Dangerous to Know 1938
Directed by
Robert Florey
Made by
Paramount Pictures
Dangerous to Know Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Dangerous to Know (1938). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Stephen Recka, Akim Tamiroff, is a gangster and former bootlegger who has become a powerful figure in city politics and business circles, with the mayor and local bank in his pocket. He moves with cold certainty, always plotting how to climb higher, even as he toys with the idea of social advancement. A city councillor who wants to become mayor has a plant in Recka’s office, John Rance Edward Pawley, but Recka discerns the treachery and maintains his grip on the city’s power.
Recka’s birthday party is staged by his friend and hostess, Madame Lan Ying Anna May Wong, drawing guests who crave a share of his sprawling influence. Among the attendees is Margaret Van Kase Gail Patrick, an impoverished member of the town’s once-elite family, who is quickly charmed by Recka, much to Lan Ying’s dismay as she watches the social climb threaten the delicate balance of their circle.
Later, Recka meets with Rance at his apartment. In a tense confrontation, Rance is forced to write a suicide note and then falls to his death from the window, an act that pulls Inspector Brandon Lloyd Nolan into an open-and-shut pursuit of Recka for eight murders—yet the evidence remains elusive and hard to pin down.
To cement his influence, Recka has the mayor alter the city’s development plans to skirt the district around Margaret’s house, a tactic designed to ingratiate himself with her. He also learns that Margaret’s boyfriend, Philip Easton Harvey Stephens, a bond salesman, is a useful ally, and he begins funneling more business Phil’s way to win his trust. As Recka presses his charm on Margaret, Lan Ying warns that aiming for high society is a step too far for him and could cost them all.
To secure Phil’s loyalty, Recka brings two outside men to West City and they steal $218,000 in bonds from Phil’s bank, then kidnap him so the crime appears to be his. The police are tipped off, and Phil is found in a disheveled state, seemingly drunk, with the bonds missing. Recka offers a deal: he will clear Phil if Margaret marries him and opens the doors of respectable society for him. Phil is released on bail, and the threat to his name is momentarily averted.
The two outsiders double-cross Recka and speed away with the bonds, but their flight is interrupted when they are pulled over for speeding. Recka realizes that Phil could identify them, and he must be silenced to protect the larger plan. He arranges plane tickets for Margaret to flee with him, but the bonds have been replaced by newspaper, and he understands that Inspector Brandon now holds the key to the case.
Lan Ying grasps the full scope of Recka’s ambitions and that he intends to kill Phil, yet her own loyalties prove costly when her henchman is arrested before he can complete the hit. She warns Recka she will not be waiting if he returns, and she bids him a bittersweet farewell, playing a record of “Thanks for the Memory” as a final gesture of friendship and trust. Brandon closes in, arresting Recka and planning to convict him for Lan Ying’s murder and other, long-overdue crimes. Recka realizes, too late, that Lan Ying was the one constant in his dangerous world—the one ally who could have kept him from falling.
Margaret and Phil ultimately escape by plane, flying away to begin their honeymoon while the city’s political intrigue dissolves into a bittersweet, morally complex ending.
Dangerous to Know Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Dangerous to Know (1938) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Recka's rise and reach
Stephen Recka has entrenched himself as a gangster-turned power broker, shaping city politics and business. He aims to go higher socially, leveraging connections with the mayor and bank. The city is his stage.
A covert plant in Recka's office
A city councillor ambitious to be mayor plants a spy in Recka's office, John Rance. Recka discovers the plot, confirming his network's vulnerability and Rance's hostility. This marks the first crack in Recka's control.
Lan Ying hosts a birthday party
Recka's birthday party is organized by Lan Ying, a friend and hostess, drawing attendees who want a share of city-wide power. The party becomes a showcase of influence and greed. The atmosphere hints at impending clan rivalries.
Margaret arrives and is charmed
Margaret van Case, from the town's first family, arrives and catches Recka's eye as he charms her. Lan Ying grows wary, seeing Recka reach for a closer social ascend. A potential alliance forms that could threaten Lan Ying.
Rance's death
Recka meets with John Rance at his apartment. Rance is forced to write a suicide note and then falls to his death from the window. The murder appears to be a suicide, masking Recka's involvement.
Inspector Brandon closes in
Inspector Brandon, an honest and unbribeable cop, starts pursuing Recka for eight murders. However, solid evidence proving guilt is lacking, keeping Recka free for the moment. The pursuit intensifies pressure on Recka's scheme.
Development plans shift and bonds bought
Recka uses influence to steer the city's development plans away from Margaret's district as part of ingratiating himself with her. He learns Margaret's boyfriend Phil Easton is a bond salesman and secretly buys $20,000 worth of bonds from him, gradually increasing their business.
The pursuit of Margaret continues; warning from Lan Ying
Recka pursues Margaret, aiming to bring her into his social circle. Lan Ying warns that chasing her and entering high society is pushing too far, signaling that the risk could unravel his power.
Bonds stolen and Phil kidnapped
Recka brings two out-of-town hoods to meet Phil. They steal $218,000 in bonds from his bank and kidnap him so it looks like he stole them. The police are tipped off and find Phil drunk when the bonds are missing.
Phil framed; marriage bargain
Recka offers to have Phil cleared if Margaret marries him, thereby opening doors to respectable society. Margaret agrees but vows eternal contempt for Recka, recognizing the price of his help.
Double cross and plane tickets
The out-of-town pair double-cross Recka and flee with the bonds, but are arrested for speeding. Recka realizes Phil could identify them and plans to silence him. He arranges plane tickets for Margaret to run away with him, only to discover the bonds have been swapped for newspaper and that Inspector Brandon has them.
