Where Danger Lives (1950)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

Charles Bennett (screenplay)
Leo Rosen (story)

Release Date:

14 July 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

She's tempting to look at - dangerous to know!

Plot:

A young doctor falls in love with a disturbed young woman, becomes involved in the death of her husband, and has to flee with her to the Mexican border.

Plot Keywords:

Border | Doctor | Mexican Border | Nurse | Hospital

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Dr. Jeff Cameron
Faith Domergue	...	Margo Lannington
Claude Rains	...	Frederick Lannington
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Julie Dorn
Charles Kemper	...	Postville Police Chief
Ralph Dumke	...	Klauber
Billy House	...	Bogardus, Postville J.P.
Harry Shannon	...	Dr. Maynard
Philip Van Zandt	...	Milo DeLong
Jack Kelly	...	Dr. James Mullenbach
Lillian West	...	Mrs. Bogardus

Also Known As:

White Rose for Julie (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #14337)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Working title was "A White Rose for Julie."

Quotes:

Postville Police Chief: A wacky dame like that's likely to do anything.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie (2007) (V)

Good Mitchum, unconvincing Domergue...wasted O'Sullivan...

Robert Mitchum is such a sensible, caring and well-adjusted doctor in the beginning of WHERE DANGER LIVES that it seems incomprehensible that he would stumble into the trap that Faith Domergue sets for him. After getting involved romantically and telling him that she's afraid of her domineering father, he finds out that her "father" (Claude Rains) is really her husband--just the first of a web of lies and deception waiting for him. And this, despite the husband's strong warning.

As improbable as the story is, it has a certain fascination due to the film noir quality of the story-telling with Mitchum and Domergue on the run after the husband's death. Much of the flavor comes from Mitchum's strong performance. He manages to make his character fully believable despite the script shortcomings. Faith Domergue is photogenic but sullen and frozen-faced in her role of the psychotic heroine. Her performance has all the real-life dimension of a mannequin without the little nuances that would have made her a believably disturbed woman. As it is, Domergue offers nothing more than a superficial portrait.

Claude Rains has one scene of menace that he plays magnificently but has no more than a brief cameo role. Maureen O'Sullivan could have phoned in her role. She graces the brief role of a nurse in love with Mitchum, but the role has absolutely no significance in the plot and merely allows her to appear in one of her husband's films. (Hubby is John Farrow, father of Mia).

If you like film noir, this will do nicely although it's hardly one of the best of the genre. The real drawback is Miss Domergue who is unable to give more than a blank stare to most of her more emotional moments. Without Mitchum, there would be no conviction to any of the proceedings. For Mitchum fans, this is a good one.