museumofdave The woman in the title is not particularly dangerous, but she seems to be crashingly masochistic. Joan Crawford, at this point in her acting career, has been playing women with an elegant sense style who fall for the wrong men, and this time it's super-petulant David Brian, who has probably been pouting since his older sister snapped his slingshot. Early in the film, Our Joan discovers her sight is in jeopardy, and purely by accident begins to bond with her doctor, mild-mannered but sensitive Dennis Morgan, set free from Warner's musicals for a year or so; Brian soon discovers the clandestine romance, and is ready to kill someone! He loves to wave his gun around! Although not as tightly written as this semi-noir melodrama could be, there are plenty of exciting set pieces that delight the eye and excite the intellect--all the stuff with the trailer pursued by the motorcycle copy is, while totally illogical, fascinating and beautifully filmed, and therein for me lies a major interest in this film--the superb, careful use of the camera with which Warner films could be so effective--brilliant set interiors lit perfectly, whether in the home of a sick child's poor parents, or in an operating room's audience gallery, providing a dazzling set piece finale where everybody get's involved and there's enough shattered glass to build an igloo! Cinematographer Ted McCord is the man behind the camera; he's already lensed Crawford in numerous other films, and is responsible for a rich heritage of classics from The Treasure of The Sierra Madre to The Sound of Music--a dedicated artists, McCord's work could make a meatball look like filet mignon. A sincere dedication from dozens of Warner contract players contribute to a wide variety of locales--from hospital waiting rooms to trailer parks, prison laundry rooms to doctor's offices, and the film, I think, accurately reflects the ability of a major studio to churn out a decent film every few weeks worthy of watching. This Woman Is Dangerous is no Mildred Pierce or Humoresque, but Joan is still in top form, manages to command attention, and there are few that can suffer as bravely. Well...Kay Francis, maybe..but that's another story.....

kapelusznik18 ***SPOILERS***Odd and bizarre combination crime love story with the always abused, as of late, Joan Crawford as gun moll Beth Austin who somehow gets involved romantically with handsome and single, he wife walked out on him, Dr. Ben Halleck, Dennis Morgan, who against his better judgment saved Beth's eyesight after she was on the verge of going blind. It's Beth's jealous and love crazed boyfriend Matt Jackson, David Brian, who feels that she's cheating on him behind his back and plans to ice her lover Dr. Halleck and her as well. The thing is that Beth is actually in love with Matt despite his unbalanced mental condition but for her to explain that to him is like squeezing water out of sand in the Sahara Desert.While this is going on with Beth convalescing after her operation in the hospital Matt and his kid brother Will, Philip Cary, are involved in a number of crimes one the murder of a state trooper who stopped their trailer for a minor litter, throwing a whiskey bottle out on the highway, infraction. Already wanted in the armed robbery of a legal gambling casino Matt has a murder rap hanging over his head but the love obsessed guy is only interested in getting Dr. Hallack whom he feels stole his girl Beth away from him.The climatic and sensational ending to this really strange film has the by now completely out of his skull Matt Jackson burst into the operating room when the targeted for death Dr. Hallack in preforming a delicate operation. With everyone having surgical masks on Matt demands the operating crew unmask themselves so he can see and blast Dr. Halleck right in the middle of the operation he's preforming! That's if Beth and the police don't get there in time to stop him.What's there to say about a movie like this but that it will leave you speechless in trying to figure out what and why an Academy Award winning actress like Joan Crawford would have any part much less be the star of this overcooked turkey. Still the film is one of Mrs. Crawford's most memorable in that she in fact pulled it off despite the lousy script she was handed that a far less accomplished actress would find difficult if not impossible to breath life into. As for Mrs. Crawford's co-star David Brian he was so off the wall and crazy, love crazy, you wondered what she saw in him in the first place that had her meekly put up with his crazed and jealous antics to the point that almost ended up getting her killed by him, the one who supposedly loved her, of all people!

seymourblack-1 In "This Woman Is Dangerous", the female leader of a criminal gang finds that her life changes dramatically when she experiences problems with her eyesight and has to have a risky operation in order to avoid the prospect of going blind. Violence, romance and the need to be economical with the truth, all play their parts in the melodramatic events that follow as this tough woman has to come to terms with situations which make her feel uncomfortably vulnerable.Beth Austin (Joan Crawford) masterminds a successful casino robbery in New Orleans in which her gang members pose as police officers who are raiding the premises and immediately after, has to go to Indianapolis for emergency surgery to save her eyesight. She leaves behind her extremely jealous lover Matt Jackson (David Brian) and tells him to keep a low profile until she returns. After undergoing surgery, Beth and her surgeon, Dr Ben Halleck (Dennis Morgan) fall in love and this creates some difficulties as Beth doesn't want Ben to know about her shady past and also knows that if she's totally open about her feelings, she'll effectively be putting his life in danger.Predictably, the fiercely violent Matt is unable to keep out of trouble and after an argument with his equally volatile brother and fellow gang member Will (Philip Carey), provokes an incident which culminates in him shooting a state trooper. When Beth's absence is extended longer than originally planned because she needs to stay in Indianapolis for tests after her operation, Matt gets increasingly impatient and hires a private detective to find out what's going on.Beth then has to steer a complicated course as she feels some loyalty to Matt but also has strong feelings for Ben. The fact that there's also an FBI agent and Matt's private detective monitoring her actions poses additional threats and inevitably, it isn't long before matters are brought to an extremely violent conclusion.There's a great deal of tough talking and some sudden outbursts of violence in the scenes where members of the gang are involved and this contrasts dramatically with the scenes in which Ben is present. He represents a different and more civilised lifestyle to that which Beth had been used to in the past.Joan Crawford's performance varies from subtle to over-the-top but overall, she perfectly meets the demands of her role which is the main focus of the whole story. David Brian makes a strong impression as the hot-headed Matt and Philip Carey provides good support as the not-very-bright Will, who likes to stir up arguments and get into fights."This Woman Is Dangerous" comprises an unusual mixture of violence and romance as well as toughness and vulnerability in a crime drama that features some marvellous cinematography by Ted McCord.

blanche-2 Like others on this board, I'm surprised that Joan Crawford would call "This Woman is Dangerous" her worst film. This from the woman who made Straitjacket, Berserk, and Trog? "This Woman is Dangerous" was Crawford's last film at Warners, and perhaps she felt like she was headed downhill at Warners the way she had headed downhill at MGM. By then she was used to seeing the signs. But for the viewer, on the surface, at least, the movie is serviceable. Crawford stars as Beth Austin, a gangsteress with vision problems and a jealous boyfriend, Matt Jackson (David Brian). She goes to Indiana to have a special operation by a known surgeon, Dr. Halleck (Dennis Morgan), and the two develop feelings for one another. Knowing the good doctor's fate at the hands of her beau if she gives in, Beth resists his advances.The film is a strange mix of romance and film noir, but the tension is always there. Phil Carey plays Brian's brother, and the two have a volatile relationship; Matt is always sure Beth has run off with another guy; the police are looking for Beth.Pretty good, though it drags a bit.