Sid Davis re-used this soundtrack with updated visuals (other than the Dodo drawings) in the early '60s. This one has the cop squad car as a 1952 Chevrolet.
Sid saves money by having the narrating cop put on other voices. He belittles his child audience, calling them wise guys.
But even the molesters are well-groomed (pun not intended) in the 1950s. The one chased down by motorcycle cops is wearing a tie. It was a kinder, gentler time.
The film features the same old Davis template: strangers are bad, be paranoid over non-events ("What if..."), mom and dad know best (what if dad is the molester, Sid?), policemen are there to help you.

At 1:12 a clutch of housewives are wetting their pants over a cop. Just look at them! So typical. What is it about men in uniforms?

A classic Sid Davis movie. LA was a dangerous place to grow up, for sure. According to these films, you'd either get run over by a car or get kidnapped. Yuck.

One of Sid Davis' better works, this one is well paced, written, acted, etc. (I just finished watching The Stranger beforehand, so I notice the difference).

Of all these films, this one is perhaps best in terms of informative content. Most of it actually instructions on what to do/not do in certain scenarios and a few cautionary examples. The car chase is very well done. The light and shadow combined as well as the excellently timed music score is thrilling.

This is quintessential of so many things; take a watch.

Made in 1949, this film teaches youngsters about being cautious of strangers who could possibly harm them(pedophiles). I noticed it was limited to men in those days. Effective for its time.

The film may be dated, but the generation of children it was made for,not bad.

Another gem by Sid Davis. If you have followed his his driving films closely, you'll know that hitchhiking is bad because of course, the driver may be a dangerous driver, kids are always quick to write down license plate numbers, all sorts of weird people hang out at the movie theater and never trust men with pencil mustaches. What you probably didn't know (and is news to me) that strangers can hang out in alleys ready to offer up swell pocketknives, that no matter how often you tell kids, they'll still go off with strangers, and that the cops will give you a manilla folder for your parents to take hope afterwards. Executive produced by John Wayne. Did you know that? Highly Reccomended!

This earlier version of The Dangerous Stranger is a little less ridiculous than the later version, perhaps because it was made during the early 50s, when ÃÂdonÃÂt talk to strangersÃÂ wasnÃÂt so ubiquitous. ItÃÂs also in murky black-and-white, and it seems to have been filmed in a bleak inner-city neighborhood that looks like it really is quite unsafe for kids. The campiest moment is the end, where Sid Davis hauls out silly caricatures of dumb kids getting into cars with and taking candy from strangers. These are a real hoot and definite items for the Film Ephemera Museum of Quirky Devices. Overall, there is something quintessential about this kidÃÂs safety film, making it a necessary addition to any collection of educational films.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ****.

3 things i love about this movie:

the satan-esque eyes on the guy dodo is talking to at the movies

"do you know what a dodo is... its a dead bird... that means it isn't alive anymore! thats what this kid is going to be, extinct!"

the look on the guy's face that gets hoisted out of the cinema

My friends constantly make me play this and "boys beware" when they come over. It never gets old.

1)If some creepy guy is going to touch a girl in a theater, do you think he would touch her shoulder? She looked like his date!
2)The only time I've seen anyone skip and hold hands like those kids did is when my boyfriend and I do our ritualistic frolic to the happy music at the entrance of Six Flags.
3)How did that man guess that girl's name? Was "Sally" that generic of a name back then?
4)That chase scene was scary even for now!
5)I hope my future children never look like DoDo.

A somewhat hokey but effective film on the dangers of going off with strangers. We may laugh at the cheesy narration and somewhat stilted acting, but you can bet I'll be teaching my daughter and son everything that this film teaches. I have to wonder, though, if a police officer coming up to a group of kids like that today would still be looked upon as a trusted friend.

I remember seeing an updated version of this film (which I have on videotape) in grade school in the early seventies. Do they still make films like this for kids nowadays?