Zipping along at a fast 71 minutes, On Dangerous Ground is a grade-A example of "film noir" complete with an unforgettable musical score by Bernard Herrmann. Robert Ryan stars as Jim Wilson, an embittered big-city detective whose brutal strong-arm methods make him persona non grata on the force. For his own good, Wilson is transferred to a rural beat, where he is assigned to investigate the murder of a schoolgirl. The identity of the fugitive killer is never in doubt; the question is, will Wilson give in to his baser instincts and permit the victim's grieving father (Ward Bond) to exact vigilante justice? Fortunately, Wilson's sour attitude on life is profoundly altered when he falls in love with the murderer's blind sister (Ida Lupino). Though regarded as a classic today, On Dangerous Ground was grossly underappreciated when first released; the film lost $425,000 at the box office.