Highly Dangerous

1950 British film
  • Margaret Lockwood
  • Dane Clark
  • Marius Goring
  • Naunton Wayne
CinematographyReginald H. WyerEdited byAlfred RoomeMusic byRichard Addinsell
Production
company
Two Cities Films
Distributed by
  • General Film Distributors (UK)
  • Lippert Pictures (US)
Release dates
  • 6 December 1950 (1950-12-06) (London)
  • 12 October 1951 (1951-10-12) (US)
Running time
88-90 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish

Highly Dangerous is a 1950 British spy film starring Margaret Lockwood and Dane Clark. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker, based on a screenplay and novel The Dark Frontier written by Eric Ambler.

It was released in the US by Lippert Pictures as Time Running Out.

Plot

Frances Gray is as a British entomologist trying to stop a biological attack with the help of an American journalist.[1]

Cast

Production

Margaret Lockwood had not made a film in 18 months following Madness of the Heart, and had been focusing on stage work.[2] Earl St John wanted a comeback vehicle and commissioned Eric Ambler to write a film specifically as a vehicle for Lockwood. Ambler had recently specialised in melodramas, but Highly Dangerous was a comedy thriller in the vein of Lockwood's earlier hits, The Lady Vanishes and Night Train to Munich.[3] It was directed by Roy Ward Baker, who had served with Ambler during the war.[4]

"One thing about Eric is that he presents you with a script that is beautifully finished in every detail", said Baker.[5] He added " Eric had invented a language for the people the other side of the curtain which wasn’t Russian or anything else and the poor actors had to learn this stuff. He was playing a game with that."[6]

"I think Margaret Lockwood wanted to play a modern woman", recalled Baker. "It was actually Eric Ambler's first or second book, although the book had a different title and its main character was a man; Eric changed it to a woman to make it more interesting."[7]

The studio wanted a Hollywood leading man to play opposite Lockwood. Wendell Corey was originally sought[8] before the role was given to Dane Clark, who had recently left Warner Bros. "He was just delivering a stock leading man movie performance which was virtually nothing," said Baker. "He wasn’t very efficient. I think he fell in love with London. He also fell deeply in love with Jean Simmonds which was unrequited. He was a pillock I’m afraid. Marius Goring played the Belgravian heavy he was very heavy I'm afraid. I couldn't control him at all. It was a satisfactory run of the mill picture."[6]

There was location work done in Trieste. "I found it very difficult to make anything of that location," said Baker. "I was a bit disappointed and to tell the truth I didn't do it very well. The reason I say that is that many years later... I realised I’d been trying to piece it together in a logical way, sticking to the topography of Trieste I’d done myself an injury because the audience doesn't give a damn."[6]

Filming started at Pinewood Studios in June 1950.[9]

Reception

Baker later said that "Highly Dangerous wasn't a very successful picture.... It was a good idea although I don't think I did it very well."[10]

References

  1. ^ "BRITISH THRILLER". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 19, no. 4. Australia. 27 June 1951. p. 29. Retrieved 1 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Maggie comes back in Highly Dangerous". The Sunday Times. Perth. 7 May 1950. p. 10 Supplement: Sunday Times MAGAZINE. Retrieved 31 October 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Ambler writes a thriller-comedy". Times Pictorial. Dublin, Ireland. 15 April 1950. p. 13.
  4. ^ STEPHEN WATTS (20 May 1951). "SUCCESS IN THE SHADOW OF FAILURE: Roy Baker Makes Mark as Director at Scene of Faded British Hopes On His Own Quick Return Army Training". New York Times. p. X5.
  5. ^ McFarlane p 49
  6. ^ a b c Fowler, Roy (Oct–Nov 1989). "Interview with Roy Ward Baker" (PDF). British Entertainment History Project.
  7. ^ McFarlane p 50
  8. ^ "IN THE FILM SPOTLIGHT". The Mirror. Vol. 27, no. 1457. Western Australia. 22 April 1950. p. 16. Retrieved 10 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "JUST VERY, VERY, DEAR FRIENDS". The Mirror. Vol. 27, no. 1463. Western Australia. 3 June 1950. p. 15. Retrieved 10 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ McFarlane p 49-50

Notes

  • McFarlane, Brian, An Autobiography of British Cinema, 1997

External links

  • Highly Dangerous at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  • Highly Dangerous at TCMDB
  • Highly Dangerous at Britmovie
  • Highly Dangerous at AllMovie
  • Film4 review
  • Review of film at Variety
  • v
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Films directed by Roy Ward Baker