SHADOW ON THE LAND

US, 1968, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jackie Cooper, John Forsythe, Gene Hackman, Carol Lynley, Janice Rule, Michael Margotta.
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian.

An unusual thriller. It presents the United States as having been taken over by a dictatorship with the internal security forces controlling the land. There is an underground The Society of Man. The material echoes Barry Shear's Wild in the Streets from the same year. It is very reminiscent of Irving Wallace's The R Document.

There are a number of guest stars who perform well - although Gene Hackman in an early role is very strident as a minister and not particularly persuasive. The creation of the story is attributed to Sidney Sheldon who was to write the popular best sellers from which the films The Other Side of Midnight and Bloodline were made. Direction is by Richard C. Sarafian, the maker of such interesting films as Man in the Wilderness.

1. The title, the opening of the film and its documentary commentary tone, the moralizing and the focussing on the shadow and blot on the United States? Fascism in the United States and its possibilities? the sixties and their aftermath? The memories of fascism in the thirties? Comparisons? Comparisons with totalitarian regimes?

2. The effect of the film as a telemovie? Serious for home audiences? The cumulative effect, the melodramatics, the moralising? How persuasive was it? What was the audience left with?

3. The guest stars and their roles? how convincing and persuasive?

4. An authentic atmosphere, the streets of the United States, cities, buildings - the ordinary look? Yet the concentration camps, disorder at the airports, the ever presence of the internal security forces etc.?

5. The nature of fascism and the role of the leader, his generals, the I.S.M Power, the crisis in which the takeover happened, the measures to retain power, conspiracies? Operation Hammer and the trick to maintain power? How possible and plausible? Audience reaction to these possibilities?

6. The focus on the arrest of Davis, his being interned in the concentration camp, the preparations for the battle for releasing him, a commando underground raid, the resistance and the many dead, the raising of the American flag? The desperate tone?

7. The Society of Man and its parallels with the World War II Underground, the young people in it, contacts, codes? Their ability to stage raids?

8. McLeod?, and his toughness, arrival at the airport, his relationship with General Bruce, his staff? His continually being checked out by Bruce? The revelation that he was part of the Underground? His working with his driver and conversations about the family and their plight? Eluding pursuers? The contact with Davis, his admiration for him, the various plans to get him free, to discover Operation Hammer? Abby and her apartment, his going to visit her as a cover and the elaborate preparations? The I.S.F. men not being deceived?

9. Bruce and his power, his anger and control? Running checks on people? His domination of Miss Everett? Ilis revelation of Operation Hammer, his reaction to its failure, his suspicions of Mc Leod yet Mc Leod, appearing to be innocent?

10. Davis and his being hidden in the church, the search for him, his escape, his being captured after such a long chase, his torture and death? The information? The tapes and Miss Everett's reaction and her change of mind?

11. The church, the mission and the derelict men there, the black man and his cleaning up and getting Davis out? The comment on religion, preaching? Tom Davis and his intensity, his wanting to dissociate himself from society, his arguments with McLeod? in the church? His decision to help? The search of the church and his reaction? The visit to the morgue and his grief at his brotherts death? His decision to take the message, his helping in the raid and saving McLeod's life? A moralising character? How convincing?

12. McLeod? and his final cover, his attitude towards Miss Everett, the interrogation, his being wounded in the attack?

13. The picture of the raid and its failure, the victory, only temporary, for the Society of Man?

14. The prospects for the United States - continuing in fascism; a need for an Underground? The discussion of the motto Strong and Free and the contrast with Strong and United States?