Green for Danger

Inspector Cockrill begins a formal report for Scotland Yard about a cascade of extraordinary events. He notes that the saga starts on 17 August 1944, and identifies postman Joseph Higgins as the first victim. The opening lines set the tone for a murder mystery unfolding within wartime Britain.

We are shown the operating theatre and its staff in a rural hospital. A cryptic line hints that two will be dead and one a murderer, foreshadowing the grief and danger to come. The stage is set for medical drama and murder in close quarters.

The V-1 offensive saturates the area around London, and Higgins answers the call to duty as a warden. A doodlebug strike hits the hospital vicinity, and a wireless broadcast carries Nazi propaganda. The chaos of war seeps into the hospital’s halls.

Joseph Higgins is brought into the hospital unconscious and without identification. The medical staff worry about his case as the mystery surrounding his death begins to unfold. The arrival marks the start of the central medical mystery.

Nurse Sanson confides in Dr. Eden about nightmares rooted in her mother's death, implying war trauma and the pressure of caring for bombing victims. There is a sense of guilt and duty shaping their actions. The moment deepens the interpersonal tensions central to the plot.

Nurse Linley reveals she has broken her engagement to Dr. Barnes. A bomb lands during a tense moment when Linley and Barnes share a kiss under Sister Bates’ watchful gaze. Bates then slips away, fighting back tears.

Sanson recognizes Higgins and he reminds her of her mother, intensifying the emotional stakes. The connection between the victim and the nurse adds a personal layer to the investigation. The scene foreshadows the deep-seated motives behind the murder.

Before surgery, Woods recognizes Higgins’ name, and Higgins becomes distressed upon hearing Woods' voice. The tension hints at an unseen link between the suspects. The medical drama intersects with the mystery plot.

Barnes administers anaesthetic; the full oxygen supply proves useless. Cockrill notes the critical failure and that 'Higgins was quite dead,' a turning point that reframes the investigation. The death triggers the shift from medical routine to murder inquiry.

At a large staff party, Bates warns Barnes that Eden is after Linley and proclaims she has proof Higgins was murdered. She leaves to retrieve her proof and is encountered by a masked figure; Linley discovers Bates’ body later that night, deepening the mystery.

The Inspector questions Barnes, Eden, Linley, Sanson, and Woods, uncovering a tangled web of secrets. He reveals that Bates was stabbed, then re-stabbed after being dressed in a gown, and notes the missing poison pills. The clues tighten the circle around the murderer.

Cockrill orders a re-enactment of the operation that killed Higgins, with Eden assisting Purdy. The staged procedure prompts a brawl between Eden and Barnes, jolting the room and tipping off the investigation. Sanson tries to flee but is confronted as the inspector closes in.

Woods installs a new oxygen bottle; Linley is anaesthetized but recovers when the issue is diagnosed as carbon dioxide rather than pure oxygen. Linley notices a hidden black paint stain matching Bates’ gown, and Cockrill traces a similar stain on Woods’ gown, exposing the method and the culprit.

Eden discreetly arms a hypodermic and confronts Sanson, who tries to escape into the next room. Cockrill breaks in, defeats the locked door, and arrests Sanson, bringing the murder to a close. The inspector’s suspicions crystallize as Sanson’s guilt is revealed.