After his latest questionable incident involving excessive force, a hardened detective (Robert Ryan) is reassigned to a manhunt in an upstate murder case where he is joined by the victim's inconsolable father (Ward Bond), wholly intent on shooting the perpetrator, with the search ultimately leading the reluctant pair to the home the target's blind, empathetic sister (Ida Lupino). Nicholas Ray's skillfully filmed On Dangerous Ground takes tired elements, and moves them in an interesting direction while resting the picture on Ryan's reliable shoulders. The Lupino performance, likely inspired by the success of Johnny Belinda, seems hackneyed and stiff and the uninspired wrap-up seems completely out of place in a noir thriller.
*** out of ****
