Professor Claude Ruppert (Don Porter) is an atomic scientist. He was one of the scientists who worked on the development of the atomic bomb. Now that he is no longer working for the government he is trying to adapt nuclear energy for industrial purposes. Claude’s secretary is June Spenser (Brenda Joyce). The two have been working closely together on Claude’s project. June falls in love with Claude.
Claude is currently developing his theories and writing a report concerning his formula, which does not require radioactive substances. Claude is worried that his formula can be used for evil by corrupt factions. He even contemplates suspending his research. News of Claude’s research gets out and he is inundated with reporters wanting a scoop. Claude refuses to talk to them. He tells them his report is not ready for distribution. Reporters being reporters, his refusal spawns trash headlines accusing the professor of holding up progress and stifling the world’s economy.
Claude’s estranged wife, Eve (Patricia Morison), shows up after disappearing for a few years. She tells Claude that she is still in love with him and wants to return and take up her wifely duties and hoping for a reconciliation. Claude is suspicious but can’t do anything about her moving back in. Then a car accident in front of the house puts and injured man, Gerald King (Milburn Stone) in the guest room. Eve is out for herself, and King is a spy working for a group that wants Claude’s report. The group attempts to cut Claude off from his job and his reputation by slandering his name. This way they hope to force him to sell his report to them to survive.
Eventually people who try to help the professor start turning up murdered.
“Danger Woman” was released in 1946 and was directed by Lewis D. Collins. It is crime drama. The movie is sometimes referred to as science fiction. The closest this movie comes to being science fiction is the mention of the word “atomic” in the script.
The movie looks as if it is a VHS copy of the film and is in rather bad shape. It seems to be the only print of the film available anywhere. Unfortunately, the sound is out of sync. I’m not sure if any of the bootleg DVDs are any better or not. The movie wasn’t all that great to begin with, so the sound problems don’t make it any better. There is also very little in the way of action in the film and any murders that happen occur off screen. You don’t even get to see a hammy death scene. The script is crap, and the production values limited. Acting is the best it can be considering that the actors had almost nothing to work with.
Although the film was part of Universal’s Shock package, it mostly lapsed into obscurity. It’s only claim to fame is that it was one of the, if not the, first to incorporate atomic energy in its plot, such as it is. Even so, the atomic side of the film is more of a macguffin than not. The only other real highlight of the film is Patricia Morison as the wayward wife.