Walk East on Beacon! (1952)

A G-man searches for a communist sleeper-cell in Boston.

Director:

Alfred L. Werker (as Alfred Werker)

Writers:

Laurence Heath (additional writing) (as Leonard Heideman), J. Edgar Hoover (article)

Stars:

George Murphy, Finlay Currie, Virginia Gilmore

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Murphy	...	Inspector James 'Jim' Belden
Finlay Currie	...	Professor Albert Kafer
Virginia Gilmore	...	Millie Zalenko / Teresa Henning
Karel Stepanek	...	Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders
Louisa Horton	...	Mrs. Elaine Wilben
Peter Capell	...	Chris Zalenko / Gino
Bruno Wick	...	Luther Danzig
Jack Manning	...	Melvin Foss / Vincent
Karl Weber	...	FBI Agent Charlie Reynolds
Robert A. Dunn	...	Dr. Wincott (as Rev. Robert Dunn)
Vilma Kurer	...	Mrs. Rita Foss
Michael Garrett	...	Michael Dorndoff / Frank Torrance
Lotte Palfi Andor	...	Mrs. Anna Kafer (as Lotte Palfi)
Ernest Graves	...	Robert Martin
Robert Carroll	...	Boldany

Storyline

A G-man searches for a communist sleeper-cell in Boston.

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Plot Keywords:

wristwatch | umbrella | based on article | spy | communist infiltrator | 

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Taglines:

MOST THRILLING PICTURE SINCE "HOUSE ON 92ND STREET"! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

June 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Louis de Rochemont's Walk East on Beacon!

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RD-DR Productions, Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A sequence involving two Russian agents meeting covertly in a bar is underscored by Jack Shaindlin's song "I'm Tickled Pink" which is playing in the bar - the lyrics of which appear to add a comic overtone to the Communist-busting theme of the film. The exact same recording of the song is used in the popular video game "Fallout 3".

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Connections

Spoofed in Brazil (1985)

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Soundtracks

Sobre las olas (Over the Waves)
(uncredited)
Music by Juventino Rosas
Played at the restaurant

User Reviews

Competent but unexceptional

An hysterical anti-communist screed dolled up in the drag of a police procedural, Walk East On Beacon simply isn't up to the task of alerting us to the dangers of a Fifth Column in our midst. Well filmed but weedily written (and based on a magazine article by the Dark Prince of the F.B.I., J. Edgar Hoover), the film stars Republican senator-in-waiting George Murphy as a G-Man hot on the heels of a Red sleeper cell. Murphy was never much of an actor, and here he's strictly in Jack Webb just-the-facts-ma'am territory. Location photography in Boston gives the film a boost, but overall Walk East On Beacon! can't match either the red hot emotional power of Pickup On South Street or the creepy intensity of My Son John, two other Red Menace films of the period.