VM-2665

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1950-1957COMMUNISM & RUSSIA
Men in Crisis - 1954. (Footage from the McCarthy hearings)
Description: a documentary film with live footage about the historic hearing where Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy alleged that numerous communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers had infiltrated the United States federal government, universities, film industry, and elsewhere. Ultimately, the smear tactics that he used led him to be censured by the U.S. Senate.

Senator Joseph McCarthy
Defense Attorney for the United States Army, Joseph Welch

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Video Images Grid Descriptive Log
00:02:10 0 thumbnail
Men in Crisis - film about the Joseph McCarthy hearings in 1954 - Reel Opens
00:02:10 0 thumbnail
The United States Capitol building circa 1954 - vintage cars and trucks parked out front.
00:02:15 5.07 thumbnail
Pan the empty room in the Capitol where the McCarthy hearings took place. TV cameras on risers around the room, cameras everywhere, rows of empty seats.
00:02:19 9.04 thumbnail
Woman placing papers on the tables set with mics in front of each empty chair. A few folk seated in bkgd.
00:02:24 14 thumbnail
Members of the media getting set up in the hearing room, placing pillows down on the ground in the aisles to kneel on.
00:02:30 19.51 thumbnail
Great WS of the classic vintage camera equipment set up on tripods in the hearing room. In the bkgd. the shadow reflection of a camera in a window.

Narrator (unseen) speaking about the historical controversial hearing that occurred in 1954 where Republican Senator, Joseph McCarthy, and an Attorney for the U.S. Army, Joseph Welch, charged each other with blackmail and treason.
00:02:32 22.28 thumbnail
Several photographers at work focusing (vintage) cameras.
00:02:37 26.93 thumbnail
Crowd of folk in the vestibule waiting to get into the hearing, being held back by a security guard and velvet rope.
00:02:41 31.1 thumbnail
Pan along the crowded balcony in the Capitol.
00:02:45 34.38 thumbnail
People seated, audience shot, some with notepads on their laps, security guards in the aisles directing folk.
00:02:51 40.62 thumbnail
Joseph N. Welch, Defense Attorney for the United States Army entering the hearing room followed by some military men. Onlookers standing by.
00:02:56 45.81 thumbnail
Republican Senator, Joseph McCarthy, entering the hearing room followed by an entourage of mostly women. He waves at camera. Tilt down on McCarthy walking through the crowd.

