Shadow on the Land

A rarely shown TV movie and series pilot that I have not seen in decades. All I remember is the film revolves around the takeover of the U. S. by a totalitarian authority and the efforts of an underground movement trying to ferment resistance. The film opens with a violent attack on a military base by the underground, leading to one of the most startling results I have seen on television. Anyone who has seen it knows what I mean. It was meant to shock the audience, and it did.

When it aired, "Shadow on the Land"'s premise was barely credible: an unexplained national emergency so terrifies the country that Congress grants the President virtually unlimited emergency powers, which he promptly uses to establish a national security agency charged with hunting down the nation's external and internal "enemies." Soon the country is awash in curfews, traveling papers, checkpoints and managed news. Dissent is unpatriotic and quashed in the name of security and national harmony. In response, a small underground emerges dedicated to revealing the corruption and our loss of freedoms.

Run as a TV movie, "Shadow on the Land" should have done better than it did, and might have made an interesting series had it received better viewer response. Unfortunately, its cautionary message of a fearful America willing to surrender basic freedoms seemed preposterous. Not helping was a fairly plodding script, generally heavy-handed characterizations and an absence of any sense of impending menace or danger.

Still, "Shadow" featured such dependable lead actors as Jackie Cooper, John Forsythe, Gene Hackman, Carol Lynley, Marc Strange and Janice Rule, supported by a strong cast of future character actors including Scott Thomas, Bill Walker and Ken Swofford. All the actors -- Cooper and Hackman especially -- gave solid performances despite the script, which must have seemed something of a fantasy to everyone involved.

While many of the casting decisions were predicable, there was one truly inspired piece of casting that set the show apart: John Forsythe as General Wendell Bruce, head of West Coast security and the resident villain. Setting his likable "Bachelor Father" (1957-1962) persona on its head, Forsythe created a disturbingly complex and believable nemesis: intelligent, dedicated to his duty, sophisticated, articulate and likable, with a ready smile and well-tailored suits. It was truly chilling to watch him, and helped build a case for the type of people who might someday convince us they were only there to "protect" us.

Given the current political and social climate, "Shadow on the Land" was clearly a show forty years ahead of its time – an unusually cautionary tale raised in a television era still dominated by fare such as "Beverley Hillbillies," "Batman," "Death Valley Days: and "Hawaii Five-O." Someone ought to find it in the archives, dust it off, and either run it or redo it; I think we'd be far more willing to believe its vision of America than we were in 1968.

Still, given that same climate, one has to wonder if the show could be done today. The premise strikes far too close to home, and patriotism isn't what it used to be. We've clearly demonstrated that as a people we are now perfectly willing to sacrifice a little freedom for security and safety, just as were the citizens of "Shadow."

On a final minor note, one has to wonder if our Homeland Security folks realize that their eagle logo bears a haunting similarity to "Shadow"'s homeland security agency emblem. If we don't learn from history – even fictional ones – we are somehow doomed to repeat it.

A rarely seen gem that hasn't been broadcast in Los Angeles since 1987!! Luckily I grabbed a VHS copy. The plot follows a group of freedom fighters called the Society of Man in their struggle against a fascist government that takes control of the U.S. Fine acting from all the principles, including a young Gene Hackman. It asks a lot of questions about political laziness and expediency. Note: the airport scene at LAX; it almost mirrors the chaos that goes on now with the TSA and their security! Remember this was filmed in 1968! Also the scene at the concentration camp with the freedom fighters and the American Flag is awe inspiring. I wish this film would be released on DVD.

I too saw this movie , twice , I was living in Berkely Ca. and was about 20 years old . At the time James Rector had just been killed by the police , we had riots in the street , the weathermen , Black Panthers ,SDS and others , these were our call to unite it never happened , at least not on a scale that the movie suggest . It was almost real ,I remember watching this with my father , both times being the far thinker he was , it made him shiver it was that real . What has happened to this movie , does the government control the movie industry ? .

I wonder if finding a copy of the book is possible ( Sinclair Lewis ) or has that too been banned in the name of Freedom . Soon I will leave this country and go live in another , I know it matters not , all government's are corrupt , or perhaps live in a small town in the mountains . This movie forever changed my life and made me aware of how corrupt and immoral the US really has become.

Will Rogers or mother Teresa never watched this movie .

Any one with a copy please contact me , so I can show my grandchildren that we were warned .

d

When this film came out, it was decried by both critics and science fiction fans as being preposterous because in America such an event could never happen.

Now the conspiracy theorists say that our current President is ready to have events occur which will bring this movie to a realization.

I have always been surprised that this movie has never come out on tape or DVD as a warning that it COULD happen here.

The movie is flawed in many ways, but having to show id at airports, being screened at airports, on roads, at bus & train stations was unthinkable 40 years ago, yet it has occurred.

Sinclair Lewis was right. We did not learn from his book or take heed the warning of this film.

Politicians once they have power will do anything to keep it, even usurp the Constitution which they have sworn to protect and defend.