
I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.
1951, Drama, 1h 23m
3 Reviews 100+ RatingsYou might also like
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Where to watch
I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. Photos
Movie Info
During the "Red Scare" of the 1950s, FBI agent and Slovenian-American Matt Cvetic (Frank Lovejoy) poses as a Communist to infiltrate the U.S. Communist Party. Unable to tell his friends and family about the undercover mission, Matt is deemed a traitor to his country and condemned by everyone close to him. Although Matt often doubts his dangerous task, he remains undercover to bring the Communists to justice and protect a faltering member (Dorothy Hart) from her vindictive party.
Cast & Crew
Frank Lovejoy
Matt Cvetic
Matt Cvetic
Dorothy Hart
Eve Merrick
Eve Merrick
Philip Carey
Mason
Mason
Richard Webb
Ken Crowley
Ken Crowley
James Millican
Jim Blandon
Jim Blandon
Ron Hagerthy
Dick Cvetic
Dick Cvetic
Critic Reviews for I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.
Audience Reviews for I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.
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Nov 28, 2013Described as a film noir drama directed by Gordon Douglas, I expected something with a substance... petty that all it had was a propaganda machine from guys who are even better in doing things they accuse others of... but as the main character Mark Cvetic (Frank Lovejoy) said ,"(I) had the brains to see this slimy thing to what it is." The film was based on a series of stories written by Matt Cvetic that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, and those stories were later turned into a best-selling book and radio series. It seems that most of the communists in America were simple thugs, racist, vindictive, and tools of a totalitarian foreign power, the Soviet Union - but that is with a reason. This film and radio show are, in part, artefacts of the McCarthy era, as well as a time capsule of American society during the Second Red Scare. The purpose of both are partly to "warn" people about the threat of Communist "subversion" of American society. The movie is really over-acted ultra-patriotic, very similar of what was made in Germany just few years before the World War II started. The story follows Cvetic, who infiltrated a local Communist Party cell for nine years and reported back to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on their activities. Frank Lovejoy wasn't too bad, but I just cannot stand unnatural dialogue and robotic acting which was shown by most of the actors including Dorothy Hart, Philip Carey, and James Millican. Think and tell me... which political party leadership members are not cynical opportunists, racists who are interested only in seizing power on behalf of their party and not in improving social and labour conditions not just in the U.S. but anywhere in the world? Which political group will not exploit ethnic tensions to get their way? I haven't witnessed one yet! There are honest people in all these groups but they never become leaders - they are just sheep for the wolves in a sheep skin. And it was always like that. Well, I look at this propaganda as an offence for those honest people, doesn't matter on which side they belonged. Thanks to my friend who recommended this, and I am glad I saw it - but for the different reasons - I am glad and at the same time very sad that I could realize how huge hatred could be towards fellow brothers and sisters because they just have different way of thinking.Panta O Super Reviewer
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