Where Danger Lives (1950)

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.

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

Charles Bennett (screenplay), Leo Rosten (story)

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Claude Rains, Faith Domergue

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Mitchum	...	Jeff Cameron
Faith Domergue	...	Margo
Claude Rains	...	Mr. Lannington
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Julie
Charles Kemper	...	Police Chief
Ralph Dumke	...	Klauber
Billy House	...	Mr. Bogardus
Harry Shannon	...	Dr. Maynard
Philip Van Zandt	...	Milo DeLong
Jack Kelly	...	Dr. Mullenbach
Lillian West	...	Mrs. Bogardus

Storyline

One night at the hospital, young doctor Jeff Cameron meets Margo, who's brought in after a suicide attempt. He quickly falls for her and they become romantically involved, but it turns out that Margo is married. At a confrontation, Margo's husband is killed and Jeff and Margo flee. Heading for Mexico, they try to outrun the law.

---

Plot Keywords:

concussion | asleep at the wheel | doctor | nurse | suicide attempt | 

---

Taglines:

MITCHUM! ACTION!

---

Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

8 July 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

White Rose for Julie

Filming Locations:

Palmdale, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures, Westwood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The reason Jeff and Margo are desperate to get across the Mexican border is that there was no extradition treaty between Mexico and the United States at the time - and there wouldn't be one until 1980.

---

Quotes

[repeated lines]
Jeff Cameron: [to a stray cat] Hello, kitty.

---

Connections

Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)

---

Soundtracks

You May Not Remember
(uncredited)
Music by Ben Oakland
Lyrics by George Jessel

User Reviews

Weak Lead Character

In San Francisco, Dr. Jeff Cameron (Robert Mitchum) is ready to date his girlfriend, the nurse Julie Dorn (Maureen O'Sullivan), when they are summoned to the emergency room to attend a suicidal. The mysterious woman recovers and tells that her name is Margo (Faith Domergue). On the next morning, she flees from the hospital but sends a telegram to Dr. Cameron scheduling an encounter with him at home. Dr. Cameron finds that she is a wealthy woman and she tells that she lives with her old father and has no friends. Soon Dr. Cameron dates and falls in love with her and proposes Margo to marry him. However she tells that her father wants her to travel to Nassau with him and she leaves Cameron alone in the restaurant. He drinks a lot and completely drunken, Cameron goes to her house to meet her father Frederick Lannington (Claude Rains) to tell that he wants to marry Margo. But soon he learns that the wealthy Frederick is actually her husband in a marriage of convenience. When they have an argument, Frederick hits him on the head with a stick and Cameron pushes him and Frederick falls fainted on the floor near the fireplace. Cameron brings water to recover Frederick but he finds him dead. Now Margo convinces Cameron to flee with her to Mexico. What will Cameron do?

"Where Danger Lives" is a film-noir with a great femme fatale but a weak lead character. Faith Domergue is wonderful in the role of an unstable ambitious and manipulative woman. However, the character Dr. Jeff Cameron is a messy character that begins as a dedicated doctor but becomes inclusive disloyal to his girlfriend, the nurse Julie Dorn. But the worst is the corny conclusion, with Julie visiting him in the hospital nearby Mexico. The cinematography is black-and-white is magnificent. My vote is five.

Title (Brail): "Trágico Destino" ("Tragic Destiny")