Customer Reviews

Danger Lights

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This movie is like the Top Gun of 1930. It shows all of the latest technology in railroading at that time. It features a well maintained modern main line with big, modern steam locomotives. The signaling system and tower control was all 1930 state of the art. Since so many people were involved with railroading back then many of the little actions the actors did would only be picked up by a railroader. Examples are the engineer blowing a long and three shorts in the opening scene for the brakeman to protect the rear of the train and later Larry Dole doing a roll-by of the locomotive leaving the roundhouse. Aside from Larry cooling the hot-box on the fly (no railroader would trust that bearing after getting that hot) the movie is a time capsule of railroading in 1930 with a hollywood love story thrown in to make a storyline. Overall an excellent railroad movie. I wish they would clean it up and make a DVD version.

For all steam engine train buffs, this is the movie to get. The film features roundhouse, yardage, switching, and a great scene going into the Chicago railway yards in the 1930's. The main figure, Armstrong, is the same hero in the 1930's version of 'King Kong'.

Since I was a kid, I have always loved trains. This 1930's B&W movie is a great watch. Outstanding steam footage and a 100mph race across the country to save a dying man. There is of course a love triangle here, but that just adds to the story.

I give this film four stars, but it will likely be either a three or five 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 sell movie tickets. 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 basically plot #3 - two railroad men and friends become rivals over Jean Arthur's affection. One - the one rejected by Arthur - is terribly wounded on the job and must be sped to a big city hospital at 100 mph in order to receive life-saving surgery. However, afterwards he just won't recover because without the love of Arthur's character he has no reason to go on. Will Jean find it necessary to forsake true love so that the wounded railroad man can find the will to live? The end may surprise you.

Film and train buffs take note. Danger Lights was also filmed in widescreen (65MM 2.1 aspect ratio.) It was only shown in two theaters. It has never surfaced but I have hope that one day it will. It would be an amazing movie to view.

THE BEST RAILROAD MOVIE TO COME OUT OF THE 1930'S. THE LOCOMOTIVE TUG OF WAR FIGHT IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE MOVIE. WOLHEIM AND ARMSTRONG ARE PERFECT IN THEIR ROLES AS COMPETITIVE RAILROAD MEN IN LOVE WITH JEAN ARTHUR.THE CLIMAX OF THE FILM IS A 100 MPH FLIGHT OF MERCY TO SAVE WOLHEIM'S LIFE.IF YOU LOVE RAILROADS LIKE I DO YOU HAVE TO GET THIS MOVIE. RICHARD