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!
10 Reviews
"Welcome to Hotrodsville!!!!"
kidboots15 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
How can you not like these films they are sooo bad they are good!!!
Louise (Fay Spain), Fred (John Ashley) and Jim (Steve Terrel) meet at a set of lights and instantly have a drag race - a policeman follows them to Mama's Cafe Grill, which is the local hangout for kids. Typical of these J.D. movies, the local police pop up every 20 minutes with lectures about "wild and crazy kids".
Louise is a "hot rod" freak, new in town from Salt Lake City. Her parents are "cool" - her dad bought Louise her hot rod - although he is now regretting it. There has been rivalry between rich kid Fred and Jim ever since they were kids in school. Jim is hoping to win the USA Regional Sweepstakes Race and get a scholarship to college but Fred is determined to win even if he has to cheat to do it. He buys a car from his friend Rick (Tommy Ivo) and modifies it so it will leave the rest behind.
While racing in a grudge match Fred's partner Rick falls out of the car and breaks his leg. Fred's lack of concern shows up his callous nature. Fred secretly takes Jim's car out for a spin and kills a pedestrian. Of course when the police investigate they think Jim is the driver. He is then disqualified from the race - but Louise, who finds a piece of Rick's plaster in Jim's car and realises the truth, takes Jim's place in the big race. It is wild and exciting stuff as Fred tries to run and Jim tackles him to the ground.
This film was one of many made for the drive-in circuit. John Ashley,
who also sang in these films, made many of these J.D. movies. There doesn't seem to be much information on Steve Terrel, although he featured in many of these "hot rod" films. He also starred in that campy classic "Invasion of the Saucer Men". Frank Gorshin was at the start of his long career - he plays the zany Tommy Burns.
Fay Spain was the drive-in movie bad girl - she also got her big break in this film, playing a blonde siren that has the boys falling at her feet. I will always remember her in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode entitled "The Last Dark Step".
Recommended.
Louise (Fay Spain), Fred (John Ashley) and Jim (Steve Terrel) meet at a set of lights and instantly have a drag race - a policeman follows them to Mama's Cafe Grill, which is the local hangout for kids. Typical of these J.D. movies, the local police pop up every 20 minutes with lectures about "wild and crazy kids".
Louise is a "hot rod" freak, new in town from Salt Lake City. Her parents are "cool" - her dad bought Louise her hot rod - although he is now regretting it. There has been rivalry between rich kid Fred and Jim ever since they were kids in school. Jim is hoping to win the USA Regional Sweepstakes Race and get a scholarship to college but Fred is determined to win even if he has to cheat to do it. He buys a car from his friend Rick (Tommy Ivo) and modifies it so it will leave the rest behind.
While racing in a grudge match Fred's partner Rick falls out of the car and breaks his leg. Fred's lack of concern shows up his callous nature. Fred secretly takes Jim's car out for a spin and kills a pedestrian. Of course when the police investigate they think Jim is the driver. He is then disqualified from the race - but Louise, who finds a piece of Rick's plaster in Jim's car and realises the truth, takes Jim's place in the big race. It is wild and exciting stuff as Fred tries to run and Jim tackles him to the ground.
This film was one of many made for the drive-in circuit. John Ashley,
who also sang in these films, made many of these J.D. movies. There doesn't seem to be much information on Steve Terrel, although he featured in many of these "hot rod" films. He also starred in that campy classic "Invasion of the Saucer Men". Frank Gorshin was at the start of his long career - he plays the zany Tommy Burns.
Fay Spain was the drive-in movie bad girl - she also got her big break in this film, playing a blonde siren that has the boys falling at her feet. I will always remember her in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode entitled "The Last Dark Step".
Recommended.
