Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists

Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists  (1983)

Seeing Red tells the forgotten history of ordinary Americans who joined the Communist Party and the high price many of them paid in the 1950s during the Red Scare. Compiling footage from more than 400 interviews with former and current members, Reichert and Klein deliver an engaging, funny portrait of 50 years of Red activism and attack—from the Party’s salad days in the 1930s and '40s, through the witch hunts of the 1950s, to its utter collapse following the revelations of Joseph Stalin’s crimes and his denunciation by Nikita Khrushchev in 1956. Iconic folk singer Pete Seeger and a dozen rank-and-file members share personal stories that take on a special resonance given today’s political climate. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

DCP, color, 100 min. Director: Julia Reichert, Jim Klein.