Out In The 1950s Film Noir Night-Jeanne Crain’s Dangerous Crossing

From The Pen Of Frank Jackman

DVD Review

Dangerous Crossing, starring Jeanne Crain, Michael Rennie, Carl Betz, 1953

You really should be wary of whirlwind romances, quick romances that end in marriage, and maybe danger. No I am not an old spoilsport, a naysaying in matters of the heart, but unless you know somebody for a while, get a feel for what they are about, get that “under your skin” feeling then back off, back off a little. You just never know when some guy or gal might be a gold-digger just looking to get fat and sassy at your expense.

Take the lovely Ruth (played by Jeanne Crain) in the 1950s film noir mystery under review, Dangerous Crossing, she was feeling blue after the sudden death of her rich father and grabbed onto the nearest Johnnie around, took the whirlwind, and then the marriage plunge. If she had taken my advice, or had this John Bowman (played by Carl Betz) guy who swept her off her feet checked out she could have saved herself a lot of angst and anguish. But no she took the plunge, clueless, and then went on a honeymoon cruise that took the starch out of everything.

Now your average ship cruise, until lately anyway, is pretty uneventful, just food, booze and shuffleboard. But from about minute one this turned out to be the cruise from hell and Ruth’s life was upended. The loving couple (knowing each other for all of four weeks), Ruth and John, boarded the ship and then John took a powder, went missing. Ruth, a little unstable due to the father’s death, was frantic. She looked everywhere, asked everybody about his whereabouts, making a general nuisance of herself in the process. Nobody seemed to believe her story denying that this John was on board. She was ultimately medical help by one Doctor Manning (played by Michael Rennie) but was looked at by one and all as a looney.

But here is the funny thing this John was on board, had a confederate on board (okay, his real honey, but that’s still a confederate isn’t it), and had created an elaborate hoax to do away with Ruth and grab her dough. Now you know in these film noir things, particularly 1950s noir, that the main point driven home is that crime does not pay so you know that, elaborate hoax or not, this Johnnie is doomed. Watch the film is find out how. Oh yah, and be careful, very careful the next time you have a whirlwind romance. Enough said.