When it comes to danger and intrigue - as well as cliches and the same set being used in fifteen different ways - you've got 'Dangerous Assignment!' This is really great early TV fun. Hats off to star Brian Donlevy who produced the series himself. It becomes obvious through occasional improvised lines and slip-ups that the star and cast are having as much fun as we are.
Sewers, caves, yachts, speeding trains there's no end to exotic cheap soundstage locations. Not to mention the same cafe and apartment hideout redecorated again and again. Government agent Steve Mitchell is really rather incompetent; as he never figures out his assignment and the true cause of the 'trouble' until he gets conked on the head several times and most of his co-stars are murdered. Mitchell gets knocked out so often it's a wonder he has any brain left at all. Not to mention all of those countless flesh wounds!
Brian Donlevy, with his stout build and frumpy clothes, makes an unlikely James Bond, but all the women find him irresistible and immediately fall for him. True to form; he is too busy saving the interests of the free world against an unspecified unfriendly power to allow much time for dilly-dally with the ladies. Brian Donlevy is so much fun if you know anything of his backstory. He was quite an adventurer and dashing character in real life and a central figure and witness to much of Hollywood's early history.
'Dangerous Assignment' is simply great in it's generous helpings of corny plots, contrived characters and (cough) riveting action. Watch it with friends as an assignment in early television history... and you'll all soon be rooting for Steve Mitchell- government agent!
* originally a radio show - all 91 episodes are available at 'Internet Archive'
