My Son John (1952)

A young man (Robert Walker) returns from Washington D.C. where he works and lives to visit his aging parents (Helen Hayes, Dean Jagger). They are a conservative religious pair and are appalled when he begins spouting liberal rhetoric. When an FBI agent (Van Heflin) turns up at their door, they suspect the worst about their son ..... he's a commie! Co-written, produced and directed by Leo McCarey (GOING MY WAY), this mind blowing film needs to be seen to be believed! It's in your face anti "Red" propaganda, pro church (how dare you put man above God) and the American flag and portrayal of commies as pure evil (they give away free dope to hook you) and assassins if you want to leave the party would be laughable if it weren't so badly done. The acting is way over the top (Jagger's performance is a career low point) and Walker seems to be playing Bruno from STRANGERS ON A TRAIN again. That its screenplay was nominated for an Oscar is a bad joke. The film is also anti-intellectualism. Walker's wholesome brothers are football playing soldiers while Walker went to college and warped his mind! It's an artifact from the height of the HUAC reign of terror. With Richard Jaeckel and Frank McHugh.