User reviews

SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS gave 21 year-old LANA TURNER her first big starring break in a film not dominated by a male star. MGM couldn't have chosen a better vehicle to show off her talent as a light comedienne with a gorgeous face and figure. And ROBERT YOUNG does nicely as her leading man in a farce that has elements of screwball comedy.

It takes the mistaken identity theme (based on a false case of amnesia) and puts Lana in the clutches of rich relatives--WALTER BRENNAN (in an unusual role for him) and DAME MAY WITTY--who believe she is their long lost daughter. Young knows the real story and spends most of the movie chasing after her to prove to the folks in her hometown that he shouldn't have lost his job over her disappearance.

It's all lightweight comedy and Turner never misses a chance to give the role of the scheming girl a sense of fun and innocence with a sexy twist. She goes from brunette salesgirl to blonde heiress in a series of outfits that only MGM's wardrobe department could devise. This is the kind of light escapist entertainment that weary wartime GIs were crazy about--and Lana looks sensational while giving an expert performance.

ROBERT YOUNG is no slouch as her leading man. He has some scenes that reveal just what a flair he had for light comedy--and some of it very physical.

The big delight is seeing so many well-known names in character roles: Ward Bond, Florence Bates, Alan Mobray, Bobby Blake (as Lana's kid brother), Ray Collins, Frank Faylen, Norma Varden and Howard Freeman, to name a few.

Well worth a look--a pure delight from start to finish.

This little picture, a fine Wesley Ruggles comedy, struts along with great pace, and has a great cast with Lana Turner, Robert Young, Dame May Witty, and Walter Brennan. The acting is excellent, the antics unusual,and the comedy delightful. But the thing that is way beyond compare in this picture is the bubbling beauty of Lana Turner at her absolute peak. She carries the day with a sublime sort of sparkling charm as she changes personalities several times just to break her tedium with life. No, she never HAD amnesia, and no, she never wanted to commit suicide! But people will talk. Her beautiful sparkle and comedic charm actually made me weak in the knees. Robert Young does a decent job chasing her down the entire film, but it is Turner's film all the way.

Lana Turner is young and gorgeous in this light comedy about a waitress with a lucky penny and the dream of getting out of her humdrum life. The penny works wonders. After escaping her small town, a ladder falls on her in New York City - when she comes to, it's assumed she has amnesia (she was deciding on her new name when the ladder came crashing down). After a trip to the library, she decides to become a long-lost heiress who disappeared as a child in 1925.

Robert Young plays her ex-boss who looks to expose her lie; Walter Brennan is her welcoming, wealthy father; Ward Bond is his security guy; Dame May Witty the heiress' former nanny. Ray Collins of "Perry Mason" fame also makes an appearance, as does Eugene Palette as the newspaper editor who prints the amnesiac's story. It's a terrific cast, with Young's role being a departure for him. He does it well. Lana is simply adorable.

The movie leaves an open question, which is kind of fun, too. All in all, very enjoyable.

I didn't find this film to be a let down in any way - I found it very funny. I didn't take my eyes from it; the gorgeous sets and beautiful Lana Turner were mesmerizing. There is a hilarious scene in which Peggy Evans (Turner) is trying to decide what her new name will be: Walking down a city street, she sees ads and signs of retailers and tries out the names to see if they suit her (Abercrombie & Fitch, Suzanne Hats, etc...). She's debating with herself, trying out new names - and it's just hilarious. There are a few scenes where we hear her talking to herself, and I find these scenes some of the most fun. She's clever and serious, but her logic is unfounded. This is a fun movie, and I don't believe the cast took it too seriously. The cast seemed to make it a light comedy-drama, with a few madcap laughs.

Soda-jerk Lana Turner (Peggy) wins $2.50 for punctual attendance over 1,000 consecutive days and she has the privilege of spending this gift within the store that she works for. What a lucky break! She is horrified at this pointless achievement and so quits for better things. Quote right, Lana. What she does next is pretty dodgy, though. Watch and find out in this romantic comedy which also stars Robert Young (Bob) as the man pursuing her in more ways than one.

This film has a good cast with Turner very good in the lead role. I wasn't too keen on Young, he's a bit drippy in this but he does get some amusing dialogue. Turner gets some clever scenes, eg, serving customers whilst blindfolded and when she is given a test to identify a treasured toy in a roomful of options. Her logic can't be faulted. She is both strong, calculatingly clever and funny in this film and she looks just like Marilyn Monroe. I wonder if Monroe copied her look? There is a convincing supporting cast although the story is based on a pretty dodgy idea! Doesn't matter, it's all fantasy. And it leaves the viewer feeling happy.

