CRY DANGER
US, 1951, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming, William Conrad, Richard Erdman.
Directed by Robert Parrish.
Cry Danger is one of the several films made by Dick Powell after his period as a song and dance man when he became the tough Private Eye or gangster or hero. This is a slight example, but is well made, conventional gangster material but keeps interest throughout.
There are good performances by Richard Erdman as an alcoholic cripple and an early performance by William Conrad as a gangster. Rhonda Fleming is yet again a charming villainess. Directed by Robert Parrish who made quite a number of interesting films over the years as well as writing about life in Hollywood.
1. How enjoyable and interesting a thriller? Thriller expectations - from the 40's and 50's - plot, character, toughness?
2. The location photography in Los Angeles, black and white, the musical score and its dramatics? The atmosphere of ordinary people in Los Angeles, the police, gangsters, the streets, poverty and wealth? Authentic background?
3. Dick Powell and his particular tough style as hero? Audience sympathy for him, as hero, as victim? The conventions of the tough American hero with his stances, grim face, wisecrack remarks?
4. Audience interest in the opening, the release from prison, the newspaper headlines, the background of his story? Sympathy with Rocky as a person, his experience in prison? The irony of Morgan and Nancy and their eventual guilt?
5. The initial encounter with Cob and Delong, Cob as the tired policeman, his following Rocky around, discovery of the truth, wanting the gangsters to get rid of each other? The details of police method and style of the times?
6. The contrast with Delong? pleasant type, his relationship with Darlene and the irony of her pickpocket work? His drinking, his artificial limb? His helping of Rocky, of Nancy? The ironic wise cracks? His presence throughout the film? The pathos of his being shot instead of Rocky? Darlene's death and its repercussions on him? An interesting character?
7. Castro as typical villain, his lies, greed, Rocky's confrontation and violence with him? Victimising him with the Russian roulette and his fear in telling the truth? Typical gangster style?
8. The violence, the attempts on Rocky’s life and the irony of Nancy shooting at him? The gangsters with their machine gun killings? Delong and Darlene's deaths?
9. The conventions of set-ups , frames? Mrs Fletcher, the people paid not to tell the truth, lies? Rocky's reaction? Cobb’s reaction?
10. Rhonda Fleming's glamour as Nancy, her love for Morgan, for Rocky? her passionate protestations, her help? The irony of her double crossing? The smoothness of her lies at the end and Rocky knowing the truth – his regrets in giving her to the police, yet his self-satisfied feelings?
11. What changes in Rocky throughout the film? His bitterness about his life in prison, people lying to him. threats? His exposure of the truth?
12. This kind of tough American thriller and its themes of right and wrong, good and evil, heroism?
