Everything about this movie (which was famously filmed in just 22 days) is slick, sharp and punchy. Its story about injustice, revenge and numerous betrayals is told without any unnecessary embellishments, its running time is brief and its dialogue is consistently razor-sharp. With plenty of action, humour and violence, it's gripping right from the start and its relentless pace ensures that audience interest stays at a high level throughout.
After serving five years in prison for crimes he didn't commit (robbery and murder), Rocky Mulloy (Dick Powell) is released early from his life sentence when a disabled ex-marine called Delong (Richard Erdman) steps forward with a strong alibi. Detective Lieutenant Gus Cobb (Regis Toomey) who'd originally arrested Mulloy, isn't convinced by Delong's testimony and so puts a round-the-clock tail on Mulloy to test if his cynicism is justified and also to see whether Mulloy leads him to the $100,000 loot from the robbery.
It soon emerges that Delong is an opportunist who never knew Mulloy in the past and made up his alibi in the hope that Mulloy would be grateful enough to give him a share of the proceeds of the robbery. After Mulloy explains that he doesn't know where the stolen cash is but is determined to find out, the two men hire a trailer in a local park. Mulloy is out for revenge on whoever framed him and wants to hunt down the real criminals in order to clear his name and also that of his best friend Danny Morgan who's still in prison.
Danny's wife (Rhonda Fleming) who was also one of Mulloy's ex-girlfriends, is one of his neighbours at the trailer park and seems interested in reviving their relationship. The determined Mulloy is more focused on other priorities, however, and so goes to visit local crime boss Louie Castro (William Conrad) who he knows was involved in setting up the robbery and demands a payment of $50,000 as compensation for the years he spent in prison. Predictably, Castro doesn't oblige and instead, cleverly sets Mulloy up to be caught in possession of stolen money. Other complications then follow before Mulloy eventually discovers who was responsible for framing him and also where the money from the robbery was hidden.
The strongest and most consistent theme that runs through "Cry Danger" is betrayal and the main protagonist's natural bitterness about the circumstances under which he was framed and then lost his liberty for five years is compounded further when, after completing his investigation, he discovers that the extent to which he was betrayed was actually far greater than he ever realised. Dick Powell is convincingly tough, cynical and witty in a performance that makes his shady character very likable and Richard Erdman stands out among the supporting cast who are all extremely good.
After serving five years in prison for crimes he didn't commit (robbery and murder), Rocky Mulloy (Dick Powell) is released early from his life sentence when a disabled ex-marine called Delong (Richard Erdman) steps forward with a strong alibi. Detective Lieutenant Gus Cobb (Regis Toomey) who'd originally arrested Mulloy, isn't convinced by Delong's testimony and so puts a round-the-clock tail on Mulloy to test if his cynicism is justified and also to see whether Mulloy leads him to the $100,000 loot from the robbery.
It soon emerges that Delong is an opportunist who never knew Mulloy in the past and made up his alibi in the hope that Mulloy would be grateful enough to give him a share of the proceeds of the robbery. After Mulloy explains that he doesn't know where the stolen cash is but is determined to find out, the two men hire a trailer in a local park. Mulloy is out for revenge on whoever framed him and wants to hunt down the real criminals in order to clear his name and also that of his best friend Danny Morgan who's still in prison.
Danny's wife (Rhonda Fleming) who was also one of Mulloy's ex-girlfriends, is one of his neighbours at the trailer park and seems interested in reviving their relationship. The determined Mulloy is more focused on other priorities, however, and so goes to visit local crime boss Louie Castro (William Conrad) who he knows was involved in setting up the robbery and demands a payment of $50,000 as compensation for the years he spent in prison. Predictably, Castro doesn't oblige and instead, cleverly sets Mulloy up to be caught in possession of stolen money. Other complications then follow before Mulloy eventually discovers who was responsible for framing him and also where the money from the robbery was hidden.
The strongest and most consistent theme that runs through "Cry Danger" is betrayal and the main protagonist's natural bitterness about the circumstances under which he was framed and then lost his liberty for five years is compounded further when, after completing his investigation, he discovers that the extent to which he was betrayed was actually far greater than he ever realised. Dick Powell is convincingly tough, cynical and witty in a performance that makes his shady character very likable and Richard Erdman stands out among the supporting cast who are all extremely good.