Danger Lights (1930)

The tough boss of a railroad yard befriends a young hobo, and unwittingly places in jeopardy his relationship with the woman he loves.

Director:

George B. Seitz

Writer:

James Ashmore Creelman (story)

Stars:

Louis Wolheim, Robert Armstrong, Jean Arthur

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Louis Wolheim	...	Dan Thorn
Robert Armstrong	...	Larry Doyle
Jean Arthur	...	Mary Ryan
Hugh Herbert	...	Professor - the Hobo
Frank Sheridan	...	Ed Ryan
Robert Edeson	...	Engineer Tom Johnson
Alan Roscoe	...	Jim - General Manager
William P. Burt	...	Chief Dispatcher
Jim Farley	...	Joe Geraghty (as James Farley)

Storyline

Head railroad man Dan is as ugly as he is honorable. When he spots a drifter who'd hopped a freight held up by a landslide, Dan offers the man a job; then he finds the man was a railroader, too, and takes him under his wing. Engaged to Mary, Dan doesn't notice the growing attraction between his protégé and his intended, but focuses instead on running the railroad.

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Plot Keywords:

landslide | hobo | operation | public domain | romantic rivalry | 

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Taglines:

World's Greatest Railroad Talk Thriller

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nella morsa delle rotaie

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was photographed and released in two formats: a standard 1.33:1 version in 35 mm., and a 2:1 Spoor-Berggren Natural Vision Process (wide-screen version) in 65 mm, shown only at the the State Lake Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, in November 1930, and the Mayfair Theatre in New York City in December 1930.

User Reviews

For a 77 year old movie, pretty good!

This movie was shown on TCM last night. Even though it was made twenty seven years before I was born, it held my interest. It was well filmed and the acting was adequate. With oldies like these, you have to watch them noting the time context that they were made in and appreciate them with that in mind. I especially like the parts when close up shots were made of the locomotives with the camera. Also, the scene where the two locomotives are doing a "push-of-war" (as opposed to a tug-of-war), was exciting. It gives you a good picture of what people considered to be fun seventy years ago, what a difference from some of today's entertainment that lacks class.