This Is Not A Test opens with Deputy Dan Colter (played by Seamon Glass) out on patrol.  Suddenly, an alert comes across the radio.  Missiles have been launched.  They’re heading for the United States.  War is imminent.  This is not a test.

Deputy Colter proceeds to set up a road block.   Every motorist who approaches is ordered to pull over to the side of the road and not go anywhere.  Among those who pull over to the side of the road are a young woman and her grandfather, a truck driver, a couple who have a small dog, and a nervous young man in a suit.  Colter explains to them what’s going on.  He tells them that they can’t leave.  He has his orders.  This is not a test.  This is a real emergency.  And since Colter is the only available man in uniform, that means that he’s in charge.  When the young woman expresses some doubts to her grandfather, the old man tells her that they have to do what they’re told.

Colter has a plan for surviving the war.  He says that they can all get in the back of the truck driver’s big rig.  He estimates that they’ll have to stay there for two weeks or so.  Under his orders, everyone starts to unload the truck.  Of course, not everyone thinks that the truck is going to provide adequate protection but there aren’t any other options available.  A few people get upset when Colter announces that, for reasons of safety, they can’t take any alcohol into the truck.  Of course, considering that one of the people at the road block is a psychotic, knife-wielding murderer, the alcohol might be the least of their concerns.

As the group tries to create a shelter, they’re also forced to deal with not only a group of rather mild-mannered looters but also the fact that Colter, himself, doesn’t seem to be particularly stable.  Colter is enjoying his authority a bit too much, especially when it comes to judging whether they have room in the truck for the couple’s dog or not.  One almost gets the feeling that Colter’s looking forward to being the sole man in charge after the bombs drop….

Over the police radio, reports continue to come in.  The missiles are getting closer.  This is not a test….

This Is Not A Test is an extremely low-budget film from 1962.  It was cast with unknown, largely amateur actors and the whole film has a grainy, almost dream-like feel to it.  (It would appear that this night-set film was actually filmed at night, which means that the visuals are often as dark as the film’s storyline.)  The film gets off to a rough start, with a lot of clumsy dramatics but, as things progress, the film develops a very convincing atmosphere of impending doom.  The film emphasizes the fact that no one has the slightest idea what to do and Deputy Colter soon proves himself to be an aspiring dictator.  Though most of the actors give rather stiff performance, Seamon Glass makes the aspiring fascist into a very believable and recognizable character.

The low-budget and the amateurish acting aside, This Is Not A Test deserves a lot of credit for following its dark storyline through to its natural conclusion.  There is no exit.  There is no escape.  This is not a test.