Former matinée idol Ray Milland directed this lukewarm melodrama about a family of four embarking on a fishing trip when Soviet nuclear warheads rain widespread destruction down on the United States and devastate every major city from coast-to-coast. The NATO countries suffer similar disasters (so you know--even though the filmmakers never specify it--) that the Soviets started World War III. The Baldwins hear an explosion after they have left home. In the distance, they see a massive mushroom cloud hovering over their hometown of Los Angeles. "Panic in the Year Zero" explores the transformation that Harry Baldwin (Ray Milland of "Safecracker") experiences between the time that he leaves his home in Los Angeles and winds up at his new home in a cave in the mountains. Once Harry learns that civilization as he knows it has vanished, he starts behaving like an entirely different individual. Law and order--the justice system as a whole-- has collapsed, and men with guns rule the land, and these unscrupulous gunmen try to take what they want because America has become a jungle. Initially, Harry pays for everything that he can carry in his trailer, and he spends every last cent until he runs out of money and resorts to taking everything by force of arms.
Meanwhile, Harry's wife Ann Baldwin (Jean Hagen of "Sunrise at Campobello") has difficult getting accustomed to the demands that this change of lifestyle has imposed on them. When three hoodlums try to waylay them on the highway, Harry's son Rick Baldwin (Frankie Avalon of "Guns of the Timberlands") wings one of them. This act of violence terrifies Ann. Eventually, Ann accepts their fate and learns how to use a rifle. The family crosses a bridge into the mountains but Harry destroys it to prevent others from following him. They take up residence in a cave that Rick had found during an earlier fishing trip. At one point, Harry had to steal from a hardware dealer, but he promised to pay Johnson (Richard Garland of "13 Fighting Men") back. He even hands over his wallet with his identification and credit cards. Later, after they have established themselves snugly in the mountains, the Baldwins run into Johnson. The first time that they met in Johnson's hardware store, Johnson got the drop on Harry, but Rick slipped up behind him with a gun. Basically, the same thing happens again, but Harry lets Johnson go and hands him his revolver back. Harry plans to visit Johnson but before he can, the three young hoodlums from the highway jump Johnson and his wife and kill them.
Later, two of the hoodlums catch Harry's daughter, Karen Baldwin (Mary Mitchel of "Twist Around the Clock"), while she is alone and rape her. Ann shoots at them, but she misses every shot. When Johnson met Harry again, he mentioned the three men living it up in a house and making a racket. Harry and Rick check the house out and Harry kills Mickey (Rex Holman of "20,000 Eyes") and Andy (Neil Nephew of "The Young Savages") with a pump action shotgun while Rick watches. Killing the two hoodlums tears up Harry, but Harry and Rick find a hostage, Marilyn Hayes (Joan Freeman of "Come September"), and they bring her back to the cave. Eventually, Carl (Richard Bakalyan of "Operation Bikini") catches Marilyn off guard when she is supposed to be watching out for Rick as he chops firewood. Rick manages to kill Carl, but he takes a slug in the leg and Harry piles the family into a car and tears off into the darkness to find a doctor. While this is happening, the Baldwins hear a radio report that a peace has been established and relief stations are being established around Los Angeles. Harry finds a doctor in a deserted town, Dr. Powell Strong (Willis Bouchey of "Five Guns to Tombstone") and Strong patches him up but tells Harry that Rick will need a blood transfusion. Just as they seem to be getting somewhere, Harry and family are waylaid by men with machine gun. Miraculously, the men turn out to be soldiers on the prowl for survivors and they send Harry and company to a nearby aid station. Life begins anew.
"Panic in the Year Zero" is a tolerably entertaining low budget, Cold War affair that is concisely directed by Milland. The problem with Milland and the screenplay is that both are far too dark to be entertaining. The film contains virtual no humor and Milland emphasizes the dark quality of the plot. Our hero has a hard time morally justifying his larcenous actions and the wife lives in denial. It is a tragedy for most of its running time, despite its hopeful ending. Mind you, it's nothing memorable, but as a survivalist tale it is above-average. "High School Hellcats" lenser Gilbert Warrenton's black & white, widescreen photography is good.
Meanwhile, Harry's wife Ann Baldwin (Jean Hagen of "Sunrise at Campobello") has difficult getting accustomed to the demands that this change of lifestyle has imposed on them. When three hoodlums try to waylay them on the highway, Harry's son Rick Baldwin (Frankie Avalon of "Guns of the Timberlands") wings one of them. This act of violence terrifies Ann. Eventually, Ann accepts their fate and learns how to use a rifle. The family crosses a bridge into the mountains but Harry destroys it to prevent others from following him. They take up residence in a cave that Rick had found during an earlier fishing trip. At one point, Harry had to steal from a hardware dealer, but he promised to pay Johnson (Richard Garland of "13 Fighting Men") back. He even hands over his wallet with his identification and credit cards. Later, after they have established themselves snugly in the mountains, the Baldwins run into Johnson. The first time that they met in Johnson's hardware store, Johnson got the drop on Harry, but Rick slipped up behind him with a gun. Basically, the same thing happens again, but Harry lets Johnson go and hands him his revolver back. Harry plans to visit Johnson but before he can, the three young hoodlums from the highway jump Johnson and his wife and kill them.
Later, two of the hoodlums catch Harry's daughter, Karen Baldwin (Mary Mitchel of "Twist Around the Clock"), while she is alone and rape her. Ann shoots at them, but she misses every shot. When Johnson met Harry again, he mentioned the three men living it up in a house and making a racket. Harry and Rick check the house out and Harry kills Mickey (Rex Holman of "20,000 Eyes") and Andy (Neil Nephew of "The Young Savages") with a pump action shotgun while Rick watches. Killing the two hoodlums tears up Harry, but Harry and Rick find a hostage, Marilyn Hayes (Joan Freeman of "Come September"), and they bring her back to the cave. Eventually, Carl (Richard Bakalyan of "Operation Bikini") catches Marilyn off guard when she is supposed to be watching out for Rick as he chops firewood. Rick manages to kill Carl, but he takes a slug in the leg and Harry piles the family into a car and tears off into the darkness to find a doctor. While this is happening, the Baldwins hear a radio report that a peace has been established and relief stations are being established around Los Angeles. Harry finds a doctor in a deserted town, Dr. Powell Strong (Willis Bouchey of "Five Guns to Tombstone") and Strong patches him up but tells Harry that Rick will need a blood transfusion. Just as they seem to be getting somewhere, Harry and family are waylaid by men with machine gun. Miraculously, the men turn out to be soldiers on the prowl for survivors and they send Harry and company to a nearby aid station. Life begins anew.
"Panic in the Year Zero" is a tolerably entertaining low budget, Cold War affair that is concisely directed by Milland. The problem with Milland and the screenplay is that both are far too dark to be entertaining. The film contains virtual no humor and Milland emphasizes the dark quality of the plot. Our hero has a hard time morally justifying his larcenous actions and the wife lives in denial. It is a tragedy for most of its running time, despite its hopeful ending. Mind you, it's nothing memorable, but as a survivalist tale it is above-average. "High School Hellcats" lenser Gilbert Warrenton's black & white, widescreen photography is good.