Peggy Evans (Lana Turner) finds her life in Hotchkiss Falls dull, so she leaves it all behind to reinvent herself in the big city. The note she leaves behind is misinterpreted, leading to the assumption of her demise and the firing of her boss. After a makeover, she is involved in an accident, which leads to more mistaken assumptions. She ends up with an entirely new life. But her old boss, Bob Stuart (Robert Young) is on a mission. He doggedly pursues her, hoping to reveal the truth.

This is a clever story. The main characters eventually have a battle of wits, with misdirections, bluffs and rebluffs. Turner and Young are great in their characterizations, infusing them with serious intent and playfulness at the same time. The supporting cast is notable, including Ward Bond, Walter Brennan, and a young Robert Blake in a small, comedic role.

Just prior to this film, Robert Young was in "Journey for Margaret", a film very different from this one, and he is well worth watching there.

Shapely small town "soda jerk" Lana Turner (as Peggy Evans) can serve jumbo banana splits blindfolded, but gets in trouble for doing it with general manager Robert Young (as Robert "Bob" Stuart). When he sees Ms. Turner without the blindfold, Mr. Young falls in love. And, she is a very beautiful young woman. Still hurting from the reprimand, Turner considers her boring life, and decides to give herself a complete makeover. When her farewell is mistaken for a suicide note, Young is blamed for Turner's disappearance.

Turner takes off for New York City, where she dyes her dark hair platinum blonde. There, a mishap lands her in the care of Eugene Palette (as Durstin), who suggests she may be a missing heiress. Turner decides to adopt one's identity ("Carol Burden"), then moves in on wealthy Walter Brennan (as Cornelius) and grandmotherly May Witty (as Baba). Although initially suspicious, Mr. Brennan accepts Turner as his daughter, after she identifies a childhood toy. But, Young needs to find Turner in order to clear his name, and make it a happily ever after ending for everyone.

Veteran Wesley Ruggles contributes some fine comic direction, especially for Young. According to "Turner Classic Movies" (TCM) host Robert Osborne, Mr. Ruggles' old friend Buster Keaton directed Lana's nicely played "blindfold" sequence, early in the running time. It also looks, to this viewer, like the "concert balcony" and "coming out party" could be Ruggles / Keaton collaborations. Despite their efforts, the movie seems too long, and doesn't make too much story sense.

Several actresses have tried, but it looks like Lana was one of the few who could have played the lead in a biography of Marilyn Monroe, who probably saw the 1940s Turner in the flickering darkness. MGM made "Slightly Dangerous" a well-produced "Cinderella" story for their new starlet; probably, they expected more mileage out of the picture, but Turner would prove a big pay off in due time. The "lingerie scene" shows off an obvious pair of assets. You also get to see rascally Robert Blake (as Sonny) hit Young on the foot with a hammer, and Florence Bates is always fun at the party.

****** Slightly Dangerous (4/1/43) Wesley Ruggles ~ Lana Turner, Robert Young, Walter Brennan, May Witty

The delightful MGM film "Slightly Dangerous" proved to the world the power and star appeal of Lana Turner, who at 21, was at the height of her beauty. The film, directed with great comedic style by Wesley Ruggles, feels as fresh today as when it was released. The excellent quality of the print TCM showed is one of the reasons to enjoy it even more.

"Slightly Dangerous" is a fun film, typical of those wartime years. We are introduced to Peggy Evans. She has been selected for an award of $2.50, in merchandise from the small department store where she works, for her punctuality. Figuring it would take her another three years to earn the $10.00 prize, Peggy, who has quarreled with her new boss, Bob Stuart, decides to try her luck in Manhattan, where she undergoes a make over and goes from a brunette into a ravishingly looking blonde.

Her problems start when she is hit by a bucket of paint in front of one of the daily newspapers. Since her clothes are ruined, and has no proof of identity, the people around her believe she has suffered a temporary memory loss. Thus begins her adventure in the big city in which she pretends to be the lost daughter of a millionaire.

Bob, who has been fired himself, comes to the city trying to locate Peggy after he sees her picture in the newspaper. By now, Peggy has turned into Carol Burden, the daughter of the rich Cornelius Burden. Her troubles start when Bob wants to prove she is Peggy the girl with whom he has fallen in love.

The film is delightful because of the light touch Mr. Green gave the story. Lana Turner was a good comedienne who was perfect in playing the double role of Peggy/Carol. Robert Young was also an actor that was effective in all the comedies he played, as he shows here with his take of Bob. The perfect supporting cast couldn't be better. Walter Brennan, Dame May Witty, Eugene Palette, Ward Bond, Ray Collins, Alan Mowbray.

