Dangerously They Live

Nothing to complain about concerning acting, directing because it is a Warner Bros film, so very fast paced without any length, no scene in excess, no, the problem is that it is a dull espionnage yarn, anti Nazi, so predictable that it is a shame that John Garfield, the most gifted actor of his time, the announced heir of Humphrey Bogart, was involved in this so lousy story where everything is written ten miles in advance. And the sequence when Garfield falls - not jumps, falls - from the second floor balcony and then stands up quietly, just as if he stood up from the lawn after taking a sunbath, this scene is just awful to watch...I reject this movie from such a talented director, who gave us authentic film noirs, real dark, terrific - CROOKED WAY, JOHNNY ONE EYE, KING OF ALCATRAZ instead of this one.

Working for a British group, pretty Nancy Coleman (as Jane) is kidnapped in a New York cab. An unexpected car accident lands her in the temporary safety of a hospital, under the care of unlikely intern John Garfield (as Michael "Mike" Lewis). Mr. Garfield wants to investigate Ms. Goodman because he's interested in amnesia cases. Garfield becomes even more intrigued when Coleman tells him she's not really forgetful, but being pursued by Nazi spies. Coleman doesn't want to go home with the man claiming to be her father, but he produces family pictures proving she's her daughter.

Psychic amnesia expert, and former Garfield professor, Raymond Massey (as Ingersoll) is hired as head shrink, by the wealthy Goodwin family. They have trouble getting "daughter" Coleman to return home, so Mr. Massey suggests Garfield come along as in-house physician. Garfield thinks their mansion is beautiful, but Coleman says it's a "concentration camp." It's really too bad "Dangerously They Live" makes it clear who the bad guys are, because this picture had greater potential.

Marion Parsonnet's story should have received a better treatment. It has a Hitchcockian sensibilities, but squanders much suspense potential. Imagine, for instance, a little re-writing and re-editing to make the moment Garfield receives the "Get the girl out of here - she is in grave danger" note the moment you KNOW, for sure, who is telling the truth. And, it would have been easy to adjust Garfield's "intern" character (and wardrobe) to more flatter the actor. He does as well as possible with the assignment, however. Robert Florey's direction, Coleman's debut performance, and Massey are impressive.

******* Dangerously They Live (12/24/41) Robert Florey ~ John Garfield, Nancy Coleman, Raymond Massey, Moroni Olsen

This movie should have been right up my alley. I love John Garfield. And love WW2 stories. But the tone is absolutely dopey. The terrible music is wall to wall. And the lead actress is one dimensional. Instead of being a Hitchcock it plays out with the depth of a 50s sitcom. Even Garfield looks lost and embarrassed. The worst part is that beats are played out over and over again. It's flat, silly, repetitious. The real culprit driving the badness is the actress. Nancy Coleman is it? She has no nuances. Delivers everything the same way. Painful. No wonder she didn't make it. Anyway that's enough.

Alfred Hitchcok is not my favorite director by any means but imagine what he could have done with this! The plot holds much potential for suspense. John Garfield is as almost always excellent and Raymond Massey is scarily cast against type. Nancy Coleman is not a very impressive leading lady but the supporting cast is large and very capable.

Yes it starts to sag fairly early. There are too many coincidences. And an important subject is trivialized by its being made into little more, in the end, than a love story.

It's fun to watch for Garfield, Massey, and the character performers. But it's not awfully good.

In New York City, mysterious men maneuver Jane Graystone (Nancy Coleman) into a specific taxi. It's a kidnapping but it goes wrong when the taxi gets into an accident. She is brought to the hospital where Dr. Mike Lewis (John Garfield) treats her for amnesia. She's faking. She reveals that she's actually a British agent being pursued by Nazi agents for secret information in her head.

It's a wartime espionage thriller. It's interesting to have this vast Nazi network but it does leave the question of why they don't just kill him. It's also a bit questionable that she is able to hold out against interrogation. I guess they can't actually show them torturing her. I like the threatening atmosphere but it doesn't really feel real. It's not really realistic but it's enough as a wartime thriller for the hungry masses weeks after Pearl Harbor.