MovieChat Forums > The War of the Worlds (1953) Discussion > No black GI's and laughable 50's paranoi...

No black GI's and laughable 50's paranoia


HG Wells might have been spinning in his grave at this and the dire remake.

I thought the US desegregated the army in the late 40's? There are either no, or very few, black US troops seen?

But in this anal film version, within a decade of the above, it's the usual paranoid and right-wing 50's Cold War 'Democratic' America where obedient, meek trivial women fainted, screamed, knew their place and blacks supposedly more so.

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There was at least one Asian GI in the reconnaisance tent.

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And there were the female military personnel at the Pentagon.

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One of the only 50's movies with any minorities was briefly in "The Day The Earth Stood Still". When the people were waiting for Klatuu at the park there were 3 African American women standing at the police line.

Thats about the only non whites I ever saw in 50's sci/fi. Since 2 of the women were in front of a couple of white men & the men did not push them down or use them as door mats, I thought this was quite progressive for early 1950's.

Seriously, those 3 women are the only non whites I ever saw in any old sci/fi & i think I seen it all.............

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There was a Japanese Astronaut in George Pal's The conquest of Space.

There were a lot a Japanese people in Godzilla, but that doesn't count as an American Film.

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But in this anal film version, within a decade of the above, it's the usual paranoid and right-wing 50's Cold War 'Democratic' America where obedient, meek trivial women fainted, screamed, knew their place and blacks supposedly more so


When I went to the 50th anniversary screening in 2003, which had several of the cast members, Ann Robinson stated that she wasn't exactly thrilled with playing paranoid, however, she loved being in this thing has championed the movie since. And btw, her character Sylvia was not some stay-at-home wife, as she did have a career teaching library science at USC.

While some may look at this as Cold War metaphor, I always tend to think that George Pal was drawing more so from his younger days, when he had to flee his beloved Hungary because of the Nazi invasion. His Puppettoon short THE TULIPS SHALL GROW, is almost like a precursor to WAR OF THE WORLDS.

THE TULIPS SHALL GROW (1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgFUzqrbKSc

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Big G-2 posted,

And btw, her character Sylvia was not some stay-at-home wife, as she did have a career teaching library science at USC.


Yep, NOT to mention Sylvia wrote a thesis and had a MASTER'S DEGREE, which made her part of the minority of women for her time to NOT only have a college education, but an ADVANCED DEGREE! 

I thought it was interesting that they had the main female character possessing a master's degree and that she was a professor @ their local university.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Yeah!

And none of these sci-fi movies from the 1950's feature a black as President of the United States! What's up with THAT?

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They were not US Army troops-they were Marines*-part of the US Navy (historically the most segregated service). By the way, old chap, how many blacks were in Hammer's horror/SF films** in the same decade? And when did Dr. Who get his first black passenger in the TARDIS? (Hint: it was not Lt. Uhura.) One final question: if Scotland votes to leave the UK next week, will you rename what's left of not-so-Great Britain? (Does Nessie get a vote?)

*And the film's "Marines" were Arizona National Guard extras.
**Speaking of Hammer films, I am humbled that you enlightened Brits cast an Asian actor (Christopher Li) to play Dr. Fu Manchu in the Sixties. We racist Yanks would have used a Caucasian actor in makeup.

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So there were no blacks in the movie? Why is that such a big deal?

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Because Blacks are the only important minority in the U.S.


We applied Rule .303. We caught them and we shot them under Rule .303!

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Gives some people something to complain about, and feel superior.

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Don't feed the Troll.

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I didn't see any Bolivians in the film either. Rise up Bolivians!!!!





We applied Rule .303. We caught them and we shot them under Rule .303!

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