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Where Danger Lives

  • 1950
  • Approved
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
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.
Play trailer1:52
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34 Photos
Film NoirActionCrimeThriller

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

  • Director
    • John Farrow
  • Writers
    • Charles Bennett
    • Leo Rosten
  • Stars
    • Robert Mitchum
    • Claude Rains
    • Faith Domergue
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    3.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Farrow
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • Leo Rosten
    • Stars
      • Robert Mitchum
      • Claude Rains
      • Faith Domergue
    • 73User reviews
    • 31Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

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    Trailer 1:52
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    Photos34

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    Top cast75

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    Robert Mitchum
    Robert Mitchum
    • Dr. Jeff Cameron
    Claude Rains
    Claude Rains
    • Frederick Lannington
    Faith Domergue
    Faith Domergue
    • Margo Lannington
    Maureen O'Sullivan
    Maureen O'Sullivan
    • Julie Dorn
    Charles Kemper
    Charles Kemper
    • Police Chief
    Ralph Dumke
    Ralph Dumke
    • Klauber
    Billy House
    Billy House
    • Mr. Bogardus
    Harry Shannon
    Harry Shannon
    • Dr. Maynard
    Philip Van Zandt
    Philip Van Zandt
    • Milo DeLong
    Jack Kelly
    Jack Kelly
    • Dr. Mullenbach
    Lillian West
    • Mrs. Bogardus
    Dorothy Abbott
    Dorothy Abbott
    • Nurse Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    Philip Ahlm
    • Customs Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Carlos Albert
    • Customs Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Marie Allison
    • Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Stanley Andrews
    Stanley Andrews
    • Dr. Matthews
    • (uncredited)
    Tol Avery
    Tol Avery
    • Honest Hal
    • (uncredited)
    William Bailey
    William Bailey
    • Man
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Farrow
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • Leo Rosten
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews73

    6.73.6K
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    Featured reviews

    FilmFlaneur

    Surreal film noir

    'A few hours ago I felt on top of the world. Look at me now'

    John Farrow's film is one of a small number of interesting noir thrillers the director helmed during the late 40's and early 50's. Included amongst these productions are the bizarre comedy of ‘His Kind of Woman' (1951) also with Mitchum, and the magnificently baroque ‘The Big Clock' (1948), with Ray Milland. ‘Where Danger Lives', a powerful, dream-like piece, has some claim to being the best of these, being respectively less diffuse and grandiose than the other two films. Its strengths lay elsewhere, still founded upon the characteristic insecurities of film noir, but dwelling explicitly on the processes of mental aberration. This successfully induces an unusually strong atmosphere of hallucination - in effect replacing paranoia with psychosis.

    Only at the end of the film does the dazed hero realise that he has really been ‘dating the patient' – the deranged Margo. Thematically this respect it is similar to Otto Preminger's ‘Angel Face' (1953) and Brahm's intricate ‘The Locket' (1947), again both starring Mitchum. In all three films the actor confronts femmes fatales with hidden psychological disorders, illnesses of the mind which serve to internalise and, to a certain extent, symbolise the confusions of the noir universe. In this film however, his character is himself mentally confused through concussion, adding a perspective of further disorientation. ‘I may be seem to be talking logically' says Dr. Jeff Cameron (Mitchum) at one point. ‘But what I say won't make any sense'.

    At the beginning of ‘Where Danger Lives', Cameron is a man clearly in control of himself, his career, and his love life. Given the concern of the film with health and well-being, it is eminently logical that he should be a doctor (although not a psychiatrist, as Margo's first husband makes a point of establishing). His presence in the hospital is commanding, authoritative even, his future clear. The ebbing away of these keystones to his life - in effect an emasculation after encountering the suicidal Margo - is drastic and troubling. At first he is merely slowed by his own inebriation, then confused by her deceit. This is followed shortly afterwards by the head blow by her outraged husband (played by Claude Rains in his most typically urbane, menacing style), which creates a more profound effect on his mental capabilities.

    This is a film dominated by Margo and Jeff on the road, and their crazed relationship to each other. Jeff's concussion and resulting moral confusion, and Margo's hidden psychosis, make them ideal partners in the bewildering and uncertain world through which they travel. Jeff's mental distraction makes him passive, vulnerable, while Margo's compulsions make her determined, wiley and strong. Ultimately it is this distortion in their relationship, in some respect a reversal of the usual sex roles, which gives the film so much of its intrigue. Once Margo and Jeff have found each other, in fact, they play on the same ‘mad' circuit, hurtling towards a crash, like the racers which stunned Jeff visualises buzzing ‘up and down' in his head.

    Farrow's direction follows the trajectory of events perfectly. At the start of the film, he shoots Mitchum's tall frame framed within the cold certainties of hospital hallways, uncluttered and unshadowed. By the end of the film he is slumped, hidden and confused within shadowy hotel rooms, or stumbling along dark sidewalks. In between times, Farrow is able to enjoy himself with the surreal episode of the beards festival, (a peculiarly bizarre moment even in the extreme experiences of noir) which works well in the context of the runaway's own mental disorientation.

