Warner Archive keeps the classic noir coming with the recent DVD release of the 1945 thriller "Danger Signal." This one is notable for being especially Hitchcockian regarding the threat being under the same roof as the increasingly suspicious prey.
"Danger" does Hitchcock one better by opening with runaway wife Alice Turner as dead (and limp) as a mackerel on a bed while scoundrel Reggie Mason (Zachary Scott of "Mildred Pierce") takes the money (and the wedding ring) and runs literally a few steps from being caught.
The action then shifts to the lively office of Jane Hathawayesque efficient and well-liked skilled stenographer Hilda Fenchurch (Faye Emerson of the recently reviewed "Hotel Berlin.") Her clients/friends/potential suitors include psychiatrist Dr. Jill Silla ('60s sitcoms legend Rosemary DeCamp) and biologist Dr. Andrew Lang.
The Hitchcock vibe intensifies when the worlds of Reggie and Hilda collide in a manner in which one can validly blame the mother. Widowed Mrs. Fenchurch is advertising a room for rent in the family house at the same time that the net is tightening around Reggie. The same charm that facilitates Reggie romancing vulnerable woman only to take their lives and their loot results in his becoming the artful lodger in Chez Fenchurch.
"Signal" further follows the model of peerless Hitchcock and his fellow noir filmmakers by showing from the beginning how Reggie plies his trade. The subtle seduction of Hilda includes a tried-and-true technique that solves one mystery regarding the fate of Alice who does not live here anymore.
The highlight of this wooing is a a heavily manipulated weekend away in which Reggie takes the old running out of gas gag to the next level. This leads to a shameful form of regifting that shows the extent of the depravity of our male black widow.
Younger, prettier (and more vulnerable) sister Anne Fernchurch returning home further thickens the plot. It is obvious to all that Reggie is starting to treat Hilda like hamburger compared to her cash cow of a sibling.
Coming out from under the spell of Reggie prompts Hilda to turn from prey to hunter with a little help from her friends; this leads to suspense in the form of whether these allies can execute a timely intervention as the clock essentially winds down.
Some of the best surprises are kept for the last as the true natures of principal players are asserted in manners that achieve as much justice as possible.
The bigger picture this time is that (especially in the Internet Age) everyone is vulnerable to some form of seduction by folks with impure motives. A related aspect of this is the sad fact (especially in this age of abbreviated courtships) that we do not know the "crazy" of the highly significant person in our lives and they do not know ours until after you are living under the same roof. This supports the theory that dogs (and cats) are man's (and woman's) best friend.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Danger" is strongly encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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