The Whip Hand (DVD), Warner Archives, Mystery & Suspense

From the director of Things to Come and Invaders from Mars comes this delirious Cold War thriller starring Carla Balenda, Elliott Reid and Raymond Burr. Stopping to fish in the small town of Winnoga, vacationing journalist Matt Corbin (Reid) discovers most of the village was bought out by strangers when the trout mysteriously died. Deciding to investigate, Matt soon finds he can't phone out, his car won't start and Red agents are running the town. Aided by one of the locals (Balenda), Matt uncovers a Commie plot to destroy America through germ warfare, a story he may not live long enough to tell. The wildest Red Menace film of the 50s, The Whip Hand is also the most visually brilliant, thanks to it's dazzling use of forced perspective, tight close-ups and ominous sets, trademarks of it's production designer and director, the legendary William Cameron Menzies.