Danger Lights is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama film, directed by George B. Seitz, from a screenplay by James Ashmore Creelman. It stars Louis Wolheim, Robert Armstrong, and Jean Arthur.
The plot concerns railroading on the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road), and the movie was largely filmed along that railroad’s lines in Montana. The railway yard in Miles City, Montana, was a primary setting, while rural scenes were shot along the railway line through Sixteen Mile Canyon, Montana. Additional footage was shot in Chicago, Illinois (where the Milwaukee Road was headquartered until 1986, when it went out of business).
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Plot:
The tough boss of a railroad yard befriends a young hobo, and unwittingly places in jeopardy his relationship with the woman he loves.
Dan Thorn (Louis Wolheim) is a divisional boss on the Milwaukee Railroad, based in Miles City, Montana. The film opens with a landslide across the track and Thorn dispatching, then accompanying, a repair crew to clear it. Several hobos are lounging nearby and are put to work helping the crew. Thorn discovers that one of the hobos, Larry Doyle (Robert Armstrong), is a former railroad engineer who lost his job over insubordination. Thorn finds he likes the man and demands that he better his life by returning to work for the railroad. Doyle repeatedly refuses even as he starts the work, but Thorn is a hard man to say no to, and Doyle is hired.
Thorn is engaged to Mary Ryan (Jean Arthur), but his job leaves him unable to give her much time or attention. When an engineer’s wife dies, Thorn spends time with the man to keep him from getting drunk and endangering his railroad job. This leaves Thorn unable to attend a social event, so he asks Doyle to go with Mary instead. Afterwards, the two are using a railway bridge to walk home when a fast train approaches. Doyle whisks Mary into a trackside refuge and kisses her as the train rushes by.
Mary still cares for Thorn, but she falls in love with Doyle. Finally he persuades her to run away to Chicago with him and get married. But as they walk along the tracks toward the station, Doyle’s foot becomes trapped in a railroad switch as it is remotely reset for the train. At this point Thorn approaches and threatens Doyle over Mary, but when he realizes the man is trapped, he manages to pull Doyle clear of the switch at the last moment. Doyle is safe but Thorn is hit by the train and seriously injured.
The local doctor says Thorn will die unless he can be taken to Chicago for brain surgery within 5 hours, which would require a new speed record for the trip. Doyle volunteers to drive a special train and is able to accomplish the feat. Thorn is saved.
Two weeks later, Thorn is taken back to Miles City by train, conscious but depressed. At the station, Mary is the first to board, and promises to return to him. But Thorn says that during his enforced rest he has come to realize that he is already married—to the railroad. He frees her to marry Doyle with his blessing. Then, overhearing railwaymen outside speaking as if he is done for, he shouts at them to get back to work. They do, and his depression lifts.
Cast:
Louis Wolheim as Dan Thorn
Robert Armstrong as Larry Doyle
Jean Arthur as Mary Ryan
Hugh Herbert as Professor
Frank Sheridan as Ed Ryan
Robert Edeson as Tom Johnson
Alan Roscoe as Jim
William P. Burt as Chief Dispatcher
James Farley as Joe Geraghty
Copyright Status:
In 1958, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.
PUBLIC DOMAIN MOVIE meaning:
PUBLIC DOMAIN MOVIE means that no government, organization, or individual owns any copyright over the work, and as such it is common property.
PUBLIC DOMAIN MOVIE is an intellectual property designation referring to the body of creative works and knowledge in which no person, government or organization has any proprietary interest such as a copyright. These works are considered part of the public cultural and intellectual heritage of content that is not owned or controlled by anyone and which may be freely used by all.
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