HIGHLY DANGEROUS

UK, 1950, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret Lockwood, Dane Clark, Marius Goring, Wilfred Hyde White, Michael Hordern, Naunton Wayne.
Directed by Roy Ward Baker.

Highly Dangerous is a pleasant, if routine, thriller from Britain in the early '50s. The script is by espionage write Eric Ambler. Direction is by Roy Baker, director of a number of thrillers at the time (including American films Inferno, Don't Bother to Knock). He later directed a number of horror films. Margaret Lockwood is the intrepid heroine, Dane Clark the laconic American hero. There is a very good supporting cast including Marius Goring, Michael Hordern and Wilfred Hyde White. The film reflects the cold war atmosphere of the early '50s.

1. An entertaining thriller? Espionage? Action? Comic touches?

2. Black and white photography, European locations, editing and pace? The score by Richard Adinsall?

3. The atmosphere of the cold war, tension in Europe, the Iron Curtain? In retrospect?

4. Bacteriological warfare, the use of weapons, cold war tension? The information about this kind of warfare, its potential danger? The role of scientists?

5. The action adventure with the comic touch? The Dick Barton radio programme and its influence on Frances? A radio programme heroine?

6. Frances and her work, her understanding of insects, the commissioning to go to the Balkans? The danger. of her mission? The trip, contacting the agent, his death? The encounter with Bill Casey? her being captured, the truth drug, her becoming the heroine of a radio programme? The extent of her plans, the decision to steal the insects? The dangers, help from Bill? The help from the priest? The escape? Romance and adventure?

7. Bill the American in the Balkans, journalist, the encounters with Frances, friendliness, being caught into her plans, helping her, dangers, heroics?

8. The picture of the authorities, the director of the institute? The sinister background of the Balkans and enemy powers?

9. The world of agents, deaths? The priest and his help?

10. Fifties espionage, British style?