The Red Menace (film)

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The Red Menace
The Red Menace FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by R. G. Springsteen
Screenplay by Albert DeMond
Gerald Geraghty
Story by Albert DeMond
Starring Robert Rockwell
Hannelore Axman
Narrated by Lloyd G. Davies
Cinematography John MacBurnie
Edited by Harry Keller
Music by Nathan Scortt
Production
company
Republic Pictures
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date
  • June 9, 1949 (1949-06-09)(Los Angeles)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Red Menace (reissue title Underground Spy) is a 1949 anti-communist film noir drama film directed by R. G. Springsteen starring Robert Rockwell and Hannelore Axman.

Contents

Plot

An ex-GI named Bill Jones (Robert Rockwell) becomes involved with the Communist Party USA. While in training, Jones falls in love with one of his instructors. At first true followers of communism, they realize their mistake when they witness party leaders murder a member who questions the party's principles. When they try to leave the party, the two are marked for murder and hunted by the party's assassins. [1]

Cast

Production

The film was originally planned to be made by Irving Allen and James S. Burkett as an independent film. Republic Pictures chose unknowns for the cast and many made their film debuts. Republic Pictures' president Herbert Yates was named as executive producer but no producer was named. [2]

As well as playing Inspector O'Toole, Lloyd G. Davies was also the film's narrator.

Release

The film opened in the Los Angeles district on June 9, 1949. [3] In two theaters in Los Angeles it grossed a dull $22,000 in its first week. [4] The film performed poorly at the box office and was withdrawn from release after several months. [2] The film was re-edited and re-released in 1953 as Underground Spy. [2]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ The Red Menace (1949)
  2. 1 2 3 The Red Menace at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  3. ↑ "50G Ad Budget For Rep's 'Menace' Opener". Variety . June 1, 1949. p. 7 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "L.A. In Doldrums But 'Territory' Oke $39,000; 'Menace' Dull 22G; 'Entry' Slow $31,000; 'Allegro,' 'Street' Ditto". Variety . June 15, 1949. p. 10 – via Internet Archive.


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