Danger Patrol

Stagy, corny boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-regains-girl melodrama, but a solid glimpse of a world gone by and John Beal's moment as a male lead.

Well crafted programmer from RKO. The premise is a nail-biting natural-- namely, guys transporting highly explosive nitroglycerin from storage to oil fields where it's used in drilling. One false move from the handler and it's smithereens. Not only are the guys affected, it's the families too, never knowing whether the mister will be coming home. The 60-minutes deals as much with family as with the nitro.

Carey's the movie's actual star, carrying the storyline in a gruffly likable manner. He's like the foreman of the nitro crew, while Eilers plays his comely daughter. The romantic angle amounts to a cliché where she has to choose between rich guy Eric and nitro handler Beal. Her heart inclines toward Beal, but Carey dreads her becoming a young widow.

Using quirky actor Paul Guilfoyle as a traumatized ex-handler was an inspiration. In weirdly disturbing fashion, he dramatizes the emotional toll of the work, well paying though it is. Eilers is effective in her conflicted role, even though Beal appears too bland in his. The highlight is the nitro-loaded plane trip to Tampico. Because of happy endings, you usually know how a dangerous trip like this will turn out. But that's not the case here since there's reason to believe both ways. Thus the plane ride's a genuine nail-biter. All in all, I was highly entertained by this blue-collar example of studio craftsmanship.

Adventure writer Sy Bartlett (who created the tv series 12 O'CLOCK HIGH), likely knew someone who dealt with nitroglycerin, or a darn good story to tell.

The ultra dangerous job of transporting the lethal explosive is in the hands of young John Beal (Dan), who needs the money for med school. I agree, there's the familiar plot of the guy meeting a girl (Cathy), played by Sally Eilers, losing her -- then getting her back! However, it's still an exciting roller coaster ride and very interesting (from a technical standpoint) as to how this material is transported, either by air or truck.

Great to see western legend Harry Carey, playing Eiler's wise, old pop (Sam), an ace transporter of nitro himself, who has some warnings for Dan, coming within inches of getting BLOWN to bits. Sally Eilers, who at one time was married to cowboy star Hoot Gibson, likely knew Harry Carey personally, perhaps why they both appeared together.

The notes are correct; Dan is paid an incredible amount of money for his job, $40.00 dollars per day -- which in today's market be close to $900 dollars. So you really can't blame the guy for taking a chance! But is it really worth it? Wait and see.

John Beal, who had a long career in films, was known to many fans for his appearances on DARK SHADOWS. Comedian Lee Patrick co-stars as Nancy. Edward Gargan plays John, and look for Bruce Bennett, cast in many Warner Brothers film classics. Dracula co-star Dwight Frye has a bit role.

FYI; Possibility this film could have inspired the Charlie Chan classic, CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA, with saboteurs attempting to blow up the Panama Canal with nitro.

Thanks much to TCM for bringing this oldie out of retirement. Shop around as this adventure may be on dvd in a box set, or sold via indie film suppliers, likely on dvd only.

John Beal apprentices as a 'soup handler' under Harry Carey. They're the people who carry nitroglycerin where it's needed, on the oil fields typically, to start a well flowing or put out a fire. He needs the money so he can go to medical school. Then Carey takes him for dinner, and Beal meets his daughter, Sally Eilers. She spends her life worrying that Carey is going to blow himself up. Of course she and Beal fall in love.

It's a good idea for a movie, and the script is all right. Carey, as always, is a pleasure to watch on the screen, with his open, honest delivery. But the director is Lew Landers, a capable B director who worked at such a furious pace that he was beloved of cheaper producers, but would never get the chance or the time for an A picture. The year this came out, he directed nine pictures. No one can excel at that rate, even with those leads. In the 1950s he moved into television. Landers died in 1962 at the age of 61.

An insightful and relatively interesting look at a dangerous job, enlivened by the inclusion of a few colourful supporting characters. The film is nevertheless weighed down by a predictable, typical romance, the lack of solid story to go with the insight it provides, and in addition, the acting and the technical aspects are not any better than ordinary. However, at least the film manages to be engaging for the whole of its duration, because at approximately one hour in length, it hardly has the chance to overstay its welcome. It is worth checking out if it comes to television, even if it is not the type of thing that is worth seeing more than once.