Dangerous Passage

Studio-bound programmer. I expect the movie was good diversion for wartime audiences on the late shift. Seems inheritance-rich Beck (Lowery) gets onto a ship where the fog never lifts, a touch that's both atmospheric and cost cutting. On board, he quickly runs into intrigues where nobody can be trusted, not even the fetching Nita (Brooks)-- so, should he kiss her or search her. And will he ever get to Texas and claim his inheritance. He won't if the deck hands don't tie down the heavy oil drums better, or is it the shadowy guy with the rope-cutting knife. Well, after all, the movie is titled Dangerous Passage not Sunshine Cruises.

Plot-wise, the two separate intrigues are awkward and overloaded for a 60-minute runtime, suggesting that the insurance scheme, at least, should have been dropped. Except for LaRue's uncertain character, the acting is good for a programmer. And hats off to Lowery who must have jumped from one movie set to the next, so busy was he during this period. Nothing special here, just serviceable entertainment, even for generations later.

Dangerous Passage is an OK (2-stars out of 4) adventure about a US oil worker from South America who inherits $200,000.00 in 1940's dollars (equivalent to more than 10 times that today). Problem is, how can he get to the US in one piece to cash in?

To keep things interesting, Phyllis Brooks, who was the beautiful real-life Ipana toothpaste girl of the 1930's and 40's just happens to be along for the long boat ride to the US. Hard to believe that at the tender age of 30, making only 2 more movies the following year.

A couple of twists to the plot seem to come from nowhere and defy understanding. But they keep it all interesting.

Dangerous Passage is as action packed as the cowboy adventures of the era. A touch slow in spots, but it does keep moving through its 1-hour running time. If you really like this movie (and it is pretty likable), then the movie, "Captain Scarface" is also for you. Both are adventure dramas set on tramp freighters, with the tough guy and the beautiful girl... a classic combination.

Robert Lowery gets some news that he's inherited $200,000.00 and he's got to leave his job as an oil rigger and get to Galveston to claim it. He gets himself mugged on the docks in Tampico and decides to take an earlier sailing tramp freighter as a passenger. But there are some people who want to do him out of the inheritance.

Not only that there's a mysterious dame played by Phyllis Brooks on board, a solicitious steward in Alec Craig and all kinds of other people with mixed motives.

There's two situations going at the same time. Some people are out for the inheritance that he has and another group that means harm to the ship itself. Lowery has to deal with both.

This is not one of the better Pine-Thomas B films from Paramount. It's cheap and it shows. But I will say that Charles Arnt plays a most intriguing and voluble villain. Arnt is definitely taking his cues from Dudley Digges and Sydney Greenstreet as Casper Gutman, though without the gut. Lowery is nowhere near the 'character' that Humphrey Bogart was.

If you watch this film, do it mainly to see Charles Arnt.

After being informed that he has just inherited $200,000, "Joe Beck" (Robert Lowry) is then told that he needs to catch the ship departing from Honduras in a couple of days en route to Texas in order to claim it. However, after he is stalked by a man who subsequently tries to kill him, Joe decides to take the first cargo ship out instead. Unfortunately, this particular ship has a captain and first mate who share a sinister agenda that doesn't coincide with taking on passengers like Joe. And they are determined to get rid of him one way or another. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, although this movie was rather short (60 minutes) it still managed to maintain my interest for the most part. Admittedly, it had a grade-B look to it but the acting was adequate and having an attractive actress like Phyllis Brooks (as "Nita Paxton") certainly didn't hurt in any way. In any case, while it certainly didn't win any Academy Awards for that particular year, I thought this movie was good enough for a rainy day and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

A Mr. Beck shows up to a South American solicitor's office to find out he has inherited a fortune from a discarded uncle. The solicitor makes him show him his proof of who he is. Then gives him instructions on traveling back to Texas to claim his fortune. That evening he is attacked in an attempt to get his proof of identification papers and he accidentally kills the attacker defending himself. Realizing he has to get out of town quickly, he talks his way on to the only boat leaving port that night. The boat has an additional passenger, a woman who he thinks is a singer escaping her lot in life. On board the ship things aren't what they seem. The lady has a scheme hatched with a crew member...and the captain and other crew members have a scheme of their own going...to top it of the solicitor and another thug board the boat at one of the port stops!

This was a great twisted film noir plot...with a wonderful mid-movie Mexican serenade beachside moment.

If you are a film noir fan...this is one you should know in your repertoire.