The Dark Side of the Earth (Playhouse 90)

"**The Dark Side of the Earth**"
"The Dark Side of the Earth"
Playhouse 90 episode
	Kim Hunter and Van Heflin in "The Dark Side of the Earth"
Episode no.	Season 2; Episode 2
Directed by	Arthur Penn
Written by	Rod Serling
Original air date	September 19, 1957
Guest appearances
	Van Heflin as Col. Sten; Earl Holliman as Capt. Volodney; Dean Jagger as Anton Rojas; Kim Hunter as Anna Rojas;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Death of Manolete"	Next →; "Topaze"

"The Dark Side of the Earth" was an American television play broadcast live on September 19, 1957, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90. It was the second episode of the second season. Rod Serling's teleplay told the story of a band of Hungarian freedom fighters captured by the Soviets in 1956.

Plot[edit]

The play tells the story of Russia's suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

Cast[edit]

Van Heflin as Col. Sten, a Red Army officer charged with suppressing revolution
Earl Holliman as Capt. Volodney, Sten's uncompromising subordinate
Dean Jagger as Anton Rojas, a Hungarian communist collaborator
Kim Hunter as Anna Rojas, wife of the collaborator
Jerry Paris as Chevak
Ian Wolfe as General Kerch

Production[edit]

Martin Manulis was the producer and Arthur Penn the director. Rod Serling wrote the teleplay. It was the first live television appearance for both Van Heflin and Dean Jagger.

Reception[edit]

The television critic in The Philadelphia Inquirer praised the "literate script", the "talented cast", Arthur Penn's restrained direction, and believable if not admirable characters.^[1]

Arthur Grace in The Miami News called it "a beautifully written dramatic play" and "a timeless play, appropriate at any time and any place when, in war or revolution, men must slaughter each other." He also praised the superb character development and superb performances of Jagger, Van Heflin, and Hunter.^[2]

References[edit]

^ S.L.S. (September 20, 1967). "Serling's 'Dark Side' Is Literate, Credible". The Philadelphia Inquirer – via Newspapers.com.
^ Arthur Grace (September 20, 1957). "'Playhouse 90' Superb". The Miami News. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.

[1] S.L.S. (September 20, 1967). "Serling's 'Dark Side' Is Literate, Credible". The Philadelphia Inquirer – via Newspapers.com.

[2] Arthur Grace (September 20, 1957). "'Playhouse 90' Superb". The Miami News. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.

[1]

[2]

v t e Playhouse 90
People	John Frankenheimer Martin Manulis Franklin J. Schaffner Rod Serling
Season 1	"Forbidden Area" "Requiem for a Heavyweight" "Sizeman and Son" "Rendezvous in Black" "The Country Husband" "The Big Slide" "Heritage of Anger" "Eloise" "Confession" "Made in Heaven" "Sincerely, Willis Wade" "The Family Nobody Wanted" "Massacre at Sand Creek" "Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses" "The Ninth Day" "So Soon To Die" "The Star Wagon" "So Soon To Die" "The Greer Case" "The Miracle Worker" "The Comedian" "The Coat of White" "The Blackwell Story" "Invitation to a Gunfighter" "The Last Tycoon" "The Hostess with the Mostes'" "Charley's Aunt" "Clipper Ship" "If You Know Elizabeth" "Three Men on a Horse" "Four Women in Black" "Child of Trouble" "Homeward Borne" "Helen Morgan" "Winter Dreams" "Circle of the Day" "Without Incident" "Clash by Night" "Ain't No Time for Glory" "The Fabulous Irishman"
Season 2	"The Death of Manolete" "The Dark Side of the Earth" "Topaze" "A Sound of Different Drummers" "The Playroom" "Around the World in 90 Minutes" "The Mystery of Thirteen" "The Edge of Innocence" "The Clouded Image" "The Jet Propelled Couch" "The Troublemakers" "Panic Button" "Galvanized Yankee" "The Thundering Wave" "For I Have Loved Strangers" "The Lone Woman" "Reunion" "The Last Man" "The 80 Yard Run" "Before I Die" "The Gentleman From Seventh Avenue" "The Violent Heart" "No Time at All" "Point of No Return" "Portrait of a Murderer" "The Last Clear Chance" "The Male Animal" "The Right Hand Man" "Turn Left at Mount Everest" "The Dungeon" "Verdict of Three" "Rumors of Evening" "Not the Glory" "Nightmare at Ground Zero" "Bomber's Moon" "Natchez" "The Innocent Sleep" "A Town Has Turned to Dust" "The Great Gatsby" "A Bitter Heritage"
Season 3	"The Plot to Kill Stalin" "Days of Wine and Roses" "The Time of Your Life" "The Long March" "Shadows Tremble" "Word From a Sealed-Off Box" "Heart of Darkness" "Old Man" "The Return of Ansel Gibbs" "Free Weekend" "Seven Against the Wall" "The Nutcracker" "Face of a Hero" "The Wings of the Dove" "The Blue Men" "The Velvet Alley" "A Quiet Game of Cards" "Child of Our Time" "The Second Man" "The Raider" "The Dingaling Girl" "Made in Japan" "For Whom the Bell Tolls" "A Trip to Paradise" "In Lonely Expectation" "The Day Before Atlanta" "Judgment at Nuremberg" "A Corner of the Garden" "Dark December" "Diary of a Nurse" "A Marriage of Strangers" "Out of Dust" "The Rank and File" "The Killers of Mussolini" "Project Immortality" "Dark as the Night" "The Second Happiest Day"
Season 4	"Target for Three" "The Sounds of Eden" "Misalliance" "The Hidden Image" "The Grey Nurse Said Nothing" "The Tunnel" "The Silver Whistle" "A Dream of Treason" "To the Sound of Trumpets" "The Cruel Day" "Tomorrow" "The Hiding Place" "Alas, Babylon" "Journey to the Day" "The Shape of the River" "In the Presence of Mine Enemies"
Revivals	CBS Playhouse CBS Playhouse 90