A Fairly Average Hot Rod Movie
Uriah4327 July 2015
"Louise Blake" (Fay Spain) is a new girl in town who loves cars and racing. Because of these interests she soon gets acquainted with others her age who have the same fondness for drag racing. In particular she meets two guys named "Jim Donaldson" (Steven Terrell) and "Fred Armstrong" (John Ashley) who both become attracted to her. However, rather than choose just one she decides to string both along which ends up being a huge mistake as Fred is insanely jealous of Jim and begins to provoke and undermine him at every opportunity. What nobody realizes is the depth of envy and how far he is willing to go to make Jim look bad. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a fairly average hot rod movie which could have been better with a bit more character development. Additionally, I didn't particularly care for the repeated taunts by Fred which became more than a bit annoying after a while. I also would have liked to have seen a little more of Judy Bamber (as "Rhoda") who was quite stunning. Be that as it may, in spite of the flaws and the fact that this film was definitely dated I still liked it and rate it as about average.
I liked the movie
dapper_handyman10 May 2002
Dragstrip girl is fun drive in type movie. If you like old cars,50's style plot lines of bad girl/ bad guy, then you will love this movie.It takes you back to another time,when things seemed to be a little less trouble. It does not insult you with bad languge or body parts that you dont care to see.Classic cars,narrow ties,and boys who still meet the parrents.
Oh dragstrip girl...
BandSAboutMovies8 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
One of American-International Pictures first winners was this movie, released as a double feature with Rock All Night. It has Fay Spain in the title role, in a story that would pretty much be recycled as Motorcycle Gang along with cast members John Ashley (this was his first movie) and Steve Terrell.
Ashley had never acted before but went with his girlfriend on her audition. He got a contract with AIP and she didn't. He's a total winner in this, the perfect jerk who doesn't care that his love for speed keeps getting people killed.
Meanwhile, Spain's Louise Blake character must choose between the rich Ashley - who impresses mom - and the resourceful mechanic Terrell - who dad likes. It doesn't help when a game of chicken - which I think only happened in movies until impressionable youth watched AIP films - leads to more death.
One of the reviewers of the day claimed that this movie was, "a depressing and irresponsible film... glorifying the defiance of law and order, lax morals and the discardance of civilised behaviour." When I read things like that, it's hard not to contain my glee.
This is one of the many filmes Edward L. Cahn did for AIP. There's nothing flashy, but he's dependable and unafraid to be sensationalistic. You can also check out It! The Terror from Beyond Space; Shake, Rattle and Rock and Runaway Daughters, which is one of the best titles of all time.
Ashley had never acted before but went with his girlfriend on her audition. He got a contract with AIP and she didn't. He's a total winner in this, the perfect jerk who doesn't care that his love for speed keeps getting people killed.
Meanwhile, Spain's Louise Blake character must choose between the rich Ashley - who impresses mom - and the resourceful mechanic Terrell - who dad likes. It doesn't help when a game of chicken - which I think only happened in movies until impressionable youth watched AIP films - leads to more death.
One of the reviewers of the day claimed that this movie was, "a depressing and irresponsible film... glorifying the defiance of law and order, lax morals and the discardance of civilised behaviour." When I read things like that, it's hard not to contain my glee.
This is one of the many filmes Edward L. Cahn did for AIP. There's nothing flashy, but he's dependable and unafraid to be sensationalistic. You can also check out It! The Terror from Beyond Space; Shake, Rattle and Rock and Runaway Daughters, which is one of the best titles of all time.
Another bait and switch title and poster sell.
bletcherstonerson15 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Wow, was I looking forward to this, a hot chick racing rods and dealing with the 50's male counterparts and the story surrounding that premise...but no..what we get is Drag Strip Girl races...once ..during the opening and in the poorest race ever staged on film. The rest of the story deals with a guy trying to race the local thug, then Gorshin takes the bait and pays for it by wrecking his sweet street rod. Also ,Gorshin was stuck with the supporting role, had the director been better, Frank would have been the lead instead of the wooden performance we saw from "what's his name". Listen, I am bashing the movie for what it's not, and that's kinda like being angry that Minnie Driver isn't the name of a small race car driver. This was an industrious film considering the budget, and it does deliver the goods for hard core fans of 50's culture and the "delinquent film" genre. But, it is totally misleading in it's cover art and story sell. It's like being stuck on a deserted island by yourself with nothing but a vial of Viagra.
Will She Make Out With The Good Boy Or The Bad Boy?
boblipton28 April 2024
In Fay Spain's big-screen debut, she's a girl who loves fast cars and one of two boys: either