Rocky Mulloy: “You not only picked the wrong horse, you didn’t even get the right track.”
If jailed for false pretenses, when you finally get out of prison, what would you do? The premise of the engaging film noir thriller Cry Danger (1951), made by former child star and first time director Robert Parrish (it is also said Dick Powell was quite involved in the film’s directing), one thing’s for sure, it’s about as hard boiled as you can get.
Dick Powell (Murder, My Sweet) plays understandably rough around the edges Rocky Mulloy – a man who was falsely fingered in an armed robbery case that led to a murder. Getting out of his lifetime sentence very early thanks to a shady ‘eyewitness’ who claims he was drinking with Mulloy on the night of the crime, one legged former marine Delong (Richard Erdman) never truly saw a thing, but thinks Mulloy knows where the never discovered robbery money is (this is where the quote from above fits in).
The odd couple temporarily move into a trailer park home with a stunning Los Angeles view, the plan being to keep an eye on his still in the clink best friend’s wife, Nancy Morgan (Rhonda Fleming – Out of the Past) – who just so happens to be Mulloy’s first and only love, while also sniffing around for some answers as to how he got behind bars – in a sense, taking on the roles as amateur detectives.
Not an easy job, Delong will become distracted by not only his favourite pastime – drinking (he always starts early), but also by a frequently sunbathing bleached blonde pickpocket living in the park, Darlene LaVonne (Jean Porter). . . this relationship is adequately described with this snappy piece of dialogue – Darlene: “I was only going to keep his money for him until he sobered up”, to which Mulloy responds, “that’s like tying it up permanently”.
As for our protagonist, he won’t simply get sidetracked by worrywart Nancy, but also smalltime gangster Louis Castro (William Conrad – the iconic tv show Cannon) – who claims he’s gone 60% legit now. Leading him on a wild goose chase that starts by sending him to bet on the horses (as repayment for his time in jail), he’ll have to meet a cigarette girl (Gloria Saunders), a sob story bookie (Hy Averback), a knowing bartender (Benny Burt), the widow of the witness who fingered him, Alice Fletcher (Joan Banks) and, of course, a Lieutenant, Gus Cobb (Regis Toomey), who is having him followed at all times.
While Mulloy moves through the seedy streets of early 1950s L.A. – no matter the obstacle, he will meet women who will be both at their most femme and their most fatale, there will be warning shots that will be fired, lots of illegitimate cash flowing freely, and that’s only the beginning. Made in just twenty-two days and running at a brisk seventy-nine minutes, its lean and mean – leaving it open to both take and throw quite the bruising wallop.
Laced throughout with sharp-tongued dialogue, an entire cast of unscrupulous individuals, and a sole protagonist looking for answers – no matter how unpleasant they may be, Cry Danger trims all the fat for its fast paced gritty realism. Enthralling thanks to its simple yet effective story, strong acting chops, and gritty big city street look, it checks all of the boxes for fans of film noir. So, don’t be cynical, help find the money in this most dangerous case.