Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Its McCarthyist Themes

Barrett Ford-Paper #3: Analysis of Invasion
The movie “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” can be interpreted in several different ways. Released in 1956 and directed by Don Siegel, it was received in a variety of ways. Many people saw it and still see it as simply a science fiction or horror movie. As a film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was well ahead of its time. It was much more entertaining and suspenseful than many of the terrible horror movies that are currently being produced. However, many people saw this horror classic as more than just a movie. These people saw it as a political interpretation or allegory. The two most popular interpretations were and still are either as a representation of the political power being taken by Communists (mainly in Russia), or of the Red Scare investigations performed by Senator McCarthy in response to the threat of Communism. In Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), the film aims to parallel the invasion of the Pod People and the means by which they attempt to take over the human race with the investigations or “witch hunts” performed by Senator McCarthy and his cohorts.
McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin, and his men comprised the House Committee on Un-American Activities (Whitehead). This committee which utilized vastly greater self-imposed powers than it was most likely given by Congress, used forceful and deceptive means to do what they deemed was best for America during the 1950s. All of these investigations extended from the Cold War which was not a war at all but a “political fabrication” (Whitehead). The Cold War was a result from the power that both the Soviet Union and the United States had gained in the post-World War I era as well as the nuclear technology that both countries had attained. McCarthy blacklisted notable members of Hollywood and many others and called them before the Committee to be questioned about being affiliated with the Communist party (Whitehead). These questionings were more like accusations led by McCarthy who specialized in wild attacks and humiliations of people (Whitehead). Many of the accused lost their jobs, and some even committed suicide (Whitehead).
In John Whitehead’s essay he discusses the impact of the McCarthy investigations and how Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a political allegory that represents them. He discusses how people were forced to become “pod-like” in cooperating with McCarthy and his committee, and that there was a “pod-like uniformity” that took over Hollywood as a result of all the threats and blacklisting that took place. I would say that I have to agree with his stance. The characters in the movie were forced to give up the right to say what they felt or express themselves much in the same way that Americans had to say what the government wanted to hear during the Red Scare of the 1950’s. The people in the movie also had their lives ruined if they did not cooperate much like the members of Hollywood and others who were targeted by McCarthy. In Tim Dirks general overview of the movie he also lists the “the sweeping mass hysteria” that was brought on by the McCarthy Red Scare investigations as a possible interpretation of the film.
In addition to the McCarthyism view, Dirks also lists several other interpretations that need to be taken into account. One of these possibilities is the loss of our individuality and ability to have emotion or think for ourselves as a result of “conformity and group-think.” This is definitely a plausible interpretation as the pod people in the movie could be seen as not McCarthy or the Communists but simply the idea of conforming to the majority. Communism is, however, what he lists as the major theme or idea behind the film. This “dehumanization” as Dirks calls it can be definitely be seen as an influence on the film. It could even be said that the Communist themes are mixed in with the McCarthyism themes discussed earlier. When the people of Santa Mira are taken over by the pod people their bodies are replicated and replace their old ones (although it is unclear where the old ones disappear to), this process is supposed to make everyone equal. At the same time that everyone becomes equal, however, they completely lose the old personality and emotion that they once had. This process could also mirror the effect that Communism has on society. Another interesting thing is that the transformed individuals are aware of their change and work to convert others. For example, when Becky wakes up from her very brief sleep she makes Miles aware of her change and tries to persuade him to give in. This ability to recognize ones own change or giving in can be representative of the effects of McCarthyism, Communism, and group-think.
Whitehead, in addition to discussing the theme of McCarthyism in the movie, also discusses its relevance to our society today. He believes that the movie could also be representative of the political atmosphere following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This is definitely a plausible argument. Many of the actions that took place after the attacks in 2001 were similar to the ones that took place during the Red Scare. People were abused, ostracized, taken into custody, or questioned simply for being Arab much like the way people who were falsely accused or blacklisted during the Cold War Era. It was also extremely hard for Arabs to keep jobs or lead successful lives, and some were even beaten or killed. Congressional committees were erected to make investigations (although for better reasons than during the McCarthyism years) and people were looked down upon if they were not patriotic or loyal enough to their country. These two eras, although 50 years apart, are surprisingly similar in their political climates and their relevance to the themes of this movie. McCarthyism is simply the best, most relevant explanation for the political themes in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and the more recent political climate in the United States can be related accordingly.

Works Cited
Dirks, Tim. “General Review for Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” 1996. 27 September 2007. http://www.filmsite.org/inva.html.
Siegel, Don. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. 1956.
Whitehead, John W. “Invasion of the Body Snatchers: A Tale for Our Times.” Gadfly Online. 1998. 27 September 2007. http://www.gadflyonline.com/11-26-01/film-snatchers.html.