Cry Danger (1951)

Dick Powell gets off a train and walks through the terminal. Two men follow him. His picture is on the front page of the paper as a convict released from prison. The two men are a policemen (Regis Toomey) who wants to talk to him and the man who provided the alibi that allowed him to get out. The man who sold him the paper watches them go and makes a phone call. The policeman wants to know where the money in the hold-up is hidden. Powell does not know the man who made the alibi. He was an ex-soldier who lied to get Powell out, assuming he would be rewarded with the hold-up money. Powell said he didn't do it, but he knows who did. They go to see the wife of Powell's best friend, who lives in a trailer park. Powell wants to rent a trailer for them. Erdman, the alibi guy, takes up with Jean Porter, a cutie who lives there and who happens to be a pickpocket. Rhonda Fleming is his friend's wife. Powell tells her he hopes to open up the case and get him released. He and Fleming are stuck on each other, but each is loyal to his friend.

Powell goes to see William Conrad, who was the man who planned the robbery. He tells him the wants $50,000 compensation for the five years he gave up. When he arrives back at the trailer court, a shot is fired at him. He goes to see the wife of the man who fingered him, but he has died. She tells him that the man came into some money about the time of his trial, but it was in cash. He bets of a fixed race that is supposed to be how Conrad pays him part of the money. He and Erdman take the girls out to a night club. Toomey comes in and says that the bills he has been using is part of a payroll robbery, so they have to give it to him. They go back down the line to trace the money to its source, but the man who paid him off is not there and the back room has been boarded up. The girl who took the bet is not there. It is looking like Powell is the one who got the hot money. Toomey calls Conrad, and he denies knowing that Powell is in town, but is obviously lying, so Toomney lets him go. Powell slugs Conrad when he comes back to his apartment. He tells him he wants all of the money, and that Toomey knows he lied. Conrad calls a couple of hit men who are waiting at the trailer court. They shoot Erdman and Porter by mistake.

Toomey calls in Powell, Fleming and Conrad for interrogation. He tells Powell he will not be tailed any more. Powell gets his gun. Fleming begs him not to go, but he does anyway. When Conrad gets to his car, Powell is waiting for him. He forces Conrad to play Russian roulette. Conrad tells him that his buddy pulled the job and that Fleming has the rest of the money. Powell has him call the police. He calls his hoods, but Powell knows it and makes him make the call again. The police show up just in time. Powell goes to see Fleming. She admits to having the money, and wants them to go away together. Toomey is waiting out side, and Powell tells him the story, and walks away.





Powell and Fleming