Lan Ying's warning and farewell
Lan Ying understands Recka's plan to kill Phil and warns that she won't be waiting if he returns. She says an emotional farewell, playing a memory record, and explains that she is the only real friend he has left.
Lan Ying's suicide and Recka's arrest
Lan Ying commits suicide with a knife. Inspector Brandon arrests Recka, intending him to be convicted as Lan Ying's murderer and to pay for other crimes he has avoided.
Final escape of Margaret and Phil
Margaret and Phil finally flee on the plane to their honeymoon, using the tickets Recka had arranged. Recka's downfall is sealed as he loses his one ally and faces justice.
Dangerous to Know Characters
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Nicolai Kusoff – Anthony Quinn
A gangster and former bootlegger who wields city-wide influence over politics and business. He is ambitious to climb the social ladder, using bribery and threats to keep the mayor and bank in his pocket. He thrives on manipulation, playing competing interests against each other.
Mayor Bradley – Porter Hall
The city’s mayor who is deeply entangled with Recka’s criminal network. He is susceptible to bribery and political pressure, symbolizing the corruptibility of politics. He serves as both an ally and a pawn to maintain control over urban development.
Inspector Brandon – Lloyd Nolan
An honest, incorruptible police inspector who pursues Recka’s eight murders despite weak evidence. He represents the moral counterweight to the criminal elite and him orchestrating the pursuit of truth.
Stephen Recka – Akim Tamiroff
A powerful figure whose criminal ingenuity fuels his ascent in politics. He uses charm and threats to manipulate others and implements schemes to consolidate control. He underestimates Lan Ying’s intelligence and ultimately meets a calculated downfall.
Madame Lan Ying – Anna May Wong
Hostess of Recka’s birthday party and a sharp observer of social dynamics. She warns Recka when his reach surpasses safe limits, and ultimately sacrifices her own safety to protect others.
Philip Easton – Harvey Stephens
A bond salesman whose trust is earned by Recka but who becomes a pawn in the deception. He is framed and later freed, representing the vulnerable middle-ground between crime and justice.
Margaret Van Kase – Gail Patrick
A member of the town’s first family who is drawn to Recka’s promises of social ascent, yet remains morally aware and vows contempt for him even as she accepts his help.
John Rance – Edward Pawley
A city councillor who wants to become mayor, manipulated into writing a suicide note and later dies in a fall. His downfall underscores the perilous nature of political scheming.
Dangerous to Know Settings
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Time period
1930s
The plot unfolds in a Prohibition-era city during the 1930s, a time of political corruption and organized crime influence. Pro-business development schemes and moneyed interests shape the city’s fate. Tense power plays and schemes drive the story as criminals move freely in high society.
Location
A bustling metropolitan setting where city hall, banks, and development schemes intersect with crime. The action centers on the mayor's office, a politician's ascent, and a hostess hosting high-society gatherings. The atmosphere mixes glitz with danger, as party rooms become stages for manipulation.
Dangerous to Know Themes
Discover the main themes in Dangerous to Know (1938). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Power and Corruption
Power is accumulated through bribery, social climbing, and leveraging people's ambitions. Recka uses political influence, a trusted mayor, and a bank to bend city plans to his will. The plot shows how wealth and position corrupt not just institutions but relationships.
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Love and Betrayal
Margaret and Lan Ying become entangled with Recka as means to social ascent. Affection is weaponized, and loyalty is tested as personal desires collide with self-serving schemes. The characters navigate affection while facing moral compromise and eventual heartbreak.
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Deception and Masks
Characters hide their true intentions behind polite appearances and social rituals. The fake innocence of a socialite world contrasts with the brutal ends pursued by criminals. The plot relies on misdirection, forged notes, and staged alibis to propel the suspense.
Dangerous to Know Spoiler-Free Summary
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In a town where the glitter of high society sits uneasily beside the hard edge of organized power, the streets pulse with a blend of ambition and treachery. The city’s elite circles are as much a stage for whispered deals as they are for lavish parties, and every corner seems to hold the promise of either ascent or ruin. A pervasive sense of polished danger hangs in the air, hinting at a world where influence is bartered as casually as a glass of champagne.
Stephen Recka dominates this landscape, a former bootlegger turned political heavyweight who has turned the machinery of city government into an extension of his own will. He moves with cold certainty, cultivating both the arts and the corridors of power, and his reputation for ruthless efficiency is matched only by his taste for elegance. Beside him stands Madame Lan Ying, his beautiful hostess and confidante, whose quiet presence and loyalty provide the essential counterpoint to his iron‑fisted rule. Their partnership is an intricate dance of mutual benefit, each aware that the other is the only one who truly understands the cost of the empire they have built.
Into this carefully balanced world arrives Margaret Van Kase, an independent socialite whose lineage hints at old wealth, yet whose modern sensibilities reject the overt displays of power that surround her. Unimpressed by Recka’s fortune and the deference it commands, she navigates the upper‑class gatherings with a cool detachment that both intrigues and unsettles the men who seek her favor. Her presence ignites a subtle, mutual fascination that threatens to upend the established order.
As Recka’s interest in Margaret grows, the delicate equilibrium among the city’s power brokers begins to shift. The tension between ambition and loyalty, between the allure of high society and the gritty reality of control, creates a charged atmosphere where every encounter could redraw the lines of influence. The stage is set for a clash of personalities and desires, each poised to reshape the fragile balance that holds the town together.
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