Lana Turner is Slightly Dangerous (1943)

A small-town girl’s dreams come true when an accident paves the way for her to claim a false identity as a missing heiress.

Three years before heating up the screen with John Garfield in The Postman Always Rings Twice, Lana Turner was stepping out on her own. With many actors serving in the armed forces as World War II raged on, she would not have the assistance of a big box office name like Gable or Taylor on the marquee alongside her.

She would have to carry most of the weight of the film herself.

The result was this fast-paced romantic comedy, which MGM tailored especially for her. The studio paired Lana with Robert Young and a smorgasbord of seasoned players.

Our story introduces us to Lana Turner as Peggy Evans, a bored soda fountain girl from Hotchkiss Falls.

Bob Stuart (Robert Young) presides over the drugstore where Peggy works and when she disappears from town, through a series of events, he is held responsible.

His attempts to expose her fakery and prove his innocence result in many amusing mishaps, tricks, and manipulations, until the two unexpectedly find contentment in each other’s arms.

Meanwhile, Peggy finds a family to love and is loved in return.

Is a happy ending in the cards for Peggy? Or will her subterfuge be her undoing?

Production

Director Wesley Ruggles mans this production by Pandro S. Berman with a story by Aileen Hamilton. Slightly Dangerous leans in a screwball direction thanks to the clever screenplay by Charles Lederer (His Girl Friday, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and George Oppenheimer.

Having just completed Somewhere I’ll Find You (1942) with Turner and Gable, Slightly Dangerous was director Wesley Ruggles’s second outing with Lana. Ruggles admired Lana’s personality and talents, comparing her to “The It Girl” — Clara Bow, whom he directed in The Plastic Age (1925).

The musical score for the film by Bronislau Kauper delightfully mimicks the action on screen – aka “Mickey Mousing” – and there’s lush cinematography by Hal Rosson (The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain) to enjoy. Irene is credited as the costume supervisor and she does provide Lana with a stunning wardrobe.

There were a few titles floating around for the film including “Lawless” and “Careless Cinderella” before the studio settled on Slightly Dangerous.

The reason for this risque title? As Don Lockwood, our pal from Singin’ in the Rain, aptly puts it — sheer publicity.

But in this case, truth was stranger than fiction. To Lana’s horror, news broke out that her marriage to husband Stephen Crane was considered illegal. Due to an oversight in divorce proceedings, Crane’s divorce from his previous marriage had not yet been finalized. To further complicate matters, Lana discovered she was carrying his child.

According to Cheryl Crane, Lana’s daughter, the many scandals and unfavorable headlines surrounding her mother only enhanced Lana’s career, and Slightly Dangerous is a testament to that.

The film proved to studio heads that Lana Turner was a star in her own right and a scandal would not keep her fans away; rather, it endeared her to them, adding a relatable, human quality to her glamorous screen image.

Highlights

Lana Makes A Split

In her book Lana: The Memories, The Myths, The Movies, Cheryl Crane recalls the scene in which her mother makes a banana split blindfolded.

It turns out, Lana couldn’t see a thing from behind the blindfold, the hot camera lights kept melting the ice cream, and when the new batch of ice cream arrived, it was too hard to scoop, causing filming delays.

Regardless of the difficulties, the scene is seamless when viewing. Wikipedia notes that in Robert Osborne’s TCM intro for the film, an uncredited Buster Keaton was mentioned as the director for this tricky and impressive sequence. You can watch the scene here.

Love is in the Air

The two leads are charming together. Turner – coquettish, alluring, with a twinkle in her eye. Young – innocent, affable, with a touch of goofiness. Although I’ve always been a fan of Robert Young, I would have never thought to pair him with Lana Turner, but the casting department had a stroke of genius in doing so.

I absolutely love watching these two feed off of each other’s reactions when the shenanigans start, and as their tender romance develops, it is a joy to see it happen organically as a result of their superb chemistry.

I’ve Seen You Before

The supporting cast features an absolute treasure trove of beloved character actors.

Walter Brennan, Dame May Whitty, Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray, Florence Bates, Howard Freeman, Millard Mitchell, Ward Bond, Ray Collins, Emory Parnell, Pamela Blake, and Gordon Richards all make appearances and contributions to our story, each with their own time to shine.

You’re bound to see one or more of your favorites from this incredibly talented group.

Conclusion

While Lana is a divisive figure among classic film fans, even non-fans are sure to enjoy Slightly Dangerous. With so many great character actors in one place, watching this movie is like having a big party with old friends.

In addition, the fun, silly plot is tempered with wistful, touching scenes about the meaning and importance of deeper matters: family, belonging, and love.

It’s not hard to see why Slightly Dangerous was a hit at the box office. While reviews were mixed, critic Anita Loos commented:

“Lana Turner typifies modern allure. She is the vamp of today as Theda Bara was of yesterday. However, she doesn’t look like a vamp. She is far more deadly because she lets her audience relax.”

So, maybe that publicity stunt we talked about earlier wasn’t just publicity after all…

This post is my contribution to The Odd or Even Blogathon hosted by Taking Up Room and Realweedgiemidget Reviews. Thanks for letting me participate, ladies! Head on over HERE, HERE HERE and HERE to read what others are watching for this odd and even event!