Red Nightmare

Basically a good 1950's propaganda film to make fun of on a rainy day. But if you can't appreciate it's camp value I'd suggest you skip it. Otherwise it would make a good follow up movie to The Atomic Cafe and Reefer Madness

I got this expecting a camp riot. What I found was a fairly standard propaganda piece, a bit confused at times but generally aware of itself enough to stay "on message" as the phrase goes these days. Jack Webb, though obviously rightist, was too knowledgeable and talented to let things get completely out of control. As a result, the film isn't as funny as originally billed; it really provokes no strong response in me at all. Ho-hum.

The government ID and title are" AFIF 120 "FREEDOM AND YOU" AFIF stands for Armed Forces Information Film. Shot on Universal backplate including famous City Hall steps from Bye Bye Birdie and City Square shots from "Back to the Future" series. Only thing film missing is Ann-Margret and Michael C. Fox! Peter Brown actually tries to act and Jack Kelly, he of "Bart Maverick" fame overacts wildly. If you look hard you see Beaver's neighborhood too!

Jack Webb looks solemn and oh so sincere. Film ends with shots of everything that was wonderful in 1962 America. Rioting scenes from unidentified countries. Film is good for a few laughs due to it's overtly simplistic examination of Communism.

Red Nightmare (1962) was a government promo film produced by narrator Jack Webb. It was made to scare the populous and to encourage young men to join the fight against terrorism. Today this movie is nothing more than a reminder about how scared the government actually was of the "reds" and their ideology. The short plays out like a badly written and acted version of a Twilight Zone episode. The acting ranges from hammy to wooden at times. It pretty silly at times and if you're in the mood a great watch.

What's even scarier is if you ever get a chance to watch this propaganda piece, just place the word terrorists instead of communists. In some ways this movie can still be used and made today (with some obvious tweaking of course). A sad reminder of what times we lived in during the red scare days of the early 50's to late 60's (but the "threat" never faded away until the late 80's). Oh well, it's a fun watch for those who like to "relive the days of yesteryear!"

Recommend for historical purposes.

I've been showing this Cold War chestnut to my Constitutional Law students for at least fifteen years. I screen it during our examination of First Amendment cases from the 50s and early 60s. That was when the Supreme Court initially upheld convictions of leading American communists (mostly older, suit wearing and essentially harmless types). Increasingly alarmed that First Amendment freedoms were being sacrificed to fears of a "putsch" that never seemed to be imminent or even real, the Court began overturning convictions while simultaneously expanding free speech protections.

The older students remember the times but most are in their early to mid-twenties and they can't believe tax dollars paid for Jack Webb, employing his best "Sergeant Friday" monotone, to warn Americans about the danger of taking freedom for granted and ignoring the threat of insidious Soviet subversion.

What gets the most laughs are the domestic scenes where "Father Knows Best" is hijacked to deliver the political message. The housewife is a stay-at-home who is assured by her laid back husband that she's no worse a nag than most spouses. The kids are just so adorable. Even the teenage daughter determined to marry her sweetheart can't mount more than a mild sullenness when dad objects to an early marriage. Sheesh!

Hubby's "Red Nightmare," his night of a bad dream, gives a good portrayal of the 1950s view of how the Communists - domestic and conquering - would wipe out all our freedoms. Reflecting the fears that swept Hollywood in the age of HUAC and Mc Carthy, the viewer is assured that this very important film was produced under "the direct supervision of Jack L. Warner."

If you want to really get a flavor of that fear-laden time, check out http://www.conelrad.com.