    The most powerful scene in the film is the penultimate confrontation of Jeff and Margo in the border hotel. Shot in one continuous take, Farrow effortlessly manages a number of complicated set ups within the frame as the two protagonists confront each other, and their reduced options, while moving around the set. Margo's final attack on Jeff, her attempted smothering of him (as she had done to her first husband much earlier) is so frightening because Mitchum's big frame is now so handicapped and reduced. Close to the Mexican border, Cameron is also close to unconsciousness, coma, and possibly death as well. The cheap hotel room, the broad, the flashing window sign, the rising tide of panic with a departing prospect of ‘escape' - these are all of course entirely typical of the genre. But by the time we reach this scene it is obvious too that, here at least, real danger lives as much in the head as in the world of police and shady border deals.
    7AlsExGal

    Seemed like Angel Face light

    In Mitchum's last RKO film, he plays a doctor who saves a young woman from a suicide attempt. The young woman, played by Faith Domergue, is very mysterious. She gives the hospital a fake name and address, then later sends Mitchum a telegram asking him to meet her. Mitchum does and he finds himself entranced by her beauty. Then, I'm guessing some time has passed, because all of a sudden he's meeting her at a club, greeting her with a romantic kiss. She asks him if he loves her, says she loves him. I'm thinking, "it's only been a couple days?" Regardless, like many old Hollywood films, they seem to fall in love rather quickly. Then Domergue drops a bombshell, she and her elderly father are leaving that night for the Bahamas. Then she bails.

    Mitchum drowns his sorrow in half a dozen coconut cocktails and decides to go to Domergue's home to plead with her to stay. Because showing up at your girlfriend's home, drunk, expecting to meet her father, will go over well. Anyway, Mitchum shows up at the house, meets Domergue's father, Claude Rains. He quickly learns that all is not what it seems.

    Claude Rains and Maureen O'Sullivan are third and fourth billed, respectively. Their combined screen time is maybe 10 minutes. I assume that O'Sullivan was there because her husband, John Farrow, was the director. This film didn't need someone of her caliber for the part of Julie the nurse. Any actress could have played that part. Like in many of these classic films featuring doctors and nurses, the nurse is in love with the doctor. It takes the doctor dating someone else for him to realize that he too, loves his nurse.

    Mitchum was fantastic, per usual. Domergue was okay as the femme fatale. There wasn't really anything special about her performance. She definitely paled in comparison with Mitchum and Rains. I can't help but wonder what someone like Jean Simmons would have done in this role, but somehow I think that at this point in time, all casting decisions for actresses at RKO came down to Howard Hughes and who he wanted to date.
    wireshock

    Laughable

    Usually I laugh only while watching comedies but this "thriller" had me in stitches often! Laughing, that is, when I wasn't groaning in disbelief. Ignore the weighty "analysis" by the film noir experts--this movie, despite Robert Mitchum's best efforts to keep a straight face, is laughably bad. Without wasting a moment his character ditches his understanding and classy fiancee (played by director Farrow's wife, Maureen O'Sullivan) for a trashy suicide case. He soon gets hit pretty hard on the head and announces (he's a doctor, so he knows these things!) that he's got a concussion and he's going to be disoriented a lot and eventually end up paralyzed. So we're supposed to believe that he's led down this dark and dreary path by the "femme fatale" 'cause he's had a bad knock on the head--but he's already demonstrated a total lack of common sense and we've lost any identification we might've had as an audience with him. Incomprehensible, really.

    The film starts with Mitchum telling stories to young patients, a likable and caring doctor. So why does he fall in love with this mad woman? 'Cause there wouldn't be a movie if he didn't. The film has nice black-and-white photography, good production values...hard to believe this much money was spent on such a lame-brain story.
    7bkoganbing

    High Maintenance Psycho

    Where Danger Lives was supposed to launch Faith Domergue's career as yet another of Howard Hughes's discoveries. Beauty she had with a good dose of slink eyed attractiveness that stood her in good stead in her role in this film. In support Hughes gave her RKO's number one leading man, Robert Mitchum and a good cast in support.

    Mitchum plays a doctor here who falls big time for Domergue the minute she gives him a come all glance. Problem is that she's slightly married to Claude Rains a rich older guy who's kind of used to her philandering, but not thrown in front of his face. Which is what she does with Mitchum and when Mitchum struggles with Rains he thinks that he's killed Rains. So Bob and Faith go on the run.

    A respected doctor and society woman you wouldn't think are good candidates to be fugitives. But they do all right for themselves up to a point despite many people looking to take advantage of them. My favorite is Tol Avery as one bottom feeding used car salesman with a most annoying laugh.

    They also do all right considering Domergue is not playing with a full deck, I think a whole suit of thirteen is missing from her 52. Add to that Mitchum has an untreated concussion which also slows them up a bit.

    Where Danger Lives is a decent noir film from the studio that made noir a fashionable genre. Too bad Claude Rains had to be killed right away, any film is made better with his presence. Director John Farrow's wife Maureen O'Sullivan has a brief part as a good girl Mitchum deserts for Domergue. Of course if Faith gives you the come on few could resist.

    According to the Lee Server biography of Robert Mitchum, the fall down a flight of stairs you see Mitchum do was really him and not a stuntman. Normally studios protect the high profile derrières of their stars, but when you've John Farrow directing who may have been the biggest directorial swine in Hollywood it's different. Farrow would challenge Mitchum's masculinity and that wasn't something Bob would back down from. But one take was definitely it.

    Where Danger Lives is a nice one from Mitchum's RKO salad days.
    Doylenf

    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.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.
    • Goofs
      When they're driving through the desert right after trading for the pickup truck, both Margo and Jeff are noticeably perspiring in closeups, but their faces are dry in two shots.
    • Quotes

      Mr. Lannington: So you're quite sure of your feelings? I mean, you know, people sometimes get... carried away. Come to their senses again with a jolt.

      Jeff Cameron: Mr. Lannington, I want to marry your daughter.

      Mr. Lannington: I wish you'd stop calling her my daughter. She happens to be my wife.

    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      There's Nothing Else To Do in Ma-La-Ka-Mo-Ka-Lu
      (uncredited)

      Written by Cliff Friend and Sidney D. Mitchell

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    FAQ14

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 16, 1950 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • La rosa blanca
    • Filming locations
      • Palmdale, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • RKO Radio Pictures
      • Westwood Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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