FIVE STEPS TO DANGER

US, 1957, 81 minutes, Black and White.
Sterling Hayden, Ruth Roman, Werner Klemperer.
Directed by Henry S. Kesler.

Five Steps to Danger is a routine enjoyable thriller of the mid-50s. What seems like an ordinary encounter on the Californian roads turns into an international- CIA espionage adventure. It all seems a little far-fetched - but the pace of the film is good, the actors seem to believe in what they are doing, there is a spirit of American sincerity about it - much the material of many television episodes and series. It is here '50s style.

1. Enjoyable thriller? The perennial material of thrillers?

2. Modest production values, black and white photography, California and New Mexico locations, cities, the highways, action sequences?

3. The title and its focus on Anne and her danger? The international implications? The plausibility of the plot: encounter with John, the CIA, the Soviets? In the retrospect of later complicated spy stories?) Anne and her German background?

4. Anne and her competence, the encounter with John, the lift, the driving? Her story? The background in Germany, her brother, Dr Kissell? The message for him? The nurse and the doctor pursuing? Her treatment? The hotel? The contact with the dean of the university? Dr Simmons catching her? Wanting her committed? her escape? her dependence on John, the police chasing them, the handcuffs? The visit to the dean? The confrontation with Dr Simmons? The help of the CIA? Dr Kissell - and his being false? The dramatic shoot-out? The happy resolution -and the heroine going fishing?

5. John and his car, $400, the proposal by Anne? The driving? The puzzle about the nurse and the doctor? The police chase? The handcuffs and the escape? The motel and sorting things out? The visit to the dean? His holiday? Anne's escape? His help with the final confrontation?

6. Dr Simmons and the nurse, their shadowing Anne, trying to treat her, their being part of the Soviet plan? Contact with the dean? Dr Simmons and the final shooting? Credible spies? The false Dr Kissell and his play-acting? Being exposed by Anne?

7. The picture of the CIA, planting articles in papers, shadowing? Plans and strategies? The atmosphere of the 1950s cold war?

8. The car chases, shoot-outs? Popular ingredients of espionage thriller?