Where Danger Lives

During his late-night shift at a San Francisco hospital, Dr. Jeff Cameron (Robert Mitchum) is called to attend a beautiful, unidentified woman who has attempted suicide. When the woman finally comes to, she sees the white rose that Jeff had ordered for his fiancée, nurse Julie Dorn (Maureen O'Sullivan), and assumes it is for her. Later, Jeff learns that the woman, Margo (Faith Domergue), discharged herself after giving a phony last name, but has wired him to come see her that night. At her sea cliff home, Margo tells the concerned Jeff that she attempted suicide because she was feeling lonely after the death of her mother. Margo also states that her father, Frederick Lannington (Claude Rains), is in Canada and that, because of his social position, she fears scandalous publicity. Attracted to his seductive patient, Jeff agrees not to notify the police about her suicide attempt and breaks a date with Julie. After a brief but intense courtship, Jeff and Margo find themselves deeply in love, but Margo shocks Jeff one evening when she announces that she is soon leaving for Nassau with her disapproving father. Although Margo promises Jeff she will try to change her father's mind, Jeff becomes anxious and goes to confront Lannington at his house. There, he is stunned to learn that the middle-aged Lannington is not Margo's father, but her husband. Enraged by Margo's continued infidelity, Lannington begins beating Jeff with a poker. Jeff is able to subdue his attacker and goes into the next room to attend to his wounds. Upon his return he finds Lannington dead and Margo urges Jeff to flee with her. What follows is their futile attempt to evade the authorities as they head to the Mexican border.