On G List of Movie Reviews

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Guilty by Suspicion (1991)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 10/14

GSus
10/14: An actor can be considered great if he gives a believable performance without altering his face, gaining or losing weight, or donning a mask and costume.

That's exactly what Robert De Niro did for Guilty by Suspicion. He's such a natural performer. Anyway, it's also an interesting picture about a dark period in America's history, thanks to the idiot who started it all: Joseph McCarthy.

To me, "Communism" is a made-up word that politicians used to advance their careers. It made some of them famous including Richard Nixon, Roy Cohn, JFK, and J. Edgar Hoover. Eventually, their fall became spectacular, earning themselves a place among the worst Americans ever. Why do you think Jane Wyman divorced Ronald Reagan who was a failed actor? It's because he was a champion fighter who was hell-bent on rooting the Communists out of Hollywood. Ronald was probably thinking of his political ambitions secretly, and of course, he became U.S. President.

The insidious political machine through the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) impacted people in Hollywood, effectively killing off their careers. It also carved villains out of some reluctant people, most notably Elia Kazan, who were backed into a corner. In hindsight, whatever happened to the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment? I guess the Constitution of the United States is not worth the paper it's printed on. Not that it's important whether or not a person is a Communist, but it's a lot more important that he has the right to be a Communist.

All in all, Guilty by Suspicion is a fast, insightful, and enjoyable picture that uncovers a dark period in American history.