Appointment With Danger (1951)

A postal inspector (Alan Ladd) is investigating the murder of another postal inspector and his only witness is a nun (the British actress Phyllis Calvert in her only Hollywood film). He decides to infiltrate the gang responsible for the murder in an attempt to gather enough evidence for conviction. Directed by Lewis Allen (THE UNINVITED), this is an uninspired heist film and never creates enough apprehension or trepidation to engage us. As usual, Ladd’s bland acting fails to draw us to his character and Calvert doesn’t have much to do except act saintly. There are two shocking acts of brutality that come out of nowhere or perhaps they seem more shocking than they are because of the flatness of the rest of the film. Not surprisingly, the baddies are a much more colorful group. Paul Stewart is the cool ringleader, Jack Webb the chilling killing machine, Harry Morgan as the doomed henchman and Jan Sterling, very good as Stewart’s moll.