Warning Red (1956): Civil Defense Film

Warning Red (1956) For history of film see: conelrad.blogsp...
Norwood Studios
Produced by Philip Martin for the Federal Civil Defense Administration
Directed by Nicholas Webster
Written by Kirby Hawkes
Assistant Producer: F. William Hart
Photographed by Bert Spielvogel
Starring: Joseph Cunningham, Elizabeth Cunningham
Featuring: Jane Alexander, Phillip Boyd Martin, Mildred Dowd, Mary Reading Miller, Fred Joiner, James Sanders, Robert Miller, Rev. David L. Watterworth, Marion Sanders, Melvin Scheidt, Julia Bailey, Bonnie Bonifant, Elizabeth Anderson, Sam Bailey, Bill Bailey, Sari Hines and Alan Johnston.

[@furiousflame7413]

I've reached a new level of sleep deprivation. It's 2 am and I'm watching 50s public safety videos. I need help.

[@jaminova_1969]

I hope you find a PSA that can help you!

[@melkgn]

I guess that old expression is true......”misery loves company” because reading your comment made me feel better knowing I’m not the only one not sleeping and watching these! Thank you!

[@bronxbearbud272]

Perhaps a soothing symphony instead?

[@apollostanek1120]

Same 😂

[@jackcampbell4975]

Right here with ya 😂

[@chickenheart896]

He's just been knocked flat by an A-bomb and on recovering he puts his hat back on. The 50's were AWESOME!

[@zudemaster]

The 1950s! When the men were men and the red was scared!!! Murica!!!!

[@whereswaldo5740]

Had he been a cowboy it never would have come off in the first place. JS

[@luisreyes1963]

No, the Russian nukes were far weaker back then. ☢️

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

Nuclear war is no excuse for a gent not to look his best.

[@pauldavis7310]

I wonder if the ice cream melted or if that bag was nuke proof??

[@baraxor]

"I wonder what Karen's cooking up for dinner?" Don't worry, dinner's gonna cook itself tonight.

[@carlosmontanez1173]

If Karen doesnt cookup anything he will be cooking up some knuckle sandwiches🤣

[@WhitefolksT]

@@carlosmontanez1173 ☢✊🏻 pow! Right in the kissah!!

[@jonnyjackson6050]

"Is that gonna melt all over the front seat of my car?" "No but you will!"

[@whereswaldo5740]

Yes. And your car too.

[@loganmacgyver2625]

I don't know why but i find these films fascinating for some reason

[@allandavis8201]

Logan MacGyver, me too, I spent 24 years watching the “modern versions” of this type of film, and obviously learnt that survival was mostly about luck rather than preparation, preparation can only do so much, but if your in the wrong place at the wrong time your not going to survive, so looking back at these openly enthusiastic and moral filled films is interesting and at times humorous, black humour, but still humorous.

[@missyglittervlogs3543]

You're not alone!

[@loganmacgyver2625]

@@allandavis8201 protect and survive by the british could still be interpreted as funny even though its serious. just the fact that the announcer says "if anybody dies while you are in your falout room wrap them in a plastic bag and cover them sheets or blankets" like if he was reading the news makes it hilarious

[@theresahorstmann1260]

Fascinating and horrifying to me! I absolutely love them! But I try and imagine seeing these “public information” films at that time. Not knowing if the world was going to end, probably not knowing much about radiation. There had to be times that frightened the majority of viewers. The bad acting, filmed in black and white, crazy woman walking around outside w her baby trying to give it away. It’s 10-25-2020 and still find it awesome!

[@melkgn]

@@theresahorstmann1260 I feel the EXACT same way honey! Strange and humorous but back then?!!!

[@paytopray1468]

I have a 1960 mercury comet that I’m restoring and the factory radio has special markers in the shape of the civil defense logo at the emergency broadcast stations. It’s one of my favorite things about the car

[@srbmod93]

Looks at burning car, "Dammit, I had three more payments!"

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

And after the nuclear attack, the finance company will be on what's left of the phone lines, asking when they'll start receiving payments.

[@maranatha256]

Hate to tell that family, but daddy is a walking dead man and he brought all of his contamination right into that shelter. I grew up in this era. Most of us knew stuff like this.

[@TerryReedMiss]

I was born in 1956 and MOST of us did NOT know diddly about radiation! We learned it over the following decades but at that time? Such innocents!!

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

"Oh, boy! This is gonna be fun!" *shakily* "Yes, Davy! Lots of fun! NOW MOVE YOUR ASS, KID, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST!"

[@MrScottie68]

Growing up, our home had a backyard underground nuclear shelter almost like the one shown here. It was fun to use it as a clubhouse, but I knew to get in it fast if the civil defense siren ever went off with the “take cover” signal......fortunately that never happened.

[@unassistedsuicide2243]

Not yet

[@carlmanvers5009]

The end blurb should have read: "And they all died from radiation related illness four week later..."

[@luisreyes1963]

Thanks for your inspirational thoughts. 😒

[@malcolmt7883]

@@luisreyes1963 Their spirits lived on (after they were eaten by cannibals)

[@kthornbladh]

I am from this generation. I was so relieved when the Berlin Wall came down, you wouldn't know. This is why it is so hard for me, this brinksmanship with Putin over Ukraine. I can't live through this twice and you young people shouldn't have to.

[@missyglittervlogs3543]

I remember when the Wall came down! I was 16 years old. It was all on tv and in magazines and newspapers back then! It was amazing to see history in the making!

[@owiro6609]

And the Sh*** goes on again.

[@mayra3277]

I had to check this said 8 years ago and not 8 months ago. November 2022.

[@nathanmeyer1165]

And they all died violently of acute radiation sickness fourteen days later.

[@patwiggins6857]

Yes I am watching this and thinking, "that guy is so dead right now"

[@DianeHasHopeInChrist]

Not with that bomb. Look how many still live in Japan, after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs were dropped on them. Those bombs aren't the same as today's bombs.

[@williamhild1793]

@@DianeHasHopeInChrist But if it WAS an H-bomb, as was theorized...that's a WHOLE different ballgame than an A-bomb. Thousands of times more powerful. Like a bb gun compared to a high powered rifle.

[@almostfm]

@@williamhild1793 But even then, if you're close enough that you're going to die in 14 days from the radiation, you're really unlikely to have survived the blast. Worrying about radiation at that point is like Sundance saying he doesn't want to jump into the river because he can't swim and Butch Cassidy says "The fall will probably kill ya."

[@jasonm949]

John Wayne didn't come and save them with Bible verses? You don't say!

[@garysmith9818]

Melted ice cubes, safe drinking water for any long term survival situation...

[@melkgn]

Hysterical

[@TransWalk]

I grew up at the last of this time period. 1967 to 1975 when we had our last duck and cover drills at school.

[@williamhild1793]

Same time period for me. And we did practice duck and cover. One thing the teachers told us was that if you're outside and a nuclear bomb falls, to run into the nearest ditch and cover yourselves with leaves. Yeah, that'll really help! Thanks for the wisdom, Einstein! :)

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

They became politically correct and renamed them "tornado drills" where I was

[@TransWalk]

Actually that helped with the Fallout. But you died only two weeks later. Lol

[@almostfm]

@@baronedipiemonte3990 It's not "political correctness". The truth is many of the things you'd do in a nuclear attack are exactly what you should do in the event of a tornado (or an earthquake if you're in California like I am)

[@melkgn]

Me too, same time, but I can’t remember anything like that! (Sad emoji sad emoji sad emoji)

[@KevinGreene299]

I wonder if the bag kept the ice cream from melting

[@sarahlouise7163]

omg karen! davey! the acting! the acting! it’s apocalyptically bad! 🤣

[@notsure1367]

Civil Defense Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow

[@sandracheeks1811]

For people who are supposed to stay inside, it sure seems like everyone and their brother is out and about. 😅

[@lostcause2137]

If this happened today all the zombies would stop where they are standing and stare at their cell phones.

[@wickedmuffin76]

"what happened?" "a bomb" "yes, but what kind of bomb" lol

[@rockystelone21]

maybe H bomb not sure could B a bomb or Da Bomb

[@jonathanstern5537]

If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that this is completely unrealisitc.

[@luisreyes1963]

More worried about a deadly virus than a nuclear attack. 😷

[@bradcrowbar6867]

At least they gave a shot at ‘some’ realism with this one, not just the usual CD false sense of security: like the worst being your curtains getting ruffled or some broken china, or mild inconvenience with the phone not working. This one shows some actual problems after a nuke explodes in your neighborhood. Still, he never loses his hat, and everyone lives....