Narrator (unseen) speaking about McCarthy states he has become one of the most powerful and controversial men in America.
00:03:13 62.58 thumbnail
WS of the room full of TV cameras, photographers and media. Sun shining brightly through window shedding a bright cast on the shot.
00:03:15 64.83 thumbnail
Shots of Welch seated and surrounded by folk. Narrator stating he is unprepared for the "no-holds barred" atmosphere of a hearing taking place.
00:03:26 75.32 thumbnail
Tilt down on Senator McCarthy seated in the crowded space surrounded by dozens of people, reporters and media, and other officials.
00:03:34 83.99 thumbnail
Joe Welch holding his eye glasses, looking pensive, and cutaway to B&W photo stills of Welch from his undergrad college class and Harvard in 1917. Narrator (unseen) talking about his background and history.
00:03:59 108.74 thumbnail
Fade out to downtown Boston 1920's - zoom to 60 State Street (lawfirm Welch started his career at), glass door with Hale and Dorr painted on.
00:04:08 118.15 thumbnail
B&W photo stills - Joe Welch posing in the office, and candid shot at the Hearing.
00:04:21 130.46 thumbnail
WS Senator Joe McCarthy seated at head of large conference table with other officials, mics in front of everyone, people crammed in, photographers taking photos.
00:04:31 141.05 thumbnail
Fade out to various B&W photo stills of Senator McCarthy.
Unseen narrator giving McCarthy's history and background.
Giant political campaign sign for McCarthy.
00:04:58 167.38 thumbnail
WS from side view of the United States Capitol building. Vintage cars on street. Film has white tint.
00:05:00 169.76 thumbnail
Senator McCarthy carrying briefcase walking down the street in Washington DC, waves at camera and enters revolving doors of building
00:05:13 183.13 thumbnail
Tilt down on male government officials all standing in the hearing room as McCarthy is seen walking in and through the crowd, stopping to shake some hands.
00:05:21 191.06 thumbnail
Var other shots of Senator McCarthy shaking hands and talking to folk including shots with Robert A. Taft, Senate Majority Leader.
00:05:41 210.85 thumbnail
Fade out to WS of packed convention center (could be the Republic National Convention in 1952). McCarthy at mics waving to crowd and giving charged speech about communism (amongst us), people cheering loudly, and waving McCarthy signs, high energy crowd.
00:06:33 262.41 thumbnail
Tilt down on the packed 1950's Republican convention floor, people holding State signs, loudly cheering charged crowd.
00:06:37 266.67 thumbnail
B&W photo still Senator Joseph McCarthy, 1954.
With narration (unseen) stating , ..."Joe McCarthy is America's most controversial senator."
00:06:42 271.98 thumbnail
Overly crowded hearing room. McCarthy seated at end of long conference table, other officials seated with mics in front of them, several media people and photographers, people standing in bkgd. Standing room only!
00:06:54 284.25 thumbnail
Pan overly crowded hearing room. People being sworn in.
With narration, unseen
00:07:12 301.39 thumbnail
Robert Stevens, Secretary of the Army, 1950's, seated in front of mics at McCarthy hearing. With unseen narration regarding the Army's case against McCarthy charging him with his attempted blackmailing of the Army.
00:07:15 304.84 thumbnail
McCarthy seated in front of mics at the hearing and leaning over to confer with Chief Counsel, Roy Cohn.
00:07:25 314.97 thumbnail
Various shots from the hearing, Stevens stating his profound case, McCarthy at his seat with his advisors.
00:08:20 369.53 thumbnail
Roy Cohn and var other B&W photos of Cohn with their key witness ,David Schine, McCarthy and others - With narration (unseen) about Schine's work with Roy Cohn in investigating Communism in the U.S. government (largely unproven charges) particularly against the Army.
00:08:50 400.19 thumbnail
Army Marching Band circa 1950's.
00:08:54 403.33 thumbnail
David Schine in Army line up. Army men marching down the street.
00:09:13 423.16 thumbnail
Street signs (vintage) "Foley Sq." and "One-Way" arrow beneath it
00:09:17 426.8 thumbnail
Faded footage, ext pan down to street level on Federal Courthouse in New York.
00:09:20 429.25 thumbnail
Senator Joseph McCarthy walking through a crowd and up the steps of the NY Federal Courthouse buildinbg.
00:09:24 434.21 thumbnail
Witness summoned to the hearing, United States General Ralph Zwicker, seen walking up the steps to the Courthouse and outside talking to unseen media.
00:09:30 439.97 thumbnail
Montage of footage, Joe McCarthy working at round conference table with Cohn and other folk, lots of paperwork and open notebooks strewn on table.
00:09:42 451.59 thumbnail
Ext shots media and photographers following and taking photos of President Dwight D. Eisenhower walking across street and into building
00:09:47 456.71 thumbnail
Var shots: Folk in crowded room stand up as President Eisenhower enters the room for news conference. Photographers with vintage cameras taking photos. CU on Eisenhower
Narrator (unsee) states Eisenhower praises General Zwicker' s loyalty and courage.
00:09:59 468.55 thumbnail
Great shot of 1950's era vintage cameras and TV cameras, sun shining light through a window.
00:10:10 479.32 thumbnail
WS McCarthy at podium for press conference. Cameras pointed at him. He states, referring to General Zwicker, calling him stupid and arrogant, and explains he will expose him if its found he is aiding the Communist government.
