On Dangerous Ground (4 stars)

On Dangerous Ground, is a 1952 crime drama starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino.  Net Flix categorizes it as film noir; however, I think it's only very mildly noir.  Since it also gets me a bit misty-eyed, I guess it's slightly sentimental too.

Robert Ryan plays Jim Wilson, a disillusioned cop with an anger problem.

 After eleven years on the force, he's cynical and untrusting...and violent, often beating suspects to get information out of them. Telling Jim that he is behaving like a "gangster with a badge" and feeling that a change of environment will do him good, Jim's superior sends him to a rural town "up north", where he can help solve a murder case. It is there that Jim meets Ida Lupino's character, Mary, a blind woman whose mentally unstable brother is the one believed responsible for the murder. 

Robert Ryan, who I think was an extremely under-rated actor, does his usual splendid job in this role. Ida Lupino is lovely in her role as the vulnerable blind woman. And she does a brilliant job playing blind. The scenes between them are surprisingly tender, showing Ryan's amazing depth as an actor. Although he is often "the heavy,"  and is to an extent in this film, the gentleness he exhibits towards Mary is quite lovely.  A few of the scenes between them brought tears to my eyes.

On Dangerous Ground makes a profound statement about loneliness and lonely people. It is definitely a solid 4 star film.  I only wish it had been a bit longer (running time is only 81 minutes)!!!  Out on DVD, this movie should be quite easy to track down.

Happy viewing!!!