On Dangerous Ground (1952)

Hard, withdrawn city cop Jim Wilson roughs up one too many suspects and is sent upstate to help investigate the murder of a young girl in the winter countryside. There he meets Mary Malden,... See full summary »

Director:

Nicholas Ray

Writers:

A.I. Bezzerides (screenplay), A.I. Bezzerides (adaptation),

Stars:

Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Ward Bond

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ida Lupino	...	Mary Malden
Robert Ryan	...	Jim Wilson
Ward Bond	...	Walter Brent
Charles Kemper	...	Pop Daly
Anthony Ross	...	Pete Santos
Ed Begley	...	Capt. Brawley
Ian Wolfe	...	Sheriff Carrey
Sumner Williams	...	Danny Malden
Gus Schilling	...	Lucky
Frank Ferguson	...	Willows
Cleo Moore	...	Myrna Bowers
Olive Carey	...	Mrs. Brent
Richard Irving	...	Bernie Tucker
Patricia Prest	...	Julie Brent (as Pat Prest)

Storyline

Hard, withdrawn city cop Jim Wilson roughs up one too many suspects and is sent upstate to help investigate the murder of a young girl in the winter countryside. There he meets Mary Malden, whom he finds attractive and independent. However, Mary's brother is chief suspect in the killing. And Mary herself is blind.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | redemption | snow | blind woman | car accident | 

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Taglines:

In One Strange Night she met both LOVE ... and MURDER!

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Genres:

Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 1952 (France)

Also Known As:

Dark Highway

Filming Locations:

Granby, Colorado, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A hand-held camera was used in many scenes to give a "live action" feel to those sequences. This was extremely rare in feature films of the time.

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Goofs

Toward the end of the film when Ward Bond is sleeping in the chair, Robert Ryan removes the shells from his shotgun. However, minutes later Bond fires his shotgun.

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Quotes

Jim Wilson: Serve drinks to juveniles, you get into trouble. How many times do I have to tell you that?
Bartender: Whatta ya want me to do...? Every dame comes in here, look at her teeth...?

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Connections

Featured in The Rules of Film Noir (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Danceland Jive"
(uncredited)
Music by Roy Webb and Gene Rose

User Reviews

Worthy of Hitchcock's Finest.

The musical score is worthy of Hitchcock's Finest thrillers and is part of what raises this "On Dangerous Ground" to the level of classic film noir. In fact, one might say that it stands on its own as one of the movie's characters - that, plus strong direction and stunning photography with unusual close-ups. For example, the opening shot shows a WOMAN picking up a shoulder holster with a gun in it. Is she some one's long-time gun moll? Is this movie about her?

"On Dangerous Ground" surprises you again and again with its many plot twists and excellent, though sometimes frightening characterizations. Mr. Ryan's character purposely lacks the charm exhibited by tough, film noir leading men like those portrayed by Dick Powell, Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum. And Detective Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan) is just too brutal for the audience to admire.

Ida Lupino doesn't come onto the scene until about 37 minutes into the movie. Ms. Lupino takes what could easily be a one-dimensional supporting role, normally given to a second rate actress, and turns Mary Malden into an intelligent, sensitive and complex character.

Ward Bond, the always-competent supporting actor, is excellent as the avenging father. He is so blinded by his loss and rage that he repeatedly misses important clues that are right before his own eyes. Like Mary's blindness, or a critically important fact about the murderer.