"Slightly Dangerous" will please everyone because of the magnificent cast in the movie.

This is full of silliness, kind of like cutrate Preston Sturges. Yet....there's a comedic energy here, and a pretty witty script, delivered by a delicious group of character actors. Eugene Pallette alone is worth the price of admission. And Lana Turner looks great and is quite adept at light comedy.

Slightly Dangerous finds Lana Turner bored with life in small town Hotchkiss Falls and bored with her job as a soda jerk in a department store. She even does her job making a banana split blindfolded to the amusement of the customer, but new general manager Robert Young finds he's not amused. She's fired, but then so is he after she leaves a fake suicide note saying she's throwing herself in the river.

Instead she goes to New York and when she's hit by a falling ladder after she's heard talking to herself when she comes to, everyone thinks she's got amnesia. Instead using that she decides to become the long lost daughter of millionaire Walter Brennan who was lost at the age of 2 by nanny Dame May Witty while going to the circus.

It's interesting that none of the previous reviewers noted that this a reworking of the Anastasia legend. But that's a serious story involving a plot to deliberately defraud the exiled Romanovs.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I find a comedy based on a premise of fraud and extortion not all that funny. Yet even with a lousy starting point, Slightly Dangerous does holdup somewhat because of the incredible cast of name performers in this film like Ray Collins, Ward Bond, Eugene Palette, and Alan Mowbray besides those already mentioned.

And there's Lana Turner who just has to be Lana Turner to get me viewing a film. She's got that winsome quality throughout her films in the Forties that men and women found so appealing.

Anyway with a cast like this, chances are you'll find something enjoyable about Slightly Dangerous.

The scene in which our heroine is forced to choose the most beloved toy in a room absolutely crammed with goodies, surely rates as one of the greatest moments in the cinema. As you know, I'm not a keen fan of Lana Turner, but here is a vehicle in which the blonde siren excels. Not only does she enjoy a highly sympathetic character to work on the audience with, but in Wesley Ruggles she has obviously found a sensitive director with the ability to help her exploit every dramatic and comedic opportunity the clever screenplay provides. True, poor old Robert Young does get jostled out of the picture for a while, but he does return with a couple of hilarious solo routines, including his famous toppling-over-the-balcony bit at the opera.

"Slightly Dangerous" not only revels in first-rate entertainment, but it's produced with Leo's customary flair and impeccable polish—including a wonderful roster of Hollywood bit players and cameo artists. Just look at that cast! In fact Wesley Ruggles was a director who paid particular attention to the minor character players and was always concerned that a scene be milked for its maximum effect. He'd quickly replace an actor who could not give him precisely the impact he wanted. For instance, Mickey Rooney's dad, Joe Yule, was originally cast as the painter, but the director thought he was too old and lacked the flair that this little bit needed. Yule was replaced by Joe Devlin.

This very, very insignificant and rather poorly written film apparently helped to launch Lana Turner to stardom. And, as I read through the reviews, I notice that they are all either mediocre or very positive. Well, despite popular opinion, I can't understand any of this as I thought the film was rather stupid and very poorly written. Turner and her co-stars are fine...but the writing was just terrible.

When the film begins, a manager in a department store (Robert Young) gets into an argument with an employee (Turner). Soon, when the woman decides inexplicably to disappear and re-invent herself, folks automatically assume she killed herself and HE was responsible. This didn't make sense...and he was soon fired from his job. And, he was determined to track her down and prove to everyone she's alive.

In the meantime, through some ridiculous circumstances, she gets into an accident involving paint and she comes up with the idea of pretending she has amnesia. Why? I have no idea whatsoever... Soon, she decides to pretend that she is some long-lost heiress...again, I have no idea why. When her supposed father, the rich guy (Walter Brennan) arrives, she is able to fake her way into getting him to believe she is his long-lost daughter. None of this makes any sense and it also shows Turner's character to be a horrible person...just awful, cruel and conniving.

So how is any of this funny or believable?! Well, none of it is and the overall film comes off as very forced and unfunny. And, to make it worse, the ending is god-awful! I have no idea why folks like it...I simply hated it and felt that the average Poverty Row studio made better films than this crappy movie.

I've seen this a hundred times, at least. Lana is at her best..absolutely adorable-before the hard edge sets in. Robert Young is good, as always, and you can't beat the old-time character actors for rounding out a good cast. Pure escapist entertainment...no filthy language or situations. I wish it were available on video- it's a ke

Now I know production wasn't what it is today but...Towards the end of this film Robert Young's character facing Lana Turner's character are wiping (supposed) grease from each others faces. When you watch them wiping you will notice NO grease on the handkerchiefs.This is rather amusing because there seems to be quite a smudge on both.

