Peter Graves and Andrea King are working toward making communications with some life form on the planet Mars. Communications are made and then frequent messages are shot back down to Earth relating the Martian way of life, its lack of need for resources such as coal and oil, its ability to produce enough food from one field to feed a city, etc... All this news puts the world in a panic and the Western world's economy comes crashing down. Workers all of a sudden have nothing to do because of this little piece of communication. Now, the time has come for the East and the Red Menace to take over. What a bunch of malarkey! Red Planet Mars is a definite diversion from typical Sci-fi fare of the 1950s. We never see Mars(except some map of how its surface changes all the time). We don't get a glimpse at any aliens. We don't get any special effects except an astronomy lab and a cheaply-made communication center. What we do get is a story about science fiction actually masking a political agenda: to show how there is a great deal of tension between the West(United States) and the East(Soviet Union). The West is of course good; the East is bad. This is a propaganda film all the way, and though some of it is indeed thoughtful and inspires discussion - much of it is way too simplistic and heavy-handed. To really appreciate the film for what it is, it is important to understand the context of the time in which it was made. As a reminder of the Cold War and all the friction that existed in the world at that time, Red Planet Mars is acceptable. As a science fiction film, Red Planet Mars ultimately fails. Look, it isn't a bad movie really. Sure its doesn't have the most creative direction by Harry Horner. Graves gives his typical every man attempt at a performance of a world-famous scientist that has caused the catastrophic fall of Western civilization as being nothing more than a father of two boys a bit harried with his new found fame. His wife played by King is ever so more unconvincing as she just gives a bad performance. Watch her as she says some of her lines. it's like watching a bad impersonation of Olivier! The rest of cast borders one side or the other around mediocrity(Morris Ankrum has a bit part). Easily the most interesting character in the whole movie is the Russian in charge of trying to beat the Americans in conquering the communications battle. He is funny in his sly manner. If you don't mind the overly-optimistic preaching laced throughout the film and particularly at the end, you might give Red Planet Mars a look. It is definitely not something you have seen before.
