable to be killed from American soldier’s position who, moreover, as his arm partner situate in open field. I never could perceive for shooting by unrealistic sounds or their imitation. Later will be introduced more American soldiers whose actors will try to imitate covering from bullets. A strange tactic against attacking from nowhere North Korean will be in sitting with their backs to each other and shoot interchangeably at first time and slay in the next what gives confusion about how North Korean soldiers were found. Gene Evans also participated in WW2. I decided to click and saw a scene of how a North Korean stabs US soldiers. An enemy impales flesh and he looks on how American in emotionless says “No”, then repeats again and I hear “Oh, no”. It wasn’t possible to carry on.
Man on a Tightrope (1953).
It is based on real escape of circus troupe happened in East Germany in 1950. These artists participated in this movie, which plot changed on Czechoslovakia in 1952. It has detailed personages and directing of Elia Kazan, but he surpluses in dramatizing in making effective shot too many times. And appearance of grotesque, which was odd, completed watching before I saw final credits. I sat longer for that movie while next ones didn’t take much time.
Captain Scarface (1953).
There was production of Astor Pictures and it wasn’t outside of their usual picture. Acts of characters with no motives and no logic in unmasterfully written screenplay. Communists drive a ship with a nuclear bomb to Panama Canal, which want to explode. I didn’t watch at all. No reasonable point due to it would make a wider aisle. Maybe, that had other idea, but I was fulfilled by Captain Scarface’s plot in which I saw some actors whose performance on two bits.
A Bullet for Joey (1955) was flop in first minutes. A Canadian policeman saw a hidden camera on tramp’s musician instrument. He could arrest on place, but that man escapes. A cop doesn’t immediately begins chasing, but he will catch a potential spy. Instead to be right with procedure, the policeman will ask to put down the musician instrument, which he will check while the man stays in front of him with a stick by which he kills. Later I detected inept switching of cameras in gun shooting. It’s possible to assume a picture could be produce by company of Poverty Row, but it was United Artists whom was of The Little Three majors alongside with Universal and Columbia. Probability gave Edward G. Robinson forced to play in B movies and get small roles, because he put money in multiple charity organizations (eight hundred fifty to be exactly.) and didn’t check that eleven of them were communistic. He harshly criticized Nazism and fascism while he didn’t say such word against commies and even after Nazis’ invasion of the Soviets called the last as ally for America with which “together in their hatred of Hitlerism”. Robinson cleared himself in 1952 by calling names (Dalton Trumbo was one of them who was in Hollywood Ten.) and saying that he was “duped” by these people. An actor was put in “greylist” what was allowance to have low status roles.
Walk East on Beacon! (1952).
Introduction credits say on cooperation with FBI and that a story was taken from their practice. In reality, it was based on J. Edgar Hoover’s article in newspaper, which about atomic spies and Russian spy network, from there took details. Understanding that a film is fiction by strong dramatizing. Professor is blackmailed by commies, but he easily reveals truth to FBI who visited him. Also I didn’t take on mind on calculator, which developed for two hundred years. Nevertheless, Walk East on Beacon! is noticeable on revolution in surveillance by installing camera in place. It had reason for be a wonderful spy flick if not thing with the professor.
Hell and High Water (1954).
20th Century Fox was impressed by The Steel Helmet and inked with Samuel Fuller a deal on seven pictures. Among them were another anti-communist films: Fixed Bayonets!, which plot wasn’t credible about inexperienced corporal took platoon in heading; Pickup on South Street was watched few years ago and script was far-fetched; and Hell and High Water was in list for watching. To that time I had movies, which I couldn’t watch long and decided didn’t begin with this one. I read story’s describing, whose conception was tantalizing about China having a base with nuclear weapon (a flick was released ten years before they actually will have atomic bombs.). Looked as another implementation pattern. Certainly, a woman character with whom a lead character will have love relationship. How can I deal with screenplay if caught Chinese pilot will find a traitor in American submarine crew. I switched on and moved on movie’s ending by watching how from row of people from submarine machine gun and rifle shot down armed of atomic item plane, which continued to fly far what was for reach of the last an island and blew it.
Hell in Korea (1956).
Michael Caine, for whom it was first credited film, was a communist and liked it ideas, because he was from a poor family. It was until he saw in Korea that Chinese and North Korean doesn’t respect human lives by sending waves of people of own nations for attack. A screenplay of English movie Hell in Korea, which also has in cast Stephen Boyd, Stanley Baker and Robert Shaw, doesn’t explain loneliness of platoon. Only development of personages who speaking what did or what will do in civil life, but Hell in Korea is fantasia at overall, which wasn’t elaborated, because hiding soldiers in bushes could easily slay four Chinese soldiers, but waited until those were raised own rifles. One of characters gets wound and can’t keep movement pace with everybody what forces that he was carried by one man in platoon. British soldiers make long walking for stay in temple whose statues at entrance confuse by having Egyptian resemblance. A wounded soldier who wasn’t checked and, supposedly didn’t get a deadly bullet, suddenly dies. A lot of extras for Chinese soldiers whereas Private Kim from South Korea army was performed by Charles Lawrence who even without makeup. Staging of action is mostly accent on faces and multiple corpses after that. I can’t believe that few machine guns can’t put down small quantity of people on open field and lower positions.
Shack Out on 101 (1955).
It is natural that a character enters accurately after ending of conversation. Unnatural behavior is stable among of workers of café at coast, which has communist agents and one of them is Lee Marvin, and it’s visitors of whom is a nuclear scientist played by Frank Lovejoy. Owner of café dislike behavior of two clients, whom he knows for long, and asks to get out, then, as a light switch, he says to forget about that. He doesn’t without feeling and it will when I will move further and see no reaction on getting bullet from revolver.
The Prisoner (1955).
It was interesting on presenting no difference between Nazis and communists. I assumed The Prisoner a play and it is. Alec Guinness in role of church’s head in fiction country who was arrested is amazing what is usual from that man. He did that role on stage. I didn’t see screenplay will enticing and read the story by knowing that a protagonist became a cardinal for evade poverty – that will break him on interrogation. I can’t believe it as well in his release, because commie’s goal was in ridding from people who dangerous for them by killing and putting in prison. That was with real cardinals on whom this film bases. Aloysius Stepinac and Jozsef Mindszenty were imprisoned and communists created disinformation stories on them.
Blood Alley (1955).
I watched five minutes. John Wayne burns a mattress by situating in Chinese prison. Two commie guards enter and take out the mattress, which they return extinguished. Wayne calls another guard with whom he hanging out. The last is nice on look an old person who smiles. Then Wayne takes out hay from mattress’s hole and finds a Russian commie uniform and a revolver. Well, it was before one year of breaking of relationship between China and Russia although it already were powers, which every of them wanted to be a lead. The next shot is that John Wayne is outside of the prison. No explanation on how he left cage. A main hero comes to a coast of island and a boat picks him.
Prisoner of War (1954).
I wouldn’t turn on Prisoner of War if I would more attentive to conception of plot. Ronald Reagan of imposing actors on whom I watch with breathtaking, but he plays a soldier who in Korean War must infiltrate in prison for American military for checking how enemies abide Geneva Convention. It’s not a comedy. He lands by parachute and sneaks to ravine and takes cover in damaged transport. In that place and that time one of walking soldiers falls and Reagan’s hero picks him and enters in rows.
The Red Menace (1949).
A war veteran rejected by some government department was detected by communists who were on guard there. Their representer makes friendly conversation and eventually invites on drinking in a bar, which under commie’s administration, where one of their girls seduces main hero and he with her move to woman’s apartment in which she intended to give to him Carl Marx’s Capital for reading, but she goes against plan and it ends up in a bed. Such recruiting in communists was hardly acceptable. This movie hadn’t full watching too. I moved to conclusion had kinda of moralizing conversation with a Texas sheriff whom everybody, as expected, call “Uncle Sam”, but it can’t consider as propaganda due to bad attitude to veterans in first minutes. Watching of these anti-communists films, I admit initial – no one of them is propaganda.
Soldier of Fortune (1955).
It was of simple. I relocated to the ending after reading story’s describing. A smuggler Clark Gable, who stays in Hong Kong and makes illegal activities in China, agrees to help a woman in finding and release from prison her husband, a journalist who crossed a border without visa. Typically, it will turns in falling in love in that woman what ends positive for him while her rescued spouse will say that a marriage isn’t for him what is so rude and ungrateful after he was taken out from such dangerous place as commie China.
The Fearmakers (1958).
“Taking opinions is useful, making opinions is dangerous” says senator Walder about social polls and asks Dana Andrews’s protagonist Alan Eaton to go undercover in company, which makes such activities for checking on malevolent. Communists never made business raiding, but methods of disinformation show in preciseness. Their organizations such World Peace Council influenced by printing lie. Many people talked about ending of arm race and nuclear disarming were commies actually and The Fearmakers has such character. It’s flick presents a lot of wonderful about evil of communism when a screenplay is intricate and gripping. I was astonished by staging of fighting scenes. I don’t know another similar movie of that time where a lead man demonstrates a similar effective style, which has elements of karate. The Fearmakers has misfires. Smoking and leaving cigarette can accept for reckless. But elaborated staging required a scene of torture where he with his fighting skills had opportunities to strike back and grab a gun as well as he could act in moment of confrontation between two personages. The main gaffe was when that revolver was taken out from his hands and it finds in hands of personage who all time stayed on other end of a premise. Everything of that is forgivable. Eaton will speak a wonderful monologue to McGinnis in that room. A place for conclusion is exciting and it reminds me Saboteur, which has deal with Nazis. Said words of one wonderful US president then is that you can’t disagree by seeing facts. Quantity of members of Communist Party USA in 1957 was less 10,000 people of which 1,500 were FBI informants. Joseph McCarthy died from hepatitis in that year, but three years before his truth was exposed and eventually Senate censured him in 2 December 1954. However, multitude people after that will believe in promoting “peace”. Of course, “witch-hunt” and “McCarthyism” left a bad name and there was influence on men and women on find likeable in left-wing. Other significant change in 1957 was beginning of the end of blacklisting. That epoch of anti-communist flicks will conclude on grandiose The Manchurian Candidate implementing Korean War legend and laughing on McCarthy had release when Cuban Crisis was going.
The Secret Ways (1961).
It isn’t savvy to hire a man for infiltrate in commie Hungary and take out a scientist if it’s known that he is under spy surveillance. Richard Wilmark’s hero gets photo of woman whom he tries to find while commie spies wants to know on his activity by firstly chasing by a car and then beating on dump. It follows, that a lady, which he saw in a bar, comes up from nowhere and helps to stand up what is obvious that she is commie agent, because other variant isn’t can be. They move in her apartment and have sex. I was watching dreadful B movie.