“Squeeze Play” – I Was a Communist for the FBI

Relic Radio Thrillers
Originally aired: August 10, 1952 (rebroadcast January 23, 2026)

Overview

In this taut episode of I Was a Communist for the FBI, titled “Squeeze Play,” undercover agent Matt Savetic navigates a perilous collision between corrupt political power and Communist subversion. The episode, driven by Dana Andrews’s tense narration, unravels the story of an innocent man caught in the crossfire—a pawn for both a small-town political machine and a Communist propaganda campaign. Themes of justice, manipulation, and the triumph of integrity over corruption form the backbone of this suspenseful drama, which draws on the real-life experiences of FBI informant Matt Savetic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reds Choose a "Patsy"

[02:39–05:17]

• The Communist cell meets to devise a propaganda campaign: they’ll champion a local man, Leo Bremner, held without trial for murder, as a political “martyr” to give their cause sympathy and credibility.
• Key insight: Communists don’t always match their caricature; their manipulations are “much more subtle.”
  • Dana Andrews (as Matt): “These ordinary looking people are red functionaries… choosing a patsy, a fall guy, an unsuspecting lamb to be sacrificed on the altar of public sympathy for the commies.” [02:39]
• Mrs. Bremner, Leo’s mother, desperately wants help for her son, not realizing she and Leo are being used for a political agenda.

2. Two Corrupt Forces Collide

[05:35–11:13]

• Woodford City’s political boss, Andy Boland, is exposed as running a “political machine… as corrupt as they come.” Neither lawyers nor the police will defy him.
• The Communists and Boland both decide to use Leo Bremner: the Reds for propaganda, Boland to “eliminate” a troublesome underling and frame him for murder, using manufactured evidence.
  • Boland’s chilling pragmatism: “You know, your patsy Bremner is my patsy too... I can buy all the evidence I need.” [13:12]
• Matt Savetic is ordered by the Party to take the heat and confront Boland, highlighting the expendability of their own agents.

3. The Propaganda Campaign Escalates

[09:07–10:16]

• The Communists launch full-scale agitation—petitions, pamphlets, and protests—all designed to paint Leo as a victim of political persecution.
  • Herbert Samish on tactics: “Once we’ve chosen our man, we’ll use every propaganda device we know... to make the public believe he is being persecuted not for the crime he may have committed, but for being sympathetic to the Communist Party.” [03:50]

4. The Trial and Its Manipulation

[14:31–15:59]

• Bremner’s trial commences, tainted by phony evidence and disruptive demonstrations orchestrated by the Communists. The public is confused about the real issues—Bremner’s actual guilt is obscured.
• Both sides’ corruption is mirrored: Reds want a wrongful acquittal, Boland wants a wrongful conviction.

5. Matt's Moral Quandary and Subterfuge

[16:18–18:06]

• Matt seeks to dissuade the Red leadership but is threatened with becoming a “martyr” for the cause if he balks.
• A poignant moment with Mrs. Bremner reveals her disillusionment as she realizes the group isn’t motivated by compassion, but by political expediency:
  • Mrs. Bremner: “But, Mr. Svetik, Leo is my son. His life is my affair too.” [17:50]
  • Samish: “You must remember, Mrs. Bremner, that your son means nothing to us personally. As an individual, he is nothing.” [18:00]

6. Turning the Tables

[20:06–22:14]

• Matt tips off the anti-Communist press to investigate Bremner’s lack of genuine Red ties, hoping exposure will undermine the Reds’ campaign.
• Matt and Samish attempt to bribe the judge, only to discover he has been simultaneously solicited by Boland’s cronies.

7. The Judge’s Stand

[23:06–24:15]

• In a dramatic courtroom speech, Judge Serrano exposes both bribe attempts and denounces the corrupt environment, declaring a mistrial.
  • Judge: “The proceedings in this court have been a travesty of justice. It behooves me to declare them a mistrial.” [24:09]

8. Aftermath and Resolution

[24:15–26:24]

• The propaganda effort collapses, Samish is disgraced, and Boland’s power is thoroughly undercut.
• The FBI publicly clears Leo Bremner of Communist ties; in his honest retrial, he’s convicted of second-degree murder, but the justice is fair and lenient.
• Matt reflects on the episode’s lessons: the importance of honest men like Judge Serrano and the need for constant vigilance in preserving freedom.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Communists’ tactics:

  • “Our job is to convince the American public that we communists are poor, mistreated, misunderstood darlings who are being persecuted unjustly according to their constitution.”
    — Herbert Samish [03:32]

• Corruption in politics:

  • Boland: “Look, in our racket, tools are necessary when you want to build a case for yourself. And Bremner is a tool.” [13:08]
  • Boland: “The people stand for what I give them, son. And I’m gonna give them just what you’ve got them yelling for.” [13:24]

• The human cost:

  • Mrs. Bremner: “I don’t care about the world. Leo is my world.” [07:37]
  • Samish (coldly): “You must remember, Mrs. Bremner, that your son means nothing to us personally. As an individual, he is nothing.” [18:00]

• The collapse of both corruptisms:

  • Judge Serrano: “In this atmosphere of corruption, it’s impossible to weigh evidence objectively… The proceedings in this court have been a travesty of justice. It behooves me to declare them a mistrial.” [23:40–24:15]
  • Matt’s summation: “Red treachery, dirty politics and an honest man won.” [25:17]
  • Matt: “Quietly, fervently, secretly, I thanked the Lord for putting more Judge Serranos in America than Andy Bolands or Herbert Samishes.” [26:04]

Timestamps For Key Segments

• Communist strategy session, picking the patsy: [02:39–05:30]
• Interaction with Mrs. Bremner: [07:22–09:07]
• Boland lays out his political cynicism: [11:20–13:24]
• Courtroom chaos and Communist agitation: [14:31–15:59]
• Matt vs. Samish; Mrs. Bremner’s heartbreak: [16:18–19:03]
• Samish and Matt attempt judicial bribery: [20:06–22:14]
• Judge Serrano declares mistrial: [23:06–24:15]
• Matt and Boland’s final encounter: [25:07–25:17]
• Matt’s closing reflection: [26:04–26:24]

Closing Reflections

Squeeze Play masterfully interweaves suspense and social critique, pitting two forms of corruption—the Machiavellian politician and the unfeeling ideologue—against each other, with innocent lives caught between. The episode’s moral anchor is Judge Serrano, whose integrity and courage briefly restore justice. Through taut scripting and evocative performances, this story resonates as both a historical snapshot and a timeless warning.

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