La minaccia

And throw in a touch of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and you've got the idea. The commies are using sex and booze to lure all-American boys to do ... just what isn't exactly clear, but the ultimate goal is to promote atheism and destroy freedom. Meanwhile, all they seem to be doing is killing their own members when not turning them in to the INS. An added treat for 50's TV fans is that the dimwitted hero is played by Robert Rockwell, who later portrayed Mr. Boynton, the suspiciously uninterested biology teacher eternally pursued by Eve Arden in "Our Miss Brooks"

Most of the other reviews here fall into two groups: anti-communists like it, to one degree or another; pro-communists or anti-anti-communists hate it.

One, from a supposed relative of that excellent director, R. G. Springsteen, sneers at it, claiming the director called it his worst film. If Mr. Springsteen hated it, then he would not have done his best on it.

In fact, despite the actors not being well known, they -- most of them -- gave very good performances.

Nathan Scott, credited with the music, gets my respect for his use of "The Internationale" sprinkled suitably throughout the film.

The writers also did generally good work, though I have one hesitation: The leaders of the Communist Party, U. S. A., were shown to be very cynical, not very strong or honest believers in their party.

Some years ago, I worked at university radio station, and our manager, Tom Duval, was like that: He would go out to some individuals or groups to raise money, then come back and laugh at the suckers who gave.

But I can't help thinking members and leaders of the Communist Party were as sincere as members of other political parties -- even though the CPUSA was, in fact, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CPUSSR, getting its orders and much of its money from Moscow.

(The CPUSA was, it is important to remember, also used for espionage and sabotage, as well, especially in Hollywood, to propagandize. Look at, for example, how its "keep out of the European conflict" changed, literally over night, when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Then the CPUSA was "this is a people's war and we need to fight.")

Some of the Hollywood people who joined the CPUSA, especially the ones who quit and who testified before the congressional committee, said the party seemed to offer solutions to such problems as poverty and unemployment.

In fact, just as did Al Capone, the CPUSA set up soup kitchens for the hungry.

Of course it intended to recruit members. And maybe that was a bit cynical. But advocates of even the most evil systems, including Nazism and communism, were probably as sincere, were probably true believers, as members of other parties and advocates of other causes.

Just not very clear-eyed.

Well, some want to make fun of the ending, of course, but I like it. It seems very Texan to me. At least for 1950.

"The Red Menace" must be viewed in the context of its times. If I were the president of Republic, I would make some changes, though relatively minor changes. As it is, I give it a recommendation, with that caveat: Remember the times, and that the Soviet Union and its alleged communist belief system was the imperialist enemy of these United States. And, in fact, of the peace and freedom of all Earth.

There is a too-dark print at YouTube.

My uncle told me this was the WORST film he ever directed. He was a contract director and the studio wanted him to make a movie about Communism. "This McCarthy thing seems to be catching on," he said they told him, "and we need a film quick." They gave him six weeks and $100,000 budget - an unheard-of pittance for a feature film, even in 1949. He didn't have a cast, a crew, a script, or even a story line. So he called friends who had very little screen time, knowing no "Name" actor would commit to a project like this. Besides, most of Uncle Gordon's actor friends were Western stars, like Roy Rogers.

Gordon got a writer from the studio to pen the script, but he quit half-way through filming. So he and another actor had to complete the script, adding to it as they went. At the start of each day's filming, they had no idea what they were going to do.

But, as promised, Uncle Gordon got this movie made on time and on budget.

It saddened him a little, knowing that with all his directing credits, he would probably be most remembered for the worst film he ever made. He was proud of the rest of his filmography, and enjoyed directing well into his 70's.

As for me, well, I think its kinda cool that my Great Uncle had a lot to do with the making of a cult classic. Its no Rocky Horror, Reefer Madness, or even Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, but in the genre of ridiculously bad films, Red Menace can hold its celluloid head high.

Just remember, Bud Springsteen had to work under extreme conditions to churn out a film this bad.

In view of what the Soviet archives revealed about the U. S. Communist Party(thank you, Gorby), this movie hits the nail right on the head. All the tactics Communists used to gain members, such as having female members sleep with prospective male members, as well as the means they used to create trouble, are shown in this movie. My father-in-law was once a Communist. He told me that the CPUSA would take up a collection for African-Americans on trial somewhere and keep the money for themselves. If a man quit the party, not only would he be shunned, but other members' kids would be expected to bully his kids! All this is shown in the movie, including even the beatings administered to wayward members. See this film and learned what we narrowly escaped from ending up as.

"The Red Menace" is a super-cheap exposé on Communists in America who were working towards the destruction of the country back in 1949. None of the actors in this Republic B-movie are folks you'll recognize...which shows what confidence the studio had in this movie!

The film begins with a couple driving from California into Arizona. The lady, in particular, is very nervous and you learn via a LONG flashback what it's all about and why she's worried. Bill Jones (Robert Rockwell) is an angry WWII vet. His bitterness attracts the attention of a Communist recruiter who gets him hooked up with folks who seduce him gradually into embracing Communism...and they use women to do this gentle 'guidance'. However, while Bill soon becomes a full-fledged Commie, some of the women working to convert him towards this system are beginning to have their doubts...particularly when they see how vicious their superiors are in dealing with dissent. Bill, too, begins to see how the Party is filled with jerks...folks who couldn't care less about truth or equality.

So is this film any good? Well, yes and no. As a history teacher, I must point out that there was a Communist Party USA and many of their tactics shown in the film are pretty realistic...despite how we tend to look on the Red Scare as almost comical today. This would especially be true of the Party just before WWII--when folks went from being lionized to demonized by them. But it also comes off as a bit over- earnest...a bit too trite as well---especially at the barf-inducing ending. Subtle, it sure isn't...but it is entertaining. So, despite low production values, it does keep your interest.

I noticed one review compared this to "Reefer Madness". Well, that's their opinion, but I felt "The Red Menace" had much, much better production values and isn't even close to being as schlocky as "Reefer Madness" or "Sex Madness" (by the same production company). This film is much slicker by comparison...though I gotta admit that speech at the INS office near the end of the film was amazingly over the top...and a bit reminiscent of the guy playing the piano in "Reefer Madness".