[@scratchdog2216]

At the end, I was waiting for a fade out of the melted ice cream on the front seat. Guess it was only an A-bomb.

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

But what happened to the ice cream? It was in that "special bag." Remembering how things were made in the 60s, that bag might have been lead-lined.

[@Agent1W]

That will actually help you get a "Lead Belly", which means you'll take 50% less radiation from drinking irradiated water.

[@williamhild1793]

Lead lined with a special, patented asbestos inner liner!

[@spacetrucker2952]

And then everybody died. The end.

[@danduryea]

At 1:51 he is driving with the car in Park. Also, is Davy a little thick, because Ma seems to be, "YES, DAVY, IT'S GOING TO BE REAL FUN!"

[@neonhomer]

It could be his mom was trying to convince him to go to the shelter...

[@NU3Q]

No - it’s in 2nd gear...manual transmission column shifter

[@lvlover58]

saw a copy of this film at a thrift store.. i knew it was going to be interesting

[@luisreyes1963]

This must have been the "feel good movie" of 1956. ☢️

[@lolonaco]

And that's how the fallout story began.

[@Agent1W]

In 2077, though. We still have another 63 years before that happens. Fortunately, I'll be an 90-year-old man, or a ghoul depending.

[@jeremysmith1647]

Should make a Warning Red series ! In the sequel , after dad,woman w/ baby, baby, older woman [davies friends mom] Rad Exposure: Block Warden gets Special Instructions to move His's people to Relocation Site 6 for work assignments. Comedy and Romance ensue. Part III, tentatively titled "Davy becomes a Man" davy is conscripted into the New US Army for Operation Phoenix,sure to be an action blockbuster!

[@teddownum7428]

"The milkman doesn't come 'til tomorrow morning"...lady, I, uh...I wouldn't expect that milkman tomorrow morning, if I were you.

[@blacksattackinpacks3237]

did the ice cream melt?

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

+BlacksAttack InPacks I had that question in mind when I made my post over a year ago.

[@MistressGlowWorm]

BlacksAttack InPacks Ice cream got n00ked.

[@damonthaplaya8443]

@@MistressGlowWorm True that.

[@williamterrell8947]

Love it

[@bassethound1]

“Beat it.”

[@mbabist01]

1:43 - Damn Delco radios!

[@MistressGlowWorm]

Dude why are you even staring at it? Stop or you’ll go blind.

[@grcboy29]

Not yet... duh duh duhhhhhhhh

[@whereswaldo5740]

I think that ice creams gonna vaporize on the front seat.

[@Xerdar36]

I really love you sappy endings...

[@mikejones9156]

45¢ for a pint of ice cream?!

[@Howyaduing]

"Attack Warning Red!"

[@abe3482]

2:08

[@timmotel5804]

2023: I was born in 1952. My earliest memories, around kindergarten, none of us had a clue. Still Don't. It'll likely happen. With Luck: Enjoy the light show and be vaporized. Don't see a point in sticking around. Thanks & Best Regards.

[@whereswaldo5740]

In the shelter. Oh dad you made it! Too bad you can’t come in. Family has to hear him die outside agonizingly.

[@whereswaldo5740]

Woman in the basement. If that were now days- Don’t man splain to me I know what to do! Three days later…..

[@loricagardener4826]

Sure, let’s contaminate everything!……..

[@PlasmaCoolantLeak]

9:07 "Who is it?!" "I have information!" *opens door* "I have information about Jesus' plan for you!"

[@kevincrosby1760]

"I have information". "Valuable information regarding your car's extended warranty".

[@garywemmer9342]

Wonder why he's not blind, on fire or evaporated.

[@fgcaliful]

Ill take ice cream for 45 cents

[@baronedipiemonte3990]

@ 9:10 ALWAYS, always open your door/ invite someone in who knocks on your door and who says " I have information " 😜

[@keithhendrickson6126]

Totally out of focus. Great subject.

[@benderbendingrofriguez3300]

This video is so bourgeois.

[@mdmarko]

Utterly surrealistic.

[@leondraw1766]

i hate ads

[@melkgn]

“ME2”!!! But ut premium......a little pricey

[@hipsterdoofus1026]

No one ever does interior monologues anymore

[@whereswaldo5740]

My dad always had a radio on. And this is why.