''I Was a Communist for the FBI'' is a 1951 American
film noir
Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
crime film
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
directed by
Gordon Douglas and starring
Frank Lovejoy. The film was produced by
Bryan Foy who was head of Warners
B picture unit until 1942.
The film was based on a series of stories written by
Matt Cvetic
Matthew Cvetic (March 4, 1909 – July 26, 1962) was a Pittsburgh native who was a spy and informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation inside the Communist Party of the United States (CPUSA) during the 1940s. He told his story in a ...
that appeared in ''
The Saturday Evening Post''. The stories were later turned into a best-selling book, and a radio show starring
Dana Andrews that ran for 78 episodes from April 23, 1952, until October 14, 1953.
The story follows Cvetic, who infiltrated a local
Communist Party cell for nine years and reported back to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
(FBI) on their activities.
The film and radio show are, in part, artifacts of the
McCarthy McCarthy (also spelled MacCarthy or McCarty) may refer to:
* MacCarthy, a Gaelic Irish clan
* McCarthy, Alaska, United States
* McCarty, Missouri, United States
* McCarthy Road, a road in Alaska
* McCarthy (band), an indie pop band
* Château MacC ...
era, as well as a time capsule of American society during the
Second Red Scare. The purpose of both is partly to warn people about the threat of
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
subversion
Subversion () refers to a process by which the values and principles of a system in place are contradicted or reversed in an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, hierarchy, and social norms. Sub ...
of American society. The tone of the show is ultra-
patriotic, with Communists portrayed as racist, vindictive, and tools of a totalitarian foreign power, the
Soviet Union.
Plot
Matt Cvetic (Frank Lovejoy), who works in a
Pittsburgh steel mill, has been infiltrating the
Communist Party for the
FBI in Pittsburgh for nine years. During this time he has been unable to tell his family about his dual role, so they assume that he is a genuine believer in communism and despise him.
He becomes emotionally involved with a Communist school teacher (Dorothy Hart), who is becoming disenchanted with the party. She breaks with the party when it foments a violent strike. Cvetic helps her escape the Communists in violent sequences in which two Communists and an FBI agent are killed.
Communists are portrayed in the film as cynical opportunists, racists who are interested only in seizing power on behalf of the Soviet Union. They are shown exploiting ethnic tensions to get their way, such as by wrapping copies of a Jewish newspaper around lead pipes used to beat up people during a strike. They also are shown fomenting discontent among blacks. They are shown as cynical racists, calling blacks "niggers" and Jews "kikes," and as violent thugs who kill informers.
Cvetic ultimately testifies against the Communists before the
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...
and reconciles with his brother and son.
Cast
*
Frank Lovejoy as
Matt Cvetic
Matthew Cvetic (March 4, 1909 – July 26, 1962) was a Pittsburgh native who was a spy and informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation inside the Communist Party of the United States (CPUSA) during the 1940s. He told his story in a ...
*
Dorothy Hart as Eve Merrick
*
Philip Carey as Mason
*
James Millican as Jim Blandon
*
Richard Webb as Ken Crowley
*
Konstantin Shayne as Gerhardt Eisler
*
Paul Picerni as Joe Cvetic
*
Roy Roberts
Roy Roberts (born Roy Barnes Jones, March 19, 1906 – May 28, 1975) was an American character actor. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen.
Life and career
Born in Tampa ...
as Father Novac
*
Edward Norris as Harmon (as Eddie Norris)
*
Ron Hagerthy as Dick Cvetic
*
Hugh Sanders as Clyde Garson
* Hope Kramer as Ruth Cvetic
*
Lyle Latell as FBI Officer Cahill
Radio
The radio version of ''I Was a Communist for the FBI'' consisted of 78 episodes syndicated by the
Frederick W. Ziv Company to more than 600 stations, including
KNX
KNX is an open standard (see EN 50090, ISO/IEC 14543) for commercial and domestic building automation. KNX devices can manage lighting, blinds and shutters, HVAC, security systems, energy management, audio video, white goods, displays, remote ...
in Los Angeles, California, with original episodes running from March 30, 1952, to September 20, 1953. The program was made without the cooperation of the
FBI. Real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic was portrayed by
Dana Andrews. The show had a budget of $12,000 per week, a very high cost to produce a radio show at the time.
The program frequently dealt with the great stress that Cvetic was under, as he covertly infiltrated a local
Communist Party cell. There were many personal and family problems caused by his being a Communist as well as a certain amount of mental torment. He saw the party as being hypocritical and a great danger to society.
In 1953, Ziv created ''
I Led Three Lives
''I Led 3 Lives'' (also known as ''I Led Three Lives'') is an American drama series syndicated by Ziv Television Programs from October 1, 1953, to January 1, 1956. The series stars Richard Carlson. The show was a companion piece of sorts to th ...
'', based on the life of
Herbert Philbrick, an advertising executive who also infiltrated the U.S. Communist Party on behalf of the FBI in the 1940s. This time, the FBI approved all of the show's scripts.
Reception
Box office
According to Warner Bros, records, the film earned $1,319,000 in the U.S. and $440,000 elsewhere.
Critical response
When the film was released, ''The New York Times'' film critic
Bosley Crowther was critical of the message in the film. He wrote, "In many respects, this heated item bears comparison to the hearings before the House Un-American Activities Committee—which, incidentally, it extols...For instance, in glibly detailing how the Communists foment racial hate and labor unrest in this country...
thint
that most Negroes and most laborers are 'pinks'. It raises suspicion of school teachers...
ndthat people who embrace liberal causes, such as the Scottsboro trial defense, are Communist dupes...and the film itself glows with patriotism. But it plays a bit recklessly with fire".
The staff at ''Variety'' magazine wrote a positive review: "From the real life experiences of Matt Cvetic
ublished in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' as "I Posed as a Communist for the F.B.I" scripter Crane Wilbur has fashioned an exciting film. Direction of Gordon Douglas plays up suspense and pace strongly, and the cast, headed by Frank Lovejoy in the title role, punches over the expose of the Communist menace."
Accolades
This dramatic film was nominated for an Academy Award as the
Best Documentary Feature
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporation, ...
of the year.
IMDb
awards section.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
Audio streaming
''I Was A Communist for the F.B.I.''
"I Walk Alone" episode, on the Ziv Television Programs: Apr 23, 1952
{{Gordon Douglas
1951 films
1950s American radio programs
American anti-communist propaganda films
American crime drama films
American radio dramas
American black-and-white films
Films about McCarthyism
Film noir
Films directed by Gordon Douglas
Films set in Pittsburgh
Warner Bros. films
Films scored by William Lava
Films scored by Max Steiner
Ziv Company radio programs
Syndicated radio programs
1951 crime drama films
1950s English-language films
1950s American films
Red Scare