This is an interesting propaganda film from Hollywood in the early 1950s. While in the early 1940s, Hollywood had experienced a short love affair with the Russians (mostly thanks to the US becoming allies with the Russians against the Axis), this film represents a different era--one where fear of spreading Communism and Stalinism gripped much of the world. This film is a far from subtle and occasionally heavy-handed short film about the menace of international Communism and was narrated by many of the biggest Red-haters in Hollywood (such as Robert Taylor). While nowadays, many in Hollywood have a bit of nostalgia for the old Soviet Union (or at least use moral relativism to make the Western nations seem somehow comparable to it), this was a time when there was great dread of Communism spreading everywhere--thanks to statements by Stalin himself that they would do so.
From a historical point of view, this is an amazing look back into the scary days of the nuclear arms race, though as I said above it's all very heavy-handed. While the basic message is true, the silly way that Communism was passed off as comparable to a "snake oil salesman" was a bit goofy and this comparison probably caused more laughs than anything else. Still, an important little film and interesting history lesson from an era that seems so very long ago.
From a historical point of view, this is an amazing look back into the scary days of the nuclear arms race, though as I said above it's all very heavy-handed. While the basic message is true, the silly way that Communism was passed off as comparable to a "snake oil salesman" was a bit goofy and this comparison probably caused more laughs than anything else. Still, an important little film and interesting history lesson from an era that seems so very long ago.