Cry Danger (1951) in Color — Starring Dick Powell & Rhonda Fleming

Cry Danger (1951) – Buy This Classic Film Noir in Color

Experience the razor-sharp Cry Danger (1951) in stunning colorized HD. Directed by Robert Parrish, this tight, fast-paced film noir stars Dick Powell as a tough ex-convict who has just been released from prison after serving five years for a robbery he did not commit — and who returns to the seedy streets of Los Angeles determined to find the real thieves, clear his best friend who is still behind bars, and recover the stolen money. Drawn into a dangerous web that includes a beautiful but vulnerable woman (Rhonda Fleming), a drunken ex-Marine with a dubious alibi (Richard Erdman), and a ruthless gangster (William Conrad) who will kill to keep the truth buried, Powell must navigate a world where everyone lies and trust is a luxury no one can afford. With brilliant dialogue, atmospheric cinematography, and Dick Powell at his most sardonic and dangerous, this is film noir at its purest and most entertaining. Now available as a premium digital download for just €15.00 — DRM-free and yours to keep forever.

Plot Summary

Rocky Mulloy (Dick Powell) walks out of San Quentin after five years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. He was convicted of participating in an armed robbery that netted $100,000, along with his best friend Danny Morgan, who is still serving time. Rocky has maintained his innocence throughout, and now he is free — released on the testimony of a man named Delong (Richard Erdman), a one-legged ex-Marine who claims to have been with Rocky on the night of the robbery.

Rocky returns to Los Angeles, where Danny’s beautiful wife Nancy (Rhonda Fleming) has been waiting — waiting for Danny, but drawn to Rocky in ways that complicate an already tangled situation. Rocky is not interested in starting a new life. He wants the truth: who committed the robbery, where is the $100,000, and how can he get Danny out of prison.

The trail leads to Castro (William Conrad), a massive, soft-spoken gangster whose apparent geniality conceals a capacity for sudden, extreme violence. Castro was involved in the original robbery, and the $100,000 is still out there somewhere — hidden, fought over, and generating a body count that rises with each day Rocky investigates.

Delong, meanwhile, proves to be an unreliable and dangerous companion. His testimony freed Rocky, but his motives are far from altruistic — he wants a share of the stolen money, and his alcoholic recklessness threatens to expose the entire investigation to Castro’s violent attention. Rocky must manage Delong, protect Nancy, track the money, and stay alive, all while navigating a Los Angeles underworld populated by people who would cheerfully slit his throat for a fraction of the $100,000.

The investigation winds through seedy trailer parks, smoky nightclubs, and dangerous back alleys toward a climax that resolves Rocky’s quest with the kind of tough, morally complicated justice that defines the best noir fiction.

Cast & Crew

Director: Robert Parrish
Stars: Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Erdman, William Conrad, Regis Toomey, Jean Porter

Dick Powell is magnificent — the former crooner turned tough guy delivering razor-sharp dialogue with the casual menace of a man who has survived prison and has nothing left to fear. Rhonda Fleming brings beauty and vulnerability to the woman caught between loyalty and desire. William Conrad is chillingly effective as the soft-spoken gangster whose politeness makes his capacity for violence even more frightening. Richard Erdman provides a memorable turn as the drunken, scheming ex-Marine.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The gritty Los Angeles locations — seedy trailer parks where drunks pass the time, smoky bars where dangerous men make dangerous deals, the sunlit boulevards that mask the corruption beneath, and the shadowy nighttime streets where violence waits — are brilliantly enhanced through expert colorization. The visual contrast between the bright California sunshine and the dark moral landscape creates a quintessentially noir atmosphere that is even more striking in full colour. Now also available in colour. Own this razor-sharp noir classic for just €15.00 — where freedom comes with a price.

Historical Significance

Cry Danger was the directorial debut of Robert Parrish, who had won an Academy Award for editing Body and Soul and who brought an editor’s sense of pace and economy to his first directorial effort. The result is one of the leanest, most efficiently constructed noirs of the era — not a single scene is wasted, not a single line of dialogue is unnecessary. Dick Powell, who had reinvented his career from musical star to tough-guy actor with Murder, My Sweet, gives one of his finest noir performances. The film’s Los Angeles locations — particularly the trailer park that serves as Rocky’s base of operations — provide an authentic and unglamorous portrait of postwar L.A. that contrasts sharply with Hollywood’s usual version of the city. Through colorization, this essential film noir has been preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes – professionally colorized from the original black-and-white
• Audio: Original English mono soundtrack
• Runtime: Approximately 79 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes – no restrictions on playback
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is Dick Powell good as a tough guy?
A: Superb. Powell’s transformation from musical star to hard-boiled leading man was one of Hollywood’s most remarkable reinventions, and this performance — sardonic, dangerous, and coolly intelligent — is among his very best in the noir genre.

Q: Is the dialogue sharp?
A: Some of the sharpest in all of film noir. The screenplay crackles with wit, menace, and the kind of cynical intelligence that makes every conversation feel like a chess game where the stakes are survival.

Q: Is William Conrad really threatening?
A: Memorably so. Conrad’s soft voice and polite manner make his character’s sudden eruptions of violence genuinely shocking. He is one of the great overlooked noir villains.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file in 720p HD resolution, compatible with all major devices and media players.

Q: Is there DRM on this download?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free, meaning you can watch it on any device without restrictions or expiration dates.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchasing?
A: Your download link is available immediately after payment. You can start watching within minutes of completing your purchase.

Related Colorized Classics

• Murder, My Sweet (1944)
• Out of the Past (1947)
• The Big Sleep (1946)
• Pitfall (1948)
• The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)