CrimeDramaThriller

Appointment with Danger

- ALAN LADD as the U.S. Mail's ace agent smashes the biggest mail robbery plan in history!

Al Goddard, a detective who works for the United States Postal Inspection Service, is assigned to arrest two criminals who've allegedly murdered a U.S. postal detective.

Release Date : 1950-03-31

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Al Goddard

Original Name : Alan Ladd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sister Augustine

Original Name : Phyllis Calvert

Gender : Female

Character Name : Earl Boettiger

Original Name : Paul Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dodie

Original Name : Jan Sterling

Gender : Female

Character Name : Joe Regas

Original Name : Jack Webb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paul Ferrar

Original Name : Stacy Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Soderquist

Original Name : Harry Morgan

Gender : Male

Character Name : David Goodman

Original Name : David Bauer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maury Ahearn

Original Name : Dan Riss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Taylor

Original Name : Harry Antrim

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gene Gunner

Original Name : Paul Lees

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mother Ambrose

Original Name : Geraldine Wall

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leo Cronin

Original Name : George J. Lewis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Murray Alper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Byron Barr

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman

Original Name : Symona Boniface

Gender : Female

Character Name : Man

Original Name : Billy Engle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Window Dresser

Original Name : Fritz Feld

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nun

Original Name : Kathleen Freeman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Narrator

Original Name : Art Gilmore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Motorcycle Cop

Original Name : Frank Hagney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy

Original Name : Whitey Haupt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Jerry James

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fat Man

Original Name : Sheldon Jett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Pat Lane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sharkey

Original Name : William Meader

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman

Original Name : Patsy O'Byrne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Postal Truck Driver

Original Name : Hal Rand

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nun

Original Name : Frances Sandford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maxie Wilder

Original Name : Ralph Sanford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trainman

Original Name : Sid Tomack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brakeman

Original Name : Harry Tyler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Postmaster's Secretary

Original Name : Ann Tyrrell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Window Dresser

Original Name : Ernö Verebes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Herb Vigran

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chop Suey Proprietor

Original Name : Bruce Wong

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Police Seek Nun As Witness In Downtown Slaying! Appointment with Danger is directed by Lewis Allen and written by Richard L. Breen and Warren Duff. It stars Alan Ladd, Phyllis Calvert, Paul Stewart, Jan Sterling, Jack Webb, Stacy Harris and Harry Morgan. Music is by Victor Young and cinematography by John F. Seitz. Al Goddard (Ladd) is a U.S. Postal Inspector sent to investigate the grim murder of one of his colleagues. There's a witness to locate and possibly protect, a nun, Sister Augustine (Calvert), and soon enough Al has to go undercover as a crook to infiltrate the gang responsible for the murder. Not only that, but they plan to steal one million dollars being transported by the U.S.P.S., clearly Al has a lot on his plate. Alan Ladd's last film noir (though it barely qualifies as such) is good entertainment that relies on hardboiled speak more than it does action or mystery. A great opening involving the murder is kind of a false dawn, in that the mood and visual strengths on show here are rarely reproduced during rest of pic. However, that is a small complaint in truth because it's so much fun to be around Ladd's Al Goddard. We quickly learn that he is basically a great cop but not much of a human being, since we know who did the murder from the off, we have to rely on Goddard's undercover operation for our suspense quota, which comes in spades. Goddard is constantly at threat of being exposed, he has to consistently think on his feet, have a quip or yarn to spin to deflect suspicion, so this keeps things spicy in the story. The strand involving Calvert's nun is a weak one, it's clearly a narrative device to smooth out Goddard's rough edges, but it never really works and that the writers turn her into a dumb ass late in the play is annoying. Another irritant is that Sterling (wasted) as Paul Stewart's (good villain value as usual) moll really doesn't impact on proceedings, she wanders in and out of the film promising to be a femme fatale, but it never happens and after playing out as a weak red herring she exits with a whimper. Some smart location work is on show, with the backdrop of pool halls and cheap hotels utilised to good effect by Allen and Seitz, and a couple of scenes really sock the jaw; literally in one case! But it never rises above being a routine cops and robbers based homage to the U.S.P.S. Inspectors. Thankfully Ladd is on form and delivers the best parts of the screenplay with a steely cold sharpness that positively tickles the fancy of noir lovers. 6.5/10