Nice effects though.

Am I Missing Something?

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

DANGER LIGHTS (RKO Radio, 1930), directed by George B. Seitz, is a railroad drama starring Louis Wolheim (1881-1931) as a tough foreman with a heart of gold. Of the few leading roles in his short-lived movie career in talkies, this, and ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Universal, 1930), are often labeled as his finest work. A character actor with a fierce face, he can be a conniving villain in one movie and a funny character actor in another, each with fine conviction. For a career that started in the silent movie era back in the teens, he would have had a great future in talkies as other huge, homely actors as Wallace Beery and Victor McLaglen had through the 1940s. Sadly, early death for Wolheim of cancer took its toll the following year.DANGER LIGHTS opens with a landslide where a train is unable to proceed on its tracks. Dan Thorne (Louis Wolheim), the superintendant in Milwaukee division, sets out to supervise men to clear the debris. On the train are four hobos, one being Larry Doyle (Robert Armstrong), whom Dan enlists to work. Dan sees something special in Larry, especially after learning he was once a train engineer discharged for insubordination, and soon hires him on his team. Dan is engaged to Mary Ryan (Jean Arthur), a young girl who intends on marrying him out of loyalty than for love. In spite of Dan's engagement, he's already married, to his job, which comes first over everything. After meeting with Larry, Mary and he become quarrelsome at times, until Larry learns that she's engaged to Dan. Unable to attend the Old Timer's Bonfire Dance, Dan has Mary go with Larry instead. Their emotions turn to love, which finds them secretly leaving the railroad site together on a rainy night to get married. When Dan learns of their plans, he sets out to kill Larry. Instead he saves his life from getting hit by a passing train, getting seriously injured instead. Dan, near death, will need to be taken to a Chicago hospital within five hours on a seven hour trip for an emergency head operation, which at this point, seems totally impossible. Other members of the cast include Hugh Herbert (Professor, a bum); Frank Sheridan (Ed Ryan, Mary's father); Robert Edeson (Tom Johnson, train engineer); James Farley (Joe Geraghty); Alan Roscoe and William H. Burt. Only Hugh Herbert is around for comedy relief as a bum who refuses to work on the railroad.Though predictable, the performances by lead players rise above standard material. Louis Wolheim gets most of the attention as the foreman whom everyone likes and respects, and whatever he says, goes. It's also interesting seeing Jean Arthur early in her career before she would find her nitch for comedy under Frank Capra's direction, and Robert Armstrong, shortly he would go to Skull Island to meet with KING KONG (1933). Robert Edeson (1988-1931), in one of his final movie roles, should not be overlooked as an engineer who turns to drink following the death of his wife. Aside from cliché story, its highlight includes an exciting train race against time.Had DANGER LIGHTS been remade in the 1940s, William Bendix, another gruff and burly character actor of his time, might have handle the Wolheim part to great satisfaction, but that never happened. The story in itself has been reworked many times, however. Though DANGER LIGHTS did have some television showings in the 1970s, notably on Spanish channel WNJU, Channel 47, in New Jersey, where this movie and other RKO Radio features were dubbed in Spanish, it didn't surface regularly until the 1980s during the wake of home video and public television broadcasts such as the weekly movie series titled SPROCKETS. Over the years, DANGER LIGHTS has gained further recognition with cable television broadcasts on either American Movie Classics (prior to 2001) and Turner Classic Movies. Also available on DVD. In closing: While Louis Wolheim was hilarious in the silent comedy, TWO ARABIAN KNIGHTS (1927), he showed his great flare playing leads in some early talkies such as this one. His final movie release, THE SIN SHIP (RKO, 1931), was both starred and directed by him. How Wolheim might have succeeded into the 1940s and beyond will never be known. (*** rails)

Danger Lights is a 1930 drama film centered around a love triangle and a train yard. The plot follows Dan Thorn, a rough and tough foreman at the train yard, who has a soft spot for those that are down on their luck. When Thorn meets Larry Doyle, a drifter catching a ride on the train, Dan sees some good in Doyle and puts him to work. Larry then meets and falls in love with Jean Arthur, who is Dan Thorn's fiancé.Danger Lights is a decent film and used the access to locomotives to great effect. There is real footage of a tug-of-war between two powerful trains. The story is entertaining enough to keep you drawn in throughout the film.A few disappointments in the film are some bad acting, with plenty of obnoxious, over-the-top, and occasionally, monotone delivery. There is also some poor dialogue in the movie, such as one exchange between Larry Doyle and another character; "It can't be done!" says the man. "Yes it can," Larry replies. "You're right!" the man responds. The climax removes elaborating on any technical aspects of the train, which diminishes the excitement of the ending. Lastly, there are bad comedy elements in the film, such as using the homeless for slapstick comedic relief.In summary, Danger Lights is a mediocre film. Unless you're a fan of locomotives, I would recommend skipping this one. There is nothing unpredictable or particularly exciting about this movie.

I give this film six stars, but it will likely be either a five or eight star movie for you depending on what interests you. 1930's "Other Mens' Women" was a love triangle set around the railroad yards. Conversely, "Danger Lights" is almost a documentary on railroads as they existed in 1930 with a love triangle thrown in to frame the railroad footage. It's almost like the filmmakers knew they were really documenting history more than filming a love story. You've got footage of a tug of war between two steam locomotives, actual documentary footage of the activities in the Miles City railroad yard, and to top it all off is the only footage of a dynamometer car from the steam railroad era. Since the emphasis is on the technology, you'd think this film would have the awkward dialogue of the early talkie era, but you'd be wrong. The actors behave and speak quite naturally. To top it all off, you're rewarded with a very early talking screen appearance by Jean Arthur who will become one of the great comic stars of the 1930's.As for the love triangle, it's very formulaic. Railroad division chief Dan Thorn (Louis Wolheim) decides to help out drifter Larry Doyle (Robert Armstrong) with a job as fireman. Unfortunately for Thorn, it's basically love at first sight between his fiancé Mary Ryan and Larry. Dan and Mary have had an understanding for years. On Dan's part it's true love, but on Mary's part it has largely been gratitude for Dan supporting herself and her father after he was injured on the job. Dan doesn't notice what's going on between Mary and Larry because in actuality there is another woman in his life too - the railroad he runs. If the love story doesn't impress, the imagery certainly will. Lots of time is spent showing men battling both machine and the elements trying to keep the trains going. Plus there's a pride in what they do that almost makes them all a part of the railroad themselves.

I found this film to be very good. The railroad scenes are quite realistic and the continuity surprisingly good (in the yard scene), as well as the sound. Those who have not seen steam engines in action will enjoy this movie. I grew up around the railroad during the age of steam and can enjoy the realistic sights and sounds of that day-and-age that are portrayed in this film. There are a couple of exceptions insofar as the action is concerned where the film was sped up to imply fast action, but they are minor in my opinion. As far as actors are concerned, I've long admired Jean Arthur and this does not disappoint! As a railroad buff, I particularly enjoy the scenes on my favorite road (Milwaukee) and the Trans-Missouri District!