Moment of Danger [Malaga] ** (1960, Trevor Howard, Dorothy Dandridge, Edmund Purdom) – Classic Movie Review 13,825

The 1960 British black and white romantic crime thriller film Moment of Danger [Malaga] stars Trevor Howard, Dorothy Dandridge and Edmund Purdom.

Director László Benedek’s 1960 British black and white romantic crime thriller film Moment of Danger [Malaga] stars Trevor Howard, Dorothy Dandridge and Edmund Purdom.

Malaga (Andalucía, Spain) is the setting (and the American title) for this tale of dishonour among thieves, as locksmith John Bain (Trevor Howard) chases his double-crossing jewel robber partner Peter Carran (Edmund Purdom) to Spain after a jewel heist.

After the heist, Curran double-crosses Bain, dumps his lover Gianna (Dorothy Dandridge) and escapes with the loot. Gianna teams up with Bain to even the score with Curran, and a relationship begins.

Moment of Danger is mildly entertaining and the performances are brisk and capable enough, as is Benedek’s handling, but there is no sparkle and little tension. With the plot and dialogue not up to much, the best part of the film is the wordless jewel heist at the start. As Gianna, Dorothy Dandridge stars in her final film before her death from an accidental overdose of barbiturate poisoning in 1965, aged 42. The troubled star left just $2.14 in her bank account.

It is the last screenplay credit for Donald Ogden Stewart, who lived in England after being blacklisted in Hollywood. He was originally uncredited as screenwriter and later said that the film didn’t really work ‘despite my brilliant help’. You’ve got to agree with him: the film doesn’t really work. It just goes to show how difficult these kinds of films are to make.

Moment of Danger is directed by Laslo Benedek, runs 97 minutes, is made by Cavalcade Films, is released by Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK) and Warner Bros (US), is written by David D Osborn and Donald Ogden Stewart (originally uncredited), based on the novel The Scent of Danger by Donald MacKenzie, is shot in black and white by Desmond Dickinson, is produced by Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Thomas Clyde, and is scored by Mátyás Seiber.

It was filmed in Europe in late 1959 and premiered at the Warner Theatre in London’s Leicester Square on 28 January 1960.

Cast: Trevor Howard as John Bain, Dorothy Dandridge as Gianna, Edmund Purdom as Peter Carran, Michael Hordern as Inspector Farrell, Paul Stassino as Juan Montoya, John Bailey as Cecil, Alfred Burke as Shapley, Peter Illing as pawnbroker, Martin Boddey as Sir John Middleburgh, Barry Keegan as Corrigan, Brian Worth as airport guard.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,825

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