Danger Signal

Trailer—Danger Signal

Great B noir with a darn good cast. Zachary Scott plays a deadly womanizer, a copycat of the role he played in Mildred Pierce. There seems to be a bit of misinformation about which movie was filmed first. Mildred Pierce started filming in late Dec. 1944 and wrapped in late Feb 1945. Danger Signal started filming in March 1945 and ended in May 1945. Likewise, Mildred Pierce was released well before Danger Signal. Regardless, both films firmly established Scott's screen persona for the rest his career. He remains a key actor in the early noir cycle.

Caught this film on TCM in the early A.M. It was amazing. Starting out slow but ominously.... Scott is a shady character who preys on women. In this case, two women who happen to be due an inheritance in Southern California. The sets of the beach and neighborhoods of the 1940's are original and intriguing. The title may have been more creative, but the theme and nefarious shadows of human nature are intriguingly exposed, almost in a Hitchcockian version. Scott reminded me of the character Uncle Charley in "Shadow of a Doubt", one of Hitch's reputed favorite films. The audience learns,we truly do not know what lurks in the dark side of the human mind.This film is a displaced gem and well-worth purchasing. 10/10.

Zachary Scott, probably best known for his role in "Mildred Pierce", is here as the boyfriend. gold-digger Ronnie (Scott) first makes the moves on older sister Hilda (Faye Emerson) for her money, but then moves on to younger sister Anne (Mona Freeman). it's not quite a murder noir, but close. it's pretty good. very typical film from the 1940s... a little dark, some mystery, but all quite harmless. this one is a little too sweet and sugary to be a murder noir; it's all very obvious who the bad guy is. no-one has to search for the murderer. no fog. no newspaper reporter searching following clues all over town. this one is more about suspense... will they figure it out, before Ronnie can do too much damage? Scott died quite young of a brain tumor. Film directed by french director Robert Florey. he had started in the silents, but directed talkies into the 1940s, then switched over to television. it's pretty good. just a little too light and fluffy at the end.

I won't summarize the plot,as several others have done this already. Just two things: Yes,the ending seemed tacked on,like the writer couldn't think of a way to end the picture and just threw this together at the last minute. The other thing is that several posters are under the impression that Zachary Scott did Mildred Pierce first. No,this film came first,two years before Mildred Pierce,in fact. The Monty Berrigon character Scott played in that film is almost a carbon copy of the guy in this film,not the other way around. In fact,I wonder why Scott would agree to play the MP character since it was so close to this one. Maybe he wanted to work with Joan Crawford or maybe ,under the terms of his contract, he had to play anything they told him to. At any rate,he played these sleazy scoundrels well

This is a must for film noir fans, and it deserves to be better known. If it had more of an A-list cast, it would probably be considered a classic. At the very beginning it resembles Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt." Zachary Scott plays a secretive writer on the run from the law, though for a while it's not clear whether he's really a criminal. Under an assumed name, he charms his way into a household of women. From then on, the plot is original -- consistently clever but never confusing. Male treachery and female jealousy play their parts, and just when one character's motives become clear, you have to start wondering what another character is up to. If you guess how it all turns out, you're a psychic. There is one little detail that's handled sloppily, but it comes early and is excusable. All in all, this is what a mystery should be.

Ronnie Mason (Zachary Scott) is a smooth talking con man and possibly a murderer. His victim's husband Thomas Turner is obsessed to find the perpetrator but the police is inclined to drop the case and classify it as a suicide. Ronnie is on the run and rents a room from the Fenchurch women. He tries to sweet talk older sister Hilda until he discovers that the younger sister Anne is in line for a large inheritance. There are elements that I deem unrealistic. I'm not sure the sisters should be so friendly together. Anne falling for Ronnie would make more sense if there is a sibling rivalry between the sisters. There are turns that I like a lot. Getting Anne to write the suicide note is terrific. The poisoning idea is perfect. I don't think the high speed driving is right. There has to be a more poetic ending. I find out after watching the movie that the ending was changed due to the production code. I can see the better unmade movie in my mind.

Killer Zachary Scott (Ronnie) romances women, kills them and takes their money. So watch out Faye Emerson (Hilda) and sister Mona Freeman (Anne) because he's just moved in to the spare room of your house. And you are both in his sights. Scott is excellent as the psychopath who has no empathy or feelings towards his victims. He is charming and totally evil. All the cast do well but Mona Freeman's personality changes are a bit unbelievable and the shy, indecisiveness of doctor Bruce Bennett (Andrew) is pretty annoying. The film keeps going without any lulls up until its sudden ending which could have better. Up to that point, though, it's good and Scott seems to be in complete control of his scheme……until Emerson fights back with some psychological torture of her own.

This film was full of suspense and was well directed, the black and white effect made it a great mystery. Fay Emerson,(Hilda Fenchurch) who was married twice to the famous musician Skitch Henderson and also the son of Elliott Roosevelt, (FDR's Son) fell madly in love with Zachary Scott( Ronnie Mason/Marsh). Ronnie wins the hearts of all the ladies in the picture, even Mona Freeman(Anne Fenchurch) and proposes marriage whenever he can. Rosemary DeCamp (Dr. Jane Silla)(famous radio and tv actress in the 30's and 40's played mostly small town MOM'S) warned the ladies about Ronnie Mason's sick mind, and the abusive childhood he had when growing up, which caused his love/hate relationship with women. Fay Emerson and Zachary Scott would have been greater stars with more rewarding roles, but their lives were short lived in real life. This film is beyond critizing, it is a trully great 1945 film classic for many generations to view and enjoy!