Danger Patrol

I knew that nitroglycerin is a dangerous explosive, but I still enjoyed how the dispatcher, Frank M. Thomas, tells the new 'soup' handler, John Beal, that fact. "Here's a picture of a truck that the 'soup' blew up" says Thomas, and it's a blank picture. Beal's love interest is Sally Eilers, the daughter of the veteran soup handler, Harry Carey. She won't marry marry Beal because of the worry involved. And he won't quit because he wants the money the job pays to get to medical school. In desperation, he takes a dangerous job flying 'soup' to Mexico to put out an oil well fire. But Carey, sensing Eilers really loves Beal, takes matters in hand.

The drama is dedicated to the 'soup handlers' who made oil exploration possible, but it tends to telegraph events which robs the viewer of some suspense. We see throughout the anxiety the wives suffer about the fate of their husbands. It is easy to predict one of the handlers will be killed. ("What did they bury?" one mourner at the funeral asks. "Part of a shoe they found.") And it was easy to predict Carey's actions at the end. Clouzot's "Salaire de la peur, Le (1953)" is clearly a much better film on the same subject, but Danger patrol still is watchable entertainment.

Dan Loring (John Beal) gets a job with the Goliath Explosives Corp. They deliver nitroglycerin to oil drilling sites. They call it soup. He's paired with veteran driver Sam Street (Harry Carey) who shows him how to handle the explosives and use it deep underground. He starts a relationship with Sam's daughter Cathy Street (Sally Eilers).

Of course, the comparison is The Wages of Fear, but this is nowhere near the intensity. I still like the nitro stuff although this movie handles it like a government educational film. I can do without the romance. After they tease the audience with explosives, it's hard to sit through a boring romance. Even going up into the sky does nothing to increase the intensity.

Stagy, corny boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-regains-girl melodrama, but a solid glimpse of a world gone by and John Beal's moment as a male lead.

John Beal apprentices as a 'soup handler' under Harry Carey. They're the people who carry nitroglycerin where it's needed, on the oil fields typically, to start a well flowing or put out a fire. He needs the money so he can go to medical school. Then Carey takes him for dinner, and Beal meets his daughter, Sally Eilers. She spends her life worrying that Carey is going to blow himself up. Of course she and Beal fall in love.

It's a good idea for a movie, and the script is all right. Carey, as always, is a pleasure to watch on the screen, with his open, honest delivery. But the director is Lew Landers, a capable B director who worked at such a furious pace that he was beloved of cheaper producers, but would never get the chance or the time for an A picture. The year this came out, he directed nine pictures. No one can excel at that rate, even with those leads. In the 1950s he moved into television. Landers died in 1962 at the age of 61.

Adventure writer Sy Bartlett (who created the tv series 12 O'CLOCK HIGH), likely knew someone who dealt with nitroglycerin, or a darn good story to tell.

The ultra dangerous job of transporting the lethal explosive is in the hands of young John Beal (Dan), who needs the money for med school. I agree, there's the familiar plot of the guy meeting a girl (Cathy), played by Sally Eilers, losing her -- then getting her back! However, it's still an exciting roller coaster ride and very interesting (from a technical standpoint) as to how this material is transported, either by air or truck.

Great to see western legend Harry Carey, playing Eiler's wise, old pop (Sam), an ace transporter of nitro himself, who has some warnings for Dan, coming within inches of getting BLOWN to bits. Sally Eilers, who at one time was married to cowboy star Hoot Gibson, likely knew Harry Carey personally, perhaps why they both appeared together.

The notes are correct; Dan is paid an incredible amount of money for his job, $40.00 dollars per day -- which in today's market be close to $900 dollars. So you really can't blame the guy for taking a chance! But is it really worth it? Wait and see.

John Beal, who had a long career in films, was known to many fans for his appearances on DARK SHADOWS. Comedian Lee Patrick co-stars as Nancy. Edward Gargan plays John, and look for Bruce Bennett, cast in many Warner Brothers film classics. Dracula co-star Dwight Frye has a bit role.

FYI; Possibility this film could have inspired the Charlie Chan classic, CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA, with saboteurs attempting to blow up the Panama Canal with nitro.

Thanks much to TCM for bringing this oldie out of retirement. Shop around as this adventure may be on dvd in a box set, or sold via indie film suppliers, likely on dvd only.