Danger Lights

Making allowances for the fact that I saw an abbreviated version of Danger Lights, I'd still have to say that this film is as far as the story goes nothing terribly special. But I have friends who belong to a group called Railroad Enthusiasts and if they haven't seen this movie it ought to be required for those who want to join.

The scenes involving the work in the railroad yards and the trains themselves are the best thing about Danger Lights. It's very reminiscent to the classic Burt Lancaster film The Train of which a good deal is set in the Paris railway yards. I wouldn't be surprised if John Frankenheimer saw Danger Lights and took a lot of ideas from it.

As for the plot it's a simple one, a love triangle involving Louis Wolheim the tough boss of the yards, a young hobo played by Robert Armstrong who was a former railroad worker to whom Wolheim gives a second chance and Jean Arthur the daughter of a disabled former railroad worker whom Wolheim boards with and takes care of. Arthur respects and loves Wolheim, but can't see him as a romantic figure.

I think you can take it from there. You will not see any of the comedic style that we saw with Jean Arthur in her top years, she's merely a romantic ingénue and the object of the affections of all.

The railroad and the yards are the real stars of Danger Lights. And this review is dedicated to that intrepid band of railroad enthusiasts.

Entertaining yarn about tough railroad man Dan Thorn (Louis Wolheim), really quite a decent guy in spite of his rough exterior - he seems to help all around him, including his sweet and pretty girlfriend Mary (Jean Arthur) and her father. A new guy recently down-on-his-luck, Larry Doyle, comes to work at the rail yard, thanks to Dan - but when Larry meets Mary - sparks fly. But Mary wants to remain loyal to Dan, who apparently has taken care of her and her father since she was a child - not to mention her dad is completely gung-ho for her to marry Dan.

This is a very good film, with interesting plot line and exciting action scenes, plus lots of well-done, scenic shots of the running trains and railroad yards filmed on location. Louis Wolheim is an appealing actor, I have enjoyed his performance in every film I have seen of his. The romance between Mary and Larry is well played out by the two actors and comes across as realistic. A strong, engaging film, well worth seeing.

This film is billed as a love story (typical love triangle), but the human-to-human love story is left in the dust because the human-to-train love story is much more passionate. I won't tell you how the story ends, but if you love trains (especially steam trains), you will love watching this film. ALL the characters in this film are in love with trains, and you will be, too. Be sure not to miss the lightning train trip to Chicago. The one thing that could have improved this film would have been "brightening up" the night scenes. I have a copy of it in my library - go thou and do likewise (don't know if it can be rented).

"Danger Lights" is one of the best railroad movies ever made, and this was made in 1930! If you are a railfan (railroad enthusiast), you can appreciate the detail and authenticity that went into the making of this movie, as most of the operations depicted were authentic. Perhaps the high-speed run was a little over the top (a little artistic license, perhaps?) but it was not unusual for an engineer in the days before two-way radio to run his train over 100 miles per hour to make up a few minutes in his schedule. There's hardly a dull scene in the movie, and in general it is a quality project.

Whether you are a railfan or not, you'll certainly enjoy this movie. "Danger Lights" set a precedent for all the railroad-themed action movies that would follow. Those who are fans of movies such as "The General," "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, "Von Ryan's Express," "The Great Train Robbery" and "Runaway Train" will appreciate this movie as well as those who admire action flicks in general.

I, too, originally saw, and taped, the film from a local PBS channel, and agree with a previous reviewer that it is a difficult film to find. As to the film: the story-line is typical and the acting acceptable; the real "star" of the film is the railroad itself. Made in 1930 during the Age of Steam, the film vividly shows the long-vanished skill and dedication required to keep the trains running. Louis Wolheim plays the hard-as-nails superintendent (such men actually existed) who was absolutely dedicated to maintaining the schedules ("hold up the 'Olympian!' Are you off your nut!"). Filmed on location in Montana on the long-abandoned Milwaukee Road railway, this film is an absolute Must for rail fans who love steam.