JohnHowardReid An A.C.T. (Association of Cinema Technicians) Production, made at Nettlefold Studios. U.K. release through Monarch: July 1954. No U.S. theatrical release, but distributed to TV through Modern Sound Pictures. Australian release through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: 31 October 1955. 5,563 feet. 61 minutes. Censored by 90 seconds in Australia.SYNOPSIS: A member of the security staff at a London airport loses heavily at the dog races, thus falling into the clutches of a blackmailing gangster.VIEWER'S GUIDE: The British Board of Film Censors found no cuts at all were necessary in the original film in order that it might qualify for a "Universal" certificate, allowing it to be exhibited without any restraints on advertising and notification that it was suitable for screening before all audiences, including young children.COMMENT: An excellent example of the worst in British B- picture=making. With the exception of the engaging Susan Stephen, the players are both unattractive and uninteresting. The story, supporting this parade of no-talent, is even less appealing. Mercilessly padded out with circular, repetitious and boringly inconsequential dialogue, "Dangerous Cargo" is a chore to sit through. Admittedly, director John Harlow attempts a few game tries to lift the movie's audience appeal, including a spot of location shooting at a real aerodrome, and a laudable endeavor to make a few packing cases go a long way at the climax, but he is stymied by the quota quickie budget and the utter poverty of talent in almost all the cast and technical crew - let alone the impoverished screen writing!

Leofwine_draca A nice little B-movie thriller from mid-'50s Britain. The star of the show is one Jack Watling, who plays a mild-mannered airport employee who hooks up with an old war buddy (Terence Alexander) and embarks on a short-lived gambling career. Unfortunately for him, before long he's in debt with a loan shark, and a gang of bullion robbers have him in their sights. How will he get out of it?This is a short, snappy thriller, well-paced and with an interesting story and characters to propel it along. The leading characters are flawed but a little too wholesome to really get behind, but the supporting characters are really interesting. Especially Alexander, playing against type as a spiv sort of character, and he's excellent - charming, and ruthless too. Watch out for John Le Mesurier being completely unconvincing as an Italian called Luigi!

gordonl56 DANGEROUS CARGO – 1954DANGEROUS CARGO is a lightweight crime thriller from the UK. There is really nothing new fans of the genre have not seen before. The easy to figure out plot has Jack Watling getting involved with some unsavoury types over a gambling debt.Watling works at an airport warehouse that handles cargoes of gold bullion. A gang ran by Karel Stepanek have been watching the place. All they need is an in, and as it so happens, they have one. One of the gang members, Terrance Alexander is an old army buddy of Watling.Alexander takes Watling and his wife, Susan Stephen out for a night of dining and a trip to the dog track. Watling wins some cash and thinks this is the life. What he does not know is that it is all a set up. The next few times Watling hits the track he loses his shirt. He is soon in debt to a bookmaker.Needless to say the bookie is willing to overlook the debt for a bit of info on gold cargo deliveries. Watling is less than happy with this idea and tells the gang to get stuffed. He soon changes his mind after a sound beating and being told that the gang has kidnapped his young son.Watling of course now agrees to go along with the deal. What he does is let his company in on what is happening. The Yard is quickly called in and a sting operation set up. When the gang try their hold-up the boys in blue are all waiting. There is a huge free for all with fists and clubs between the gang and the Police. Gang boss, Stepanek pulls a revolver but is disarmed by Watling after taking a round. The boy is rescued, Watling survives his wound and the film ends with him and wife Stephen kissing.While not the worst crime film out there, the best thing that can be said about this film, is that it only runs for 61 minutes.

malcolmgsw This is a film produced by the technicians union ACT.Presumably this was to provide employment for its studio technicians.However this is the sort of film that helped close cinemas by the hundreds at this time thus putting their cinema staff out of work.Much of this film was clichéd when it was made.Thus the anonymous boss who speaks to his gang by radio is a device first used in the 2 film versions of Edgar Wallaces "The Frog" which date back to the 1930s.The end of the film is slightly farcical.With the cops and robbers laying into one another ,the boss suddenly produces a weapon,and everyone,including his gang members stand still!Obviously none of the police thought that the gang would be armed.As mentioned in the other review John Le Mesurier does seem to have trouble in his role of "Luigi" in consistently maintaining an accent throughout.So what is supposed to be a dramatic moment loses its impact when Le Mes opens his mouth.Not one of his better efforts.