Edgar G. Ulmer (1904–1972)

This proto-noir is one of the all-time great noir movies. It is a bleak, nihilistic masterpiece that offers absolutely no hope and acts as a black dagger to the heart of the so-called "American Dream". The story opens with nightclub pianist Al Roberts (Tom Neal) and his girlfriend Sue (Claudia Drake) discussing their future. Sue decides to head for Hollywood leaving Al behind, but as the weeks pass he decides to join her. Broke, he has no option but to hitchhike and finds himself getting a show more ride from brash business-man Charles Haskell (Edmund MacDonald). Unfortunately Haskell suddenly dies on the road and Al unwisely decides to take his identity. Things go really wrong for him, however, when he gives a lift to the dangerous, deadly, black-mailing femme fatale Vera (Ann Savage). Despite its sharp running time of 67 minutes, the Martin Goldsmith written and Edgar G. Ulmer directed "Detour" packs an incredible punch while incorporating all the trademarks of the noir genre including shadowy black-and-white photography; a deep moral ambiguity; a cynical protagonist and a powerful femme fatale. Edgar G. Ulmer's made the movie on a shoestring over the course of a few days and that actually works to the film's advantage giving it a restless, dark, grim, foggy feel very much in line with the characters and their motivations. Ulmer's direction tunes in to the fatalism of the characters giving them the backgrounds and the milieu they deserve. Tom Neal is good in the lead role, failing to take any personal responsibility and believing that his actions have been precipitated by the hand of fate rather than by any of his own decisions. Ann Savage is unrivalled in her portrayal of Vera perhaps delivering the nastiest, harshest, bitterest femme fatale of all. All this makes for a simply astonishing and incredible cynical b-movie masterpiece. show less

A hitchhiker accidentally kills a man.

3/4 (Good).

There's not much here other than Ann Savage's performance, but that's enough.

2023 movie #76. 1960. Mad scientist breaks safecracker from prison to turn him invisible so he can steal radioactive material from a gov't safe so he can make more invisible men and conquer the world. Ha ha, what could go wrong? Read the WARNING! at the bottom of the poster.

2024 movie #170. 1945. Al, hitchhiking from NY to LA to be with his girl, gets picked up by a guy who dies of a heart attack. Al, naturally takes his car, clothes and ID. Then he picks up Vera, the queen of bad dames and his problems start for real. Considered a classic noir. Included in the 2019 edition of “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die” by Steven Jay Schneider.