Main Cast: Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, Claude Rains, Maureen O'Sullivan, Charles Kemper
Release Year: 1950
Country: US
Run Time: 84 minutes
Plot
Faith Domergue, the latest of Howard Hughes' protegees, made her film debut in 1950's Where Danger Lives. Domergue plays Margo Lannington the wife of Frederick Lannington (Claude Rains), an elderly millionaire possessed of a sadistic streak. Robert Mitchum co-stars as Jeff Cameron, a poor soul who falls in love with Margo without knowing that she's married. During a violent confrontation with the jealous Frederick, Cameron knocks the older man out and stumbles out of the room. Upon his return, he discovers that Frederick is dead. Margo had smothered her husband during Cameron's absence, but she insists that Cameron is the killer. The desperate lovers flee to Mexico, where Cameron at long last discovers that his travelling companion is more than a little unhinged. Masterfully directed by John Farrow, Where Danger Lives might have been one of the classic "film noirs," were it not for the acting deficiencies of Faith Domergue, who flounders in a role that Jane Greer could have played blindfolded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Where Danger Lives is a sometimes fascinating, sometimes annoying film noir that is well worth seeing, especially for devotees of this genre. Although it is uneven, when it works, Danger is totally captivating. Several things keep Danger from being the total success that it should have been. Chief among these is the casting of Howard Hughes' "discovery" Faith Domergue in the absolutely crucial role of the deranged femme fatale. The part calls for a woman with the kind of looks that grab a man by the eyeballs and won't let him go, and this Domergue has. But it also calls for an actress, someone who can play complicated scenes and who knows that there is nuance in everything, even scenes of intense drama, and here the actress is sorely lacking. The other flaws in the film come in Charles Bennett's screenplay, which stretches credibility in several places, brings in some attempted lightness at inappropriate times and doesn't make Robert Mitchum's character's action believable enough. However, Bennett balances this with some searingly intense sequences, some great explorations of noir themes and a journey into hell that is quite effective. Credit John Farrow's muscular, commanding direction with playing down the flaws and emphasizing the assets, especially in terms of the impending doom that grows stronger as the film goes along. He's aided by Nick Musuraca's explosively moody cinematography, which is invaluable. Mitchum is cast againt stype, but he plays the part extremely well, and Claude Rains in a small role is magnificent. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Ralph Dumke - Klauber; Billy House - Mr. Bogardus; Harry Shannon - Dr. Maynard; Philip Van Zandt - Milo DeLong; Jack Kelly - Dr. Mullenbach; Lillian West - Mrs. Bogardus; Dorothy Abbott - Nurse Clerk; Stanley Andrews - Dr. Mathews; Tol Avery - Honest Hal; William Norton Bailey - Man; Clifford Brooke - Butler; Helen Brown - Nurse; Gordon B. Clark - Attendant; Lester Dorr - Assistant Police Chief; Jimmie Dundee - Taxi Driver; Julia Faye - Nurse Seymour; William E. Green - Doctor; Earl Hodgins - Man; Stuart Holmes - Man; Sherry Jackson - Girl in Iron Lung; Jack Kruschen - Casey; Ethan Laidlaw - Man; Ruth Lewis - Nurse Collins; Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton - Policeman; Joey Ray - Policeman; Elaine Riley - Nurse Bates; Julian Rivero - Pablo; Carl Saxe - Policeman; John Sheehan - Quartz Miner; George Sherwood - Quartz Miner; David Stollery - Boy; Ray Teal - Joe Borden; Marie Thomas - Stewardess; Erno Verebes - Waiter; Geraldine Wall - Annie; Duke York - Cowboy; Phil Boutelje - Pianist; Herschel Daugherty - Desk Clerk; Robert Stevenson - Clerk; Gerry Ganzer - Stewardess; Leonard Henry - Policeman; Linda Johnson - Airport Announcer; Robert Coleman - Airport Official; Philip Ahlm - Customs Officer; Hazel Boyne - Woman; Art Dupuis - Intern; Maxine Gates - Girl in Act; Jerry James - Policeman; Michael Lally - Customs Officer; Frank Leyva - Mexican; Allen Mathews - Waiter; Tina Menard - Cashier; Carlos Albert; Betty Hannon - Girl; Don House - Policeman; Marvin Jones - Policeman; Jeri Jordan; Ann Zika - Woman
Credit
Ralph Berger - Art Director, Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Irwin Allen - Associate Producer, Michael Woulfe - Costume Designer, John Farrow - Director, Edna Warren - Editor, Roy Webb - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Mel Burns - Makeup, Mel Berns - Makeup, Nick Musuraca - Cinematographer, Irving Cummings, Jr. - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, John Sturtevant - Set Designer, Clem Portman - Sound/Sound Designer, John E. Tribby - Sound/Sound Designer, Charles Bennett - Screenwriter, Leo Rosten - Short Story Author
Margo (Faith Domergue) is the wife of Frederick Lannington (Claude Rains), an apparently sadistic elderly millionaire. Jeff Cameron (Robert Mitchum) is a man who falls in love with Margo when she was brought into a hospital after attempting suicide. He becomes romantically involved with her without knowing that she's married.
During a drunken confrontation with the jealous Frederick, the young doctor knocks the older man out and stumbles out of the room. When Jeff returns, he discovers that the man he hit is dead. Margo had smothered her husband during Cameron's absence, but she instead tells Jeff that he is the killer. The lovers flee to Mexico, where Jeff finally figures out that his crazy female companion is the real killer.
Dave Kehr writing for the Chicago Reader wrote, "Director John Farrow nicely hits the nightmarish, hallucinatory qualities in this standard film noir plot: Mitchum spends the last half of the film barreling down the dirt roads of southern California with a brain concussion, passing out periodically and waking up surrounded by some of the bleakest scenery America has to offer."[1]
Film critic Dennis Schwartz liked the film, especially the work of Mitchum, and wrote, "Robert Mitchum is cast as a stable citizen, which goes against typecast...Danger is beautifully photographed by Nick Musuraca in the dark B&W style of noir and is ably directed by John Farrow, who successfully caught the nightmarish visions. It is interesting mostly as a character study of a capable man blinded by lust, whose life is almost destroyed. Mitchum is the innocent man who is framed and doesn't realize he is innocent until it is almost too late, recovering in the nick of time because he has such a strong character and will to live. Mitchum's convincing portrayal of the innocent man on the run, is what makes this melodrama compelling...The movie plays like a noir cliché. But Mitchum saves the day, realistically showing how a swell guy and such a competent doctor could be so vulnerable. Claude Rains as always is magnificent, in a small part but one where his every gesture seems to be constrained in a maniacal rage ready to burst open. His touch of madness is best exemplified by his mischievous smile while meeting his wife's lover."[2]
British film critic Neil Young wrote, "Though inexplicably little-known these days, Where Danger Lives is an absolutely cracking little film noir with an appealingly absurd screwball edge. The main credit for which presumably belongs not to director Farrow (father of Mia), but to veteran scriptwriter Charles Bennett - whose screenplays for Hitchcock included The 39 Steps, Young and Innocent and Foreign Correspondent, and later wrote Jacques Tourneur's Night of the Demon."[3]
