Where Danger Lives (1950)

[drinkanddestroy]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043131/

Where Danger Lives (1950)

First I will copy and paste all the posts on this movie from the Film Noir Discussion Thread (In this post, I will distinguish whatever is my own writing, as opposed to where I quote someone else, by putting my own writing in green)

The first 6 posts are between T.H. and dave jenkins, beginning here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg133903#msg133903

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T.H.:

Where Danger Lives (1950)

Nothing new plot-wise but has enough elements tossed in to keep things interesting. With that said, it moves beautifully and each sequence is very entertaining with lots of interesting bit characters. A very good on-the-lamb noir and Nicholas Musuraca's visuals are stunning in some instances. Mitchum is the man. Ignore the imdb rating and watch this if you haven't already.

8/10

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dave jenkins:



Mitchum is a complete idiot in that one. Granted, his character gets hit on the head, but this is one of those cases where, for the plot to work, the main character has to do one stupid thing after another. Too infuriating to enjoy.

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T.H.:

I didn't have any issues with the murder scene, or Mitchum's decision making after he decided to run, because he couldn't turn back at that point.

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dave jenkins:

Of course he could.

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T.H.:


To me, skipping town is an admission of guilt and he was under the impression he accidentally killed her husband.

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dave jenkins:
Yeah, but at some point he has to figure out that he's being played by the girl. And it becomes pretty obvious she's a nut. He'd be better off turning her in and taking his chances with the law. This should occur to him, but he keeps doubling down on one bad choice after another. Why not go see a lawyer?
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The next post is by titoli, http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135210#msg135210 , in which he quotes dave jenkins's first post above and says,

Yeah, I have to agree with you on Where Danger Lives. I'll also add that plotwise whatever has to go wrong for the main characters it does. And Faith Domergue is the most dime-a-dozen femme fatale in movie history. And Mitchum doesn't convince me for a minute as a doctor. Still the movie it's entertaining due to its fast pace for a only once visit. 6\10

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Final post is by cigar joe: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608


Where Danger Lives (1950) D: John Farrow. Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, Claude Rains, Maureen O'Sullivan. Mitchum falls for suicidal Domergue who leads him on thinking that she is Claude Rains’ daughter rather than his young wife. A confrontation leads to a fight with Rains landing blows from a fire place poker on Mitchum’s noggin before Mitchum lands a blow that knocks Rains out. Mitchum suffering from a concussion leaves the living room and Domergue finishes Rains off smothering him with a pillow. She lets Mitchum think that he killed Rains and the two flee towards Mexico   Atmospheric, stylized not a bad Noir though Domergue doesn’t quite gel in the part . 7/10

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That's all for the previous posts on Where Danger Lives; please make all previous posts in this thread, not in the Film Noir Discussion Thread

[drinkanddestroy]

I give this movie a 7/10. Mitchum is always great, but he seems smarter than to act as his character does here. (Maybe that's just cuz we've seen too many movies where the "we gotta run away now, cuz no one will believe us..." leads to disaster  ) Faith Domergue is no great femme fatale.

This setup of this movie is very similar to another noir, Angel Face, which was released two years later. In this movie, Mitchum is a doctor, who is dating a nurse in that hospital, who meets a femme fatale and goes off with her when she is brought in as a patient. In Angel Face, he is an EMt working on an ambulance, dating a receptionist at the hospital, who meets the femme fatale when goes to her house on a call. And in both movies the femme fatale has a rich daddy (or so we think) and a dead mother. That only goes as far as the first 15 minutes or so; so it's not a similar plot, but a similar setup

[Moorman]

I got this as part of a boxset wtih the movie " Tension".  It was the only way i could get the movie " Tension ", so i went ahead and purchased it.  It unexpectedly has one of my favorite actors, Robert Mitchum.   The movie started pretty good.  Ive started to get into Claude Rains, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him here.  As soon as Claude left the screen though, the plot kinda went downhill for me.  The main thing i didn't like ( spoiler alert) is Mitchum's character being sick thru out the whole time they were on the run. Even the premise of running away to help his girlfriend was kinda stupid.  It wasn't believable.  The similar premise in The Woman in the Window was better done.  The cinematography was pretty good. Other than that, i rate this slightly below average.

Cinematography-1.5 points

Musical Score- 1 point

Plot-.5 point

Acting- 1 point

Directing- 1 point

5 out of 10 points...

[drinkanddestroy]

Eddie Muller's intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcLbmrIis-M&feature=youtu.be

Eddie Muller's closing comments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToXzL2JoJVg&feature=youtu.be

[Jessica Rabbit]

And thanks again.