00:10:37 507.19 thumbnail
Reporters standing taking notes in little notebooks.
00:10:49 519.02 thumbnail
B&W photo still Roy Cohn
00:10:54 523.44 thumbnail
1950's audience, some folk standing in the aisles. Officer seen keeping the order.
00:10:57 526.98 thumbnail
Vintage 1950's television with the hearing being broadcast
00:11:01 530.56 thumbnail
Roy Cohn seated at mic listening to speaker's charges and responding
00:11:24 553.63 thumbnail
POV from behind the scenes - maybe press room, vintage tv with trial being broadcast, audience in bkgd
00:11:30 559.48 thumbnail
var high angles down on panel of men with mics, all stand up and disburse for recess
00:11:55 584.37 thumbnail
Stenographer typing fast on a manual typewriter from the notes coming out of a vintage stenotype or dictation machine
00:11:59 588.87 thumbnail
vintage 1950's printing press
00:12:02 591.96 thumbnail
hands placing papers, news of the day, into about 20 in-boxes all lined up
00:12:09 598.38 thumbnail
Shots of folk in a frenzy grabbing for the papers with latest news about the hearing
00:12:18 607.87 thumbnail
Vintage tripod television cameras on stands, vintage spotlights shining on the room. Huge crystal chandelier in bkgd.
00:12:21 611.19 thumbnail
WS of the crowded audience in the hearing room, fancy chandeliers overhead, cameraman on riser in fgd.
00:12:27 616.65 thumbnail
WS long conference table, mics in front of every official, lots of papers
00:12:30 620.12 thumbnail
Defense attorney for the U.S. Army, Joseph Welch speaking into mic, he states facetiously how easy it would be for "Welch" (relating to himself) to claim McCarthy's charges are completely false and the Army is a complete winner and they can go home...
00:13:09 658.93 thumbnail
Senator McCarthy responding to Welch, states the jury is getting a picture of the seriousness of the situation...
00:13:28 677.7 thumbnail
WS of folk at the conference table, they rise and disburse the room for recess. Pan the room as narrator unseen sums things up.
00:14:06 715.62 thumbnail
high angle WS of the packed audience, pan over to the conference table.
00:14:23 733.05 thumbnail
Various live footage from the hearing, McCarthy stating his case, arguing with Senator Stuart Symington each drowning each other out sometimes drawing laughter from the crowd, pan back and forth across the table, and continuing very heated arguments.
00:15:55 824.6 thumbnail
McCarthy slamming his fist down on the table to make a point
00:16:11 840.67 thumbnail
Continued live footage from the hearing. Senator Symington standing up with mic as McCarthy argues with him about being dishonest. Symington out of frustration and anger walking out of the room.
00:16:43 872.38 thumbnail
fade into next scene - Senator Ralph Flanders dramatically getting up from the audience, standing at McCarthy's table, and in a historic moment, denounces Senator McCarthy from the floor of the Senate chamber. McCarthy lashing back at Flanders
00:17:38 927.99 thumbnail
Camera moving back and forth between Joseph Welch and Senator McCarthy
00:18:13 962.51 thumbnail
High angle the crowded conference table in the hearing room,
00:18:13 962.75 thumbnail
Officials at table taking notes
00:18:31 980.48 thumbnail
High angle the enraptured standing room only audience
00:18:44 993.72 thumbnail
Joe Welch talking from across table to McCarthy, audience laughter
00:18:57 1006.49 thumbnail
Ray Cohn reading a list of the nation's defense plants that are allegedly infiltrated with Communists, all in Massachusetts.
00:19:57 1067.28 thumbnail
Audience pan, vintage tv cameras in fgd.
00:20:07 1076.39 thumbnail
McCarthy and Cohn making their way through the crowded room to their seats.
00:20:33 1102.76 thumbnail
Another high angle WS of the audience, tv cameras in fgd.
00:20:39 1109.08 thumbnail
Various shots at the continued hearing, Joe Welch, Senator McCarthy testifying.
00:20:51 1120.61 thumbnail
Hands of court stenographer rapidly typing on vintage stenography machine
00:20:55 1124.75 thumbnail
Zin to cu on Joe Welch photo still
00:21:04 1133.48 thumbnail
Tilt down crowded standing room only 1954 audience shots
00:21:09 1138.62 thumbnail
Further var closing scenes from the hearing, Welch and his scathing remarks toward McCarthy; McCarthy defending himself, var shots around the room including audience.
00:23:46 1295.32 thumbnail
WS the press and photographers taking photos, audience unseen applause is heard.
00:23:49 1298.39 thumbnail
Z'in on photo still of Joe Welch, his eyes filled with tears
00:23:59 1309.1 thumbnail
Tilt down on conference table, senator unknown smacks gavel down, hearing is adjourned, folk getting up leaving the packed hearing room.

Narrator unseen sums up the hearing - there was no real conclusion, but Welch returned to Boston a celebrity, Mccarthy though his determination remained, he lost his energy and ambition and was no longer a force in American life.
00:24:53 1362.39 thumbnail
Fade to dark. Var shots senate committee meeting, August 31, 1954, handful of senators around a conference table strewn with papers. Narrator states the results - McCarthy condemned and censored.
00:25:20 1390.01 thumbnail
Senator McCarthy, arm in a sling, walking down the hall (of probably the Capitol) with Roy Cohn.
00:25:32 1402.09 thumbnail
The United States Capitol building at night.
00:25:33 1402.6 thumbnail
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