Dragstrip Girl (1957)

Director:

Edward L. Cahn

Writer:

Lou Rusoff (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

Car Crazy!...Speed Crazy!...Boy Crazy!

Plot:

Girl loves hot cars and a rich dragstrip racer. Her parents don't like either one. |

Plot Keywords:

Automobile Racing | Teen | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Fay Spain	...	Louise Blake
Steven Terrell	...	Jim Donaldson
John Ashley	...	Fred Armstrong
Tommy Ivo	...	Rick Camden
Frank Gorshin	...	Tommy Burns
Judy Bamber	...	Rhoda
Don Shelton	...	Sam Blake
Dorothy Bruce	...	Anna Blake
Grazia Narciso	...	Mama (pizzeria owner)
Tito Vuolo	...	Papa (the pizzamaker)
Russ Bender	...	Lt. Bradley
George Dockstader	...	Sarge (motorcycle cop)
Leon Tyler	...	Ben Smith (kid with glasses)
Carla Merey	...	Terri (the brunette)
Edmund Cobb	...	Drag-race trials caller

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

Golden State Productions

Trivia:

In August 1957, this film was being shown on a double bill with another American International film targeting the teen market, Rock All Night (1957).

Quotes:

Tommy Burns: [singing] She's my Dragstrip Girl with a streamlined chasse Got a set of pipes and a grille that's classy - Dragstrip Baby Flip a switch and she'll start to go Her motor starts a-sparkin and she can't say no - Dragstrip Baby She's my Dragstrip Girl with a fuel-injection blast She may not have a future, but I'll see she gets a past! Dragstrip Baby of mi-i-ine...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dragstrip Girl (1994) (TV)

Corny but Kool!

I've seen this film about 25 times, not for the acting or writing but for the cars! Although, Frank Gorshin is hilarious in this film. The plot is simple although not 100% believable, Fay Spain plays a hot rodder who moves from Salt like City to LA or as it's known in the film, "Hotrodville". She has a drag race in her '28 Model A roadster with a triple carb flathead with Tommy Ivo's famous Buick powered T bucket in the first scene. Truth be known, not many chicks had rods in the 50's let alone drag raced them on city streets. The rest of the film is her being wooed by rich kid John Ashley and poor but honest Steve Terrel. There are some great drag racing and circle track racing scenes in this film with real 50's hot rods. Tommy Ivo is in the film as John Ashley's accomplice and there is an ironic scene where he and Ashley break into the garage and steal Ivo's car but in the film the car is owned and driven by Steve Terrel! Tommy Ivo told me that the filming of this movie killed the engine in his car because it overheated between takes because it was idling waiting for the camera to roll. The car John Ashley drives in the film is a chopped and channeled Model a roadster with a 4 carb flathead engine. Frank Gorshin and his sexy Marilyn Monroe look-a-like girlfriend drive a '27 Model T roadster with a flathead engine. I have to warn you, the beginning of the movie has one of the corniest race scenes ever!