Detour (1945)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Martin Goldsmith (screenplay)
Martin Goldsmith (original story)

Release Date:

30 November 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

He went searching for love... but Fate forced a DETOUR to Revelry... Violence... Mystery!

Plot:

Chance events trap hitch-hiker Al Roberts in a tightening net of film noir trouble.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Pianist | Hitchhiking | Murder | Pick Up

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Tom Neal	...	Al Roberts
Ann Savage	...	Vera
Claudia Drake	...	Sue Harvey
Edmund MacDonald	...	Charles Haskell Jr
Tim Ryan	...	Nevada Diner Proprietor
Esther Howard	...	Holly, Diner Waitress
Pat Gleason	...	Joe, Trucker at Diner

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | UK:A (1946) | UK:U (1992) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #11048) | Australia:G

Company:

Producers Releasing Corporation

Trivia:

The budget PRC gave director Edgar G. Ulmer for this film was so small that the 1941 Lincoln Continental V-12 convertible driven by Charles Haskell was actually Ulmer's personal car.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Al is playing the piano he is clearly not pressing any of the keys, just moving his fingers across the tops of them.

Quotes:

Al Roberts: That's life. Whichever way you turn, Fate sticks out a foot to trip you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

I'M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS

No budget masterpiece

Al Roberts (Tom Neal) is a depressed NYC piano player whose girlfriend leaves him to try her luck in CA. He follows her by hitchhiking his way. He's picked up by a man who (inexplicably) dies while Al is driving. Naturally Al does everything wrong...like dumping the body and then picking up Vera (Ann Savage) a totally amoral woman. Then things barrel horribly out of control.

You can quibble about plot points (a certain death is highly implausible) but this IS a masterpiece of the genre. It's one of the grimmest film noirs of its time. It was made by a poverty row studio (PRC) on no budget. Actually the lack of budget helps the story--everything appears dark and grim fitting the tone of the story. Also they had an excellent director (Edgar G. Ulmer) and a great script by Martin Goldsmith. Also Neal was very good as Roberts and Savage is exceptional as Vera (there's a scene where she explodes at Roberts in a car which is truly scary). It's also all wrapped up in a tight economical 69 minutes. This has deservedly been a cult movie for many years.

Good luck finding a clear print with good sound.