AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

jungophile By the time 1950 rolled around, I guess the film noir genre was getting a bit mannered in its delivery. "Where Danger Lives" is a classic example of hack work, albeit with a touch of style, and with Mitchum in the lead, it is, of course, eminently watchable. Claude Rains is superb as well, but unlike Mitchum, he has the good sense to make his contribution a cameo role. (I guess he knows "where danger lives," eh?)Even Mitchum can't save this turkey, however, although he appears to be trying his best. The contrived and rudimentary plot doesn't help; star-crossed lovers on the run, trying to escape a murder rap and get across the border. On the positive side of the ledger, along with Mitchum, this film attains a generally nightmarish atmosphere of pervasive doom which is occasionally effective; it reminded me of Jim Thompson's novel "The Getaway" which was eventually made into a movie with Steve McQueen. In essence, it is a morality play, with Mitchum the noble doctor having the hots for this crazy psychopath, betraying his "good woman"(Maureen O'Sullivan), and paying for his carnal transgression again and again; this is probably the movie's main ace in the hole.This nifty part of the movie is hamstrung by absurd plot contrivances and lazy screen writing, unfortunately. Three examples: every time a radio is turned on, you can bet you are about to get another prime nugget of expository information, perfectly timed and delivered on a silver platter. The "Whiskers Week" plot device is even more comically ridiculous, and lastly, with the amount of cops looking for these two, you would suspect that they murdered an entire classroom of small children or something. (Don't get me started on the "mewing cat" or you might get your eyes scratched out.)Thankfully, this uneven and sloppy movie clocks in at an efficient 82 minutes, so no serious harm done. If you're a Mitchum fan like me, you'll probably want to give it a look; just don't expect too much, and you'll probably find it mildly diverting.

marcslope Mitchum plays a too-good-to-be-true doctor--his favorite duty is telling stories to sick children--about to leave fiancée Maureen O'Sullivan to pursue Faith Domergue, a sultry rich girl who's loonier than all of Toontown. Domergue, tailored by Howard Hughes to be a sort of second-unit Jane Russell, can't make sense of this crazy lady, and what starts out as a straightforward melodrama becomes an insane noir with more plot holes than a Swiss cheese. Soon the pair are on the run from having killed her husband Claude Rains, who, despite third billing, is on screen for all of six minutes, and Mitchum is suffering from a concussion which, he tells Domergue, will slowly paralyze and kill him, or maybe not. From there it's a road picture to the Mexican border, with some nice location photography, a no-name supporting cast, and plot implausibilities piling up on their way to an utterly impossible happy ending. Domergue's character is so controlling and freakazoid that we want nothing more than to see her die, and Mitchum, getting a good chance to make the most of his sleepy-eyed macho allure, struggles to keep us from disbelieving the incredible shifts in plot. It's watchable, but it smacks of increasing desperation.

LeonLouisRicci A frightening film in some spots that is bothered by a few seemingly out of place plot devices that break down the wall of weirdness that the movie can't sustain. The worst is the whole section of small town hicks and their silly "must wear a beard" week. This is so ridiculous that it changes the tone drastically.The beginning where the femme fatale snares her prey is really rushed and so abrupt as to be disorienting. It is presented and edited so jarringly rough that it leaves the viewer a bit apprehensive.There are some snatches of brilliance here and some of it is pure Noir. It has a few very creepy visual ventures and the performances by all are quite good. Although, the complete picture, therefore, suffers from an incoherent, intrusive, combination of weak storytelling and sloppy assembly. Overall it is worth a view for the better parts if you can forgive the clumsy composite.

bkoganbing Where Danger Lives was supposed to launch Faith Domergue's career as yet another of Howard Hughes's discoveries. Beauty she had with a good dose of slink eyed attractiveness that stood her in good stead in her role in this film. In support Hughes gave her RKO's number one leading man, Robert Mitchum and a good cast in support.Mitchum plays a doctor here who falls big time for Domergue the minute she gives him a come all glance. Problem is that she's slightly married to Claude Rains a rich older guy who's kind of used to her philandering, but not thrown in front of his face. Which is what she does with Mitchum and when Mitchum struggles with Rains he thinks that he's killed Rains. So Bob and Faith go on the run.A respected doctor and society woman you wouldn't think are good candidates to be fugitives. But they do all right for themselves up to a point despite many people looking to take advantage of them. My favorite is Tol Avery as one bottom feeding used car salesman with a most annoying laugh.They also do all right considering Domergue is not playing with a full deck, I think a whole suit of thirteen is missing from her 52. Add to that Mitchum has an untreated concussion which also slows them up a bit.Where Danger Lives is a decent noir film from the studio that made noir a fashionable genre. Too bad Claude Rains had to be killed right away, any film is made better with his presence. Director John Farrow's wife Maureen O'Sullivan has a brief part as a good girl Mitchum deserts for Domergue. Of course if Faith gives you the come on few could resist.According to the Lee Server biography of Robert Mitchum, the fall down a flight of stairs you see Mitchum do was really him and not a stuntman. Normally studios protect the high profile derrières of their stars, but when you've John Farrow directing who may have been the biggest directorial swine in Hollywood it's different. Farrow would challenge Mitchum's masculinity and that wasn't something Bob would back down from. But one take was definitely it.Where Danger Lives is a nice one from Mitchum's RKO salad days.