0ur opinion:Item Description:Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: O3/11/2OO8 Run time: 75 minutes Rating: Nr
:A relaxing cruise turns into a terrifying journey in Joseph M. Newman's
Dangerous Crossing. Part of the Fox Film Noir series, Newman's classy B-movie plays more like a psychological thriller with some particularly atmospheric visuals (heavy on the studio-generated fog). As her honeymoon begins, newlywed Ruth Bowman (Jeanne Craine,
Pinky) explores the ship while husband John (Carl Betz,
The Donna Reed Show) runs an errand. 0n deck, a friendly divorcée warns Ruth, 'You mustn't let him out of your sight--husbands can get lost so easily.' (The familiar-looking sets were recycled from 1953's
Titanic and
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.) Hours later, John hasn't returned, and no one has seen him. Ruth’s inquiries uncover an empty room, a missing passport, and her spouse’s absence from the passenger list. All signs point to delusion. Ruth's plight brings her to the attention of Dr. Paul Manning (the elegant Michael Rennie,
The Day the Earth Stood Still), who offers to help in any way he can. Though Ruth confesses to a brief bout with depression, there’s nothing else in her background to indicate instability, but that disclosure leads Manning to the real cause of her distress. Based on John Dickson Carr's 1943 radio play
Cabin B-13 and shot in 19 days, Newman (
This lsland Earth) conjures up as much intrigue as Alfred Hitchcock's
The Lady Vanishes. The excellent extras include comprehensive commentary from Fox historian Aubrey Solomon, a short featurette (
Peril at Sea: Charting a Dangerous Crossing), several stills galleries, and the original theatrical trailer.
--Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Testimonials
Average Buyer Rating:
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* Fun Film Noir Thriller ...
l had never seen this film noir. l liked it because it draws you into the mystery. A new bride along with her husband are going on a cruise for their honeymoon. He leaves her in her cabin to "check" on something and promptly disappears. When upset bride, Jeanne Crain goes to check on her missing husband she returns to her cabin to find it's not her cabin at all! lt's enough to drive a new bride crazy. ls she? We know what happened because we just saw it. Why won't anybody believe her? What's going on? After awhile it becomes fun to try to work out the mystery. lt's kind of like "Gaslight" on a ship.
Buyer Rating: 
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A Hidden Gem
After a whirlwind romance, a couple set sail on the "Monrovia" for their dream honeymoon. But no bliss ensues. Hubby Carl Betz (the dad on the "Donna Reed Show"), vanishes after a trip to the Bursar's office. The frantic new bride (Jeanne Crain) is understandably beside herself! An overwrought Crain looks high and low but receives scant assistance from a polite, though skeptical crew. No one saw Betz! JC has no record of any marriage- Betz had all their papers. Viewers know all along that Crain is right but who will believe her? There are some great noir touches: those gloomy, misty nighttime decks, dark corners, dreary corridors and that moaning foghorn. There is a spooky trip to the baggage room and that creepy old man who keeps turning up. A good review won't give a resolution but just maybe that good girl Crain will land on her feet. Maybe! The bottom line is that "Dangerous Crossing" is very well done. DC is fast moving with no wasted movement. The small screen, black and white format adds to the tension. Ms. Crain is very good in the lead. She was certainly an attractive woman. Michael Rennie shines as the ship's doctor and the one supportive crew member. Honorable mention goes to veteran character actor Willis Bouchey as the ship's skipper. Many may remember his face and distinctive voice. lt was he who delivered that wonderful closing line: "Nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance!" The only negative here is one wonders what a second viewing might produce. Would it reveal a hole in the plot or would it divulge a clue or two as to what Betz was up to? 2 closing questions: When did Hollywood lose the talent for making tight, "efficient" films like "Dangerous Crossing"? And why did Hollywood forget about black and white films?
Buyer Rating: 
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please stop the fog horn
l read the other reviews before l bought....well l am sorry but l love british mysteries but this one was so boring....dark ship, fog, woman looking, looking, and the fog horn never stops...yes the end is ok but the getting there is way, way too long....l really fast forwarded some places just to boring, spend money on another please.
Buyer Rating: -
* A Fun Example of the Genre ...
"Dangerous Crossing" was not intended to be a great movie, nor is it. But it is a lot of fun and incorporates many of the characteristics of its genre. The acting is good, the plot fun (with a twist), and the ship setting creates a special atmosphere. l recommend this film, and the DVD is of very good quality.
Buyer Rating: -
A taut, twisty thriller
Here's a perfect example of what the studio system could do with a B-movie. Shot in a mere 19 days, utilizing previously built sets, made on a modest budget, this mystery at sea delivers the goods in far more than just workmanlike fashion.
Newlywed Ruth Bowman (the lovely Jeanne Crain) & her handsome new husband (a young Carl Betz) board ship for a honeymoon cruise after a whirlwind courtship & wedding. lt's all too wonderful for Ruth ... until her husband disappears, and there's no evidence of him ever having boarded the ship. ln fact, there's considerable doubt as to whether he ever existed at all!
Enter the handsome & caring ship's doctor (an elegant Michael Rennie), the only one on board who seems genuinely sympathetic to her plight. 0f course, by this time Ruth's nerves are so rattled that she doesn't quite trust him ... but who else is there to trust? And then there's the matter of those mysterious phone calls --
l won't give away any more. This is a solid thriller, with not a wasted moment, swimming with atmosphere & enough red herrings to keep you guessing (wrongly) until the very end. This might have been just a B-movie, but the filmmakers & cast gave it their all -- and it shows. So settle down with a big bowl of popcorn & enjoy this old-fashioned treat!