The movie was intriguing throughout and I would watch this film again. I would watch this film again and again just for the goofs. Lana Turner, to me was a whining bit of a minx in her dramatic performances. Comedy should have been her forte'. At least she wouldn't be so melodramatic in her roles. Someone out there in "Movie Land" thought to just look at her would be enough and camouflage the rest with sappy dialog.

Peggy Evans (Lana Turner) is 21 and working in her home town soda fountain. She gets a merit award at work for being on time for 1000 days. She wants more out of life and hates her name. After an argument with new manager Bob Stuart (Robert Young), she quits. She leaves behind a letter which is misunderstood to be a suicide note. In reality, she leaves for New York to start fresh. She gets knocked unconscious and decides to not say her real name. The owner fears a lawsuit assuming that she has amnesia. She comes up with an idea to fake the identity of a heiress lost since childhood.

I love that she's lying. I love the way she picks the doll. I do like the fake marriage idea. There is a need for another character. There should be a gold-digging playboy trying to get her family fortune. That would have made the marriage idea even funnier especially if the playboy makes certain assumptions. The problem is that the movie runs out of screwball comedy bits and that extra character could have added some needed chaos. It runs out of wackiness in the second half. There is also a better way to wrap up her identity if they could add something like the doll. All in all, I had lots of fun with the first half which is pretty good.

This movie has certainly "grown" on me. There are very few weak parts in it. Even the extras are outstanding. There is both social and moral content. Lana Turner's character grows up and my, what a thinker she is. And so is the persistent Robert Young. Everyone wins. This is what I consider a feel good movie. I also loved both the band music and the opera scene music. If you like Walter Brennan and Dame Mae Witty, you'll have to love them in this movie. Alan Mowbray has a good bit part. I love seeing Eugene Palette manage something without goofing it up. Even he sparkles. And I've become a fan of Jimmy Conlin who plays the role of the bartender.

If you look up trivia on Robert Young, it's easy to find out that Louis B. Mayer said he had no sex appeal and repeatedly cast him in bland roles where he didn't get the girl. As much as I'm sure that hurt sensitive Robert's feelings, the insult wasn't entirely true. There are a few movies in which Robert plays an adorable romantic lead and, to end the sentence without spoilers, enjoys a very good shot at ending up with the girl. In Slightly Dangerous, Robert gets paired up against blonde bombshell Lana Turner!

This movie is so cute! Lana plays a drugstore worker frustrated with the lack of adventure in her life. After a brief but heated fight with the store's new manager, Robert, Lana leaves behind a goodbye note and flees for New York City. Robert thinks it was a suicide note, but after spotting her picture in a New York newspaper, he sets off for the big city to prove his guilty conscience wrong. What's Lana doing in New York City? Trying to weasel her way into millionaire Walter Brennan and Dame May Witty's family and pretending she has amnesia. Incidentally, both Walter and May play against type in this movie, providing the only drama in an otherwise silly comedy. How often did Walter get to play a sensitive millionaire? How often did May get to play someone who wasn't a millionaire? The movie isn't really about them, but I really liked their scenes.

There's much more to the plot, especially when Robert tracks her down, but it's far too cute to spoil. Just rent it, and get ready for a ton and a half of laughter and cuteness. And I sincerely hope Louis B. Mayer saw this movie, especially the scene when Robert has to restrain himself in a hotel room with Lana.

It's almost creepy to see the similarities of Lana Turner with Marilyn Monroe in this film. Not only is the hairstyle the same, and the same plumpness of the face and facial structure the same, but Lana speaks in a breathy voice and has all the same movements and mannerisms as Marilyn. She even sounds the same when she laughs, and she hangs her mouth open and throws her head back in the same way as Marilyn. Keeping in mind that Lana came first, it's rather eerie. You've got to wonder how many times Norma Jean watched this movie before deciding how to brand herself.

i just adored this film. Lana turner i was never a fan of but she does so great in this movie. she really has a flair for comedy. the cast is absolutely unbelievable...Brennan mowbray...bates....may witty...faylen...and many others. the story line is not complicated and flows like milk and honey. a bored soda jerk making her way to high society but with lots of twists. but for me the star of the movie is Mr. Robert young. that guy is an ace in comedy and he could act in any roles and make them believable. no wonder he made the transition from films to television with such easiness. yes this is a very fun film and i recommend it to movie buffs. that it is rated a 6 here is making me mad but i guess some people don't like a good clean comedy...so they better go watch the kardashians.