Recent
news of Nicolas Maduro’s indictment for terrorism and drug trafficking certainly
would not have surprised Herbert Philbrick. There is a long history of
Communist governments collaborating with drug cartels, for money and to undermine
the social fabric of the West. Back in 1991, Frontline (not exactly a
rightwing echo-chamber) was exposing the complicity of Castro’s regime. Philbrick
himself will help the FBI bust a Soviet-sponsored ring of pushers in “Dope
Photographic,” our next episode of the I Led 3 Lives binge, which is findable
online and also available on Alpha Video’s non-chronological I Led 3 Lives, Volume 1.
As
an undercover counter-spy infiltrating a Communist cell, Philbrick has learned
to live with the constant fear of detection (and liquidation). Nevertheless,
his FBI handler is really exposing him to undue risks when he recruits him to
help their investigation into a Soviet-backed dope ring. It turns out Philbrick’s
office has a perfect view of one of the street-corners the pushers are thought
to be working. His long-established photography hobby also gives him cover for
buying a movie camera to record foot traffic. Nevertheless, Philbrick’s
Communist masters are still suspicious, because fear and paranoia are the instruments
they wield to keep their lackeys fearful and obedient.
There
are no guest stars of notable fame, but Michael Riordan definitely stands out,
albeit in a very 1950’s kind of way, as Leonard Kirby, an ad agency-beat
reporter. In fact, it seems rather baffling that this episode is his only IMDB
credit. However, director Eddy Davis and star Richard Carlson really
double-down on the paranoia. In fact, they way Philbrick uses the Party’s institutionalized
paranoia against one of his would-be minders is rather clever.
Two
episodes into the binge, the uber-noir style and explicit anti-Communism of I
Led 3 Lives is still as refreshing as a tall glass of ice water in an arid desert.
It is not as stylish as Peter Gunn, which had the benefit of a
super-cool jazz soundtrack, but both half-hour dramas were cut from similar
aesthetic cloth. Highly recommended for the nostalgia and the message, I Led
3 Lives is currently available online and on DVD.
