Tales of Tomorrow: Sneak Attack

Before we get started today, being aware that my blog is picking up an international audience (G'day, Australia!), I wanted to extend my thoughts and prayers to the people of New Zealand following the earthquakes. Sometimes, when you write about the history of what was, you forget about the history being made now. Wish you all luck, love and a swift recovery from your losses and pain. 

Now, to business...

Tales of Tomorrow: Sneak Attack

Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, December 7, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.

Plot: A secret agent trapped in a hospital is the only hope to save the United States from a sneak attack by a foreign power.

Analysis: Nice to see exploitive television is not a recent development. This story is only tangentially science fiction based (robot planes, a futuristic bomb type), it is very clearly meant to exploit two things – the ten-year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the rising Cold War tensions with the then-Soviet Union. Do not kid yourself for one minute, folks, they may not be named as such, but between accents and stereotypes, the foreign power is clearly intended to be Russian.

I will also admit it is so easy to sit back in 2011 and say how foolish the attitudes and propaganda of 1951 would seem to us, but with a war… excuse me, police action in Korea going on, plus the growing fear of Communist influence in the United States, it would create an atmosphere ripe for either natural response or exploitation. It is, at the end of the day, up to the viewer to decide which category this falls into.

A word or two on our star, Zachary Scott, if I may. For five years prior to this, he had been making regular movie appearances, usually playing bad guys or “heavies”, roles he certainly looked the part for. However, in 1950, he had been involved in an accident that curtailed his acting, which led to less promotion. He made the jump to television and back into stage acting around this time with this appearance on Tales of Tomorrow being one of the first. There will probably be more and I will continue to discuss him as he appears.

The Bottom Line: With the caveat that this can easily appear to be propaganda and exploitive, Sneak Attack is a really interesting snapshot of 1950s attitudes and fears, both about ourselves and other countries. With that in mind, I can recommend the show in that respect. Just be aware that while it is history to United States audiences, this is either going to be laughable at best or insulting at worst to those overseas.

Sneak Attack is included with 12 other Tales of Tomorrow on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3424148 &sr=1-1). Prices vary depending on websites.

Next time, another adventure with Kit Carson.