Comedian Rich Hall presents an alternative history of the Cold War, from nuclear near misses and fallout shelters to the CIA wiring a cat to spy on the Russian ambassador.Comedian Rich Hall presents an alternative history of the Cold War, from nuclear near misses and fallout shelters to the CIA wiring a cat to spy on the Russian ambassador.Comedian Rich Hall presents an alternative history of the Cold War, from nuclear near misses and fallout shelters to the CIA wiring a cat to spy on the Russian ambassador.
Photos
William Darden
- Self - Volunteer Firefighter
- (archive footage)
Cynthia Kelly
- Self - President, Atomic Heritage Foundation
- (as Cynthia C. Kelly)
Peter Bull
- Russian Ambassador Alexi de Sadesky
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Bobby Fischer
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Larry Gates
- Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Mikhail Gorbachev
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Sterling Hayden
- Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
John F. Kennedy
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Nikita Khrushchev
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Joseph McCarthy
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsRich Hall argues "that McCarthyism was actually a tiny step forward for race relations," as all Americans, whatever their background, were equal citizens if not Communists. The evidence is that Jewish-Americans and Protestants were targeted much more than Irish-American Catholics like Joseph McCarthy himself.
- ConnectionsFeatures Longines Chronoscope (1951)
Featured review
Enjoyable look at the less competent aspects of the nuclear standoff
I've not watched a Rich Hall BBC4 documentary for a while, but have always enjoyed them, mostly for him and his style. In this film that was the case again, although the subject was pretty well framed and presented. It does have reach in what it is about though, and it manages to look at the Cold War in a way that takes us through the cultural aspects of it, but also in a way that explains why he asks early on: "Given the nature of basic human ineptitude, one question stands out - how did we not blow each other up?".
This is shown in discussions over events that are fortuitous at best, where disaster was averted by dumb luck, and where those in charge of the situations were not always making the best calls. He does this mostly by direct narration, whether over him talking or over archive footage. It is well edited together and engaging. As a historical documentary, it does need you to know more than it will tell you - but to be fair it sets out its stall as being within the bigger history, so it is not 'failing' in that way. Hall himself is good, although less funny than he has been in previous films or things I've seen him in - but he is very natural in this documentarian role.
Worth a look for its tone and approach to history.
This is shown in discussions over events that are fortuitous at best, where disaster was averted by dumb luck, and where those in charge of the situations were not always making the best calls. He does this mostly by direct narration, whether over him talking or over archive footage. It is well edited together and engaging. As a historical documentary, it does need you to know more than it will tell you - but to be fair it sets out its stall as being within the bigger history, so it is not 'failing' in that way. Hall himself is good, although less funny than he has been in previous films or things I've seen him in - but he is very natural in this documentarian role.
Worth a look for its tone and approach to history.
helpful•20
- bob the moo
- Aug 15, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Bloomsbury, London, England, UK(Hall stands on the corner of Russell Square and Southampton Row during his opening monologue.)
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Color
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Top Gap
By what name was Rich Hall's Red Menace (2019) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer