Detour (1945) ****
In Edgar G. Ulmer's Detour (1945) the protagonist Al Roberts (Tom Neal) gives new meaning to the phrase "down-on-his-luck." On his New York to Los Angeles hitch-hike, after his fiancée postpones their wedding, Al unfortunately ends up with a dead body to dispose of and later (and perhaps even worse for him) he offers a ride to the nefarious, scheming Vera. An actor with a more appropriate name couldn't have been cast when it comes to that character, played by Ann Savage—a femme fatale and a half.
At a brusk 68 minutes, the film is a marvel of economy, never wasting a frame—getting straight to the essence of why audiences love film noir. In the case of Detour, the cheap production values and B-movie vibe only enhance the gritty, fatalistic atmosphere. One quote, out of the many bits of priceless dialogue from Detour, sums up the film concisely: “whichever way you turn, fate sticks out a foot to trip you.”
You can find my Film Noir Feature Films Ranked list here.
At a brusk 68 minutes, the film is a marvel of economy, never wasting a frame—getting straight to the essence of why audiences love film noir. In the case of Detour, the cheap production values and B-movie vibe only enhance the gritty, fatalistic atmosphere. One quote, out of the many bits of priceless dialogue from Detour, sums up the film concisely: “whichever way you turn, fate sticks out a foot to trip you.”
You can find my Film Noir Feature Films Ranked list here.
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