On Dangerous Ground

Directed by Nicholas Ray, On Dangerous Ground follows a grizzled detective (Robert Ryan’s Jim Wilson) as he’s sent up north to help out with a murder investigation – with complications ensuing after Jim finds himself drawn to the suspect’s (Sumner Williams’ Danny) blind sister (Ida Lupino’s Mary). Before it gets to that point, however, On Dangerous Ground boasts an engrossing first half revolving around Jim’s slice-of-life exploits as a loose-cannon cop with a growing disdain for his work – with the impact of this stretch undoubtedly heightened by Ryan’s commanding, mesmerizing turn as the weary, disillusioned central character. And while the initial shift to the murder investigation is handled exceedingly well by Ray, due mostly to an exciting chase sequence as Jim assists in the pursuit of Williams’ initially unseen figure, On Dangerous Ground‘s mid-movie emphasis on the back-and-forth between Ryan and Lupino’s respective protagonists essentially brings the proceedings to a dead stop (ie it’s just not terribly interesting, ultimately) – which, despite the inclusion of a fairly enthralling finale, ultimately cements the movie’s place as a distressingly erratic endeavor that fares best when focused on Ryan’s standout hero.

**1/2 out of ****