La mano en la sombra

'Bad Day at Black Rock' meets 'Quatermass 2' in this gothic-looking RKO quickie directed by visionary production designer William Cameron Menzies and atmospherically photographed by veteran noir cameraman Nicholas Musuraca in which reporter Eliot Reid receives a frosty welcome in a decaying little hamlet straight out of Lovecraft.

Laurence Tuttle, later Sheriff Chambers' wife in 'Psycho' presciently plays a character called Molly Loomis.

THE WHIP HAND, an interesting curio of a film that's very much of its era, tells the story of a small rural town in the American South which finds itself at the mercy of a band of merciless Communists who'll do anything in their power to keep their plans for germ warfare a secret. Yes, welcome to the world of '50s paranoia and McCarthyist witch-hunts, where the ordinary-looking guy next door just might be a closet pinko.

The guy helming this little B-movie is William Camercon Menzies, responsible for the equally paranoia-laden INVADERS FROM MARS. And THE WHIP HAND turns out to be an entertaining little movie, one which thrives on building a sense of mistrust throughout as the crusading reporter hero gradually becomes aware of a sinister plot in darkest Minnesota. Cuddly bad guy Raymond Burr (REAR WINDOW), a go-to guy for '50s villainy, is inevitably one of the bad guys behind it all.

THE WHIP HAND is watchable and features an unfamiliar cast doing their best with the lines they're given. Sure, it's very much dated these days, but the same dating makes it interesting as a product of its era. The bad guys are far more interesting than the good, especially the well-defined characters like the pervy guy with the flat leather cap or the creepy gamekeeper. The decision to change said bad guys from Nazis to Communists at the last moment makes it all feel a little muddled, but it's certainly not a bad film and rewarding to those with an interest in film as a medium for social commentary.

This is One Odd Movie. Starting with the Title that is Meaningless Unless One Knows About a "Riding" Term Meaning the Upper Hand or Some Such Thing, Suffice to Say it is Meaningless. Add to That the Story was Changed Midstream from Nazis to Communist at the Insistence of Howard Hughes.

Still, Director Menzies Manages to Make the Thing Look Good, Despite Some Bad Acting that He Left Unattended. The Film Still Manages to Bring the Paranoia of the Time Front and Center with Bizarre Scenes and a Foreboding Atmosphere.

It Really Kicks In with the Third Act that Includes Mad Lab Scenes, Female Bondage, Zombie Like People Used as Guinea Pigs, and Some Communist Nut-Case Speeches. This is One of Quirkiest Entries in the Anti-Communist Movies Made During the McCarthy Era and that is Saying Something because Most of Them were Really Quirky.

The Commie Characters All Look Like Something Out of a Comic Book with Exaggerated Features and Props. They're One Scary Looking Bunch. The Protagonist and His Love Interest are So Sanitized and "Normal" Looking They Seem to have Stepped Out of a Disney Movie. The Contrast is Quite Startling and Add to the Surreal Nature of the Movie When Watched Today.

It's odd that I would give a propaganda film like this such a high score, but despite the odd plot the film IS very entertaining and tense and is still well worth seeing.

Matt Corbin (Elliott Reid) is a reporter for a news magazine. When he arrives in a small town in rural Minnesota, his reporter senses start tingling because things just don't add up there. Despite always being known as a great place to fish, all the fish are dead. And, despite there being no local industry or jobs, folks have moved INTO the town despite the crash of the fishing industry. And, finally, there is a compound nearby that is guarded like Fort Knox! Clearly something is going on here...and little does Corbin know that it's actually a base for germ warfare run by Commie-Nazis!! Why they didn't build it in the good 'ol USSR, I have no idea!

The plot is silly...but the sign of a good film is taking a ridiculous idea and making it seem possible and engaging. So don't worry that it's filled with mostly no-name actors and is a relatively low-budget picture, it's surprisingly good.

This film was, obviously, made during the era when communists were considered to be the major threat to the security of the USA. If the viewer watches the film strictly to indulge in approximately 85 minutes of escapism it can provide some low key entertainment. The story moves pretty fast and never bogs down with any over-emphasis on character development or plot.

I had never seen this film prior to my viewing it on Turner Classic Movies. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Elliott Reed. I have seen him in several movies and, in all of the others, he portrays, basically, the same type of character, that is, a slightly officious mid level executive, a spurned suitor, etc. I really enjoyed seeing him, in this film, actually portray a romantic, leading man hero, type of character. Yes, this film is strictly fluff. But, it can provide enjoyment and, IMHO, is notable, for the casting of Mr. Reed as the "star".