Strange Holiday

Claude Rains stars as John Stevenson, a typical American businessman, husband, and father. He goes on a lengthy fishing trip with a pal, and when they return home, John discovers that the government has been overthrown by fascists who have the populace in the grip of fear. As John struggles to understand what has happened, the true cost of losing freedom comes into stark relief. Also featuring Martin Kosleck, Gloria Holden, Milton Kibbee, Helen Mack, and Tommy Cook.

This short (61 minute) movie can't exactly be called a thriller, as there aren't a lot of thrills, and the situation is so exaggerated, and presented in such a hallucinatory way, that you can't really call this a straight drama, either. It plays a bit like an overlong Twilight Zone episode, and it's a definite precursor to the many "Red Menace" films of next 25 years. This was actually produced by General Motors to be shown to employees and their families to hit home how important the American way is, and how fragile it's existence is in the face of tyranny. I'm not sure how people took it back in 1945, but it still seems a little uncomfortable now.