Dangerous Days

This is a very entertaining film and moves along pretty quickly. The acting is generally good, with top honors going to the lovely Ann Forrest, as the ill-fated Anna Klein. Lawson Butt (as Clayton Spencer) and Clarissa Selwynne (as Natalie Spencer) are adequate, while future director Rowland V. Lee, as Graham, shows a good range of emotions. Barbara Castleton is lovely as Audrey, but Pauline Starke (as Delight) is barely given any screen time. Frank Leigh (as Rudolph Klein) makes a nasty villain. Stanton Heck (as Herman Klein) gives an understated and sympathetic performance early on, but as the film progresses, he goes just a bit over the top.

At least one scene is probably missing from the print I watched. During a costume party, we see a mysterious woman asking Clayton Spencer for a pen. She then substitutes another pen for it when she returns it. This is never explained. Earlier on, we see a detective capturing a German spy and taking a pen from him, sarcastically telling the spy "I have a pen collection." Contemporaneous reviews mention that the pen at the costume party contained an explosive which detonated; however, none of the characters were injured.

Natalie Spencer is shown for a split second with a mustachioed character, in what appears to be a romantic situation. No context is provided. Again, contemporaneous reviews mention that her character is having an affair with an architect named Rodney Page, played by Bertram Grassby (who did have a mustache). Delight Haverford is shown briefly in the beginning of the film, then just shows up at the end. One must wonder if her character had more scenes. Finally, the beating scene is implied; we never see Herman actually swing the strap at Anna.