Shot in 1949, this is the first movie that Jack Webb and Henry (Harry) Morgan appeared in together before pairing up in "Dragnet" (the second is "Dark City"). This movie was written by the same man who wrote the radio shows that Webb starred in, including "Dragnet," which had begun airing a few months before this movie was made. This movie starts off by describing the postal service in realistic form, and it seems like a total copy of the opening of "He Walked By Night," which also featured Webb. Unfortunately, this movie doesn't stay very realistic and it quickly turns into the standard film noir of its time. Alan Ladd is flat as cardboard in his performance, and he doesn't break a sweat in any of the intense scenes. Instead he totally glides through the movie with such ludicrous ease that he wipes out the thrill of it all. He single-handedly makes the plot seem like a joke. The supporting cast is good, and Webb is particularly good as the psychopathic killer. Jan Sterling, however, is one of the most forgettable "broads" of all film noir, as she serves strictly as a plot device to insert brief and futile tension in the movie. Phyllis Calvert, though, is adorably cute as the nun, giving a very believable performance.
Review of Appointment with Danger
