1-0 in favour of Uncle Charlie Robert Florey's noir is secondary. Hitchcock’s “shadow of doubt” appears from the very first frames: in a hotel room, a man kills and robs his mistress. The criminal goes to another city and lives for his own pleasure, but a woman close to him begins to suspect something.
Zachary Scott, of course, is an antagonist with experience - in addition to "Danger Signal" on his account "The Mask of Dimitrios", "Rightless", "Mildred Pierce". However, the comparison with Joseph Cotten Scott does not stand: the hero of “Shadow of a doubt” and discharged, and played much better. The character of "Signal" is too happy and straightforward, outspoken in his greed. Ronnie Mason is devoid of the halftones of Uncle Charlie.
Another trouble of “Danger Signal” is the excess of storylines: the villain-writer (in “House by the River” by Fritz Lang this topic will be revealed more interesting); the rivalry of the sisters over the man and the whole line of the younger sister; attempts at psychoanalysis; failed poisoning ... There are too many ingredients in the salad, which inevitably affects the quality.
And, nevertheless, I put 7 points – one of them goes personally to Bruce Bennett, who played an indecisive scientist in love with the heroine. Bennett is the only one of Tarzan’s early performers to be a really good artist. “The Man I Love,” “Sahara,” “Mildred Pierce,” “Second Person,” “Mysterious Street,” “Without Honor” – he’s different and reliable everywhere. For me personally, a worthy acting job is a weighty reason to highly appreciate the film, even if it is not a masterpiece of world cinema.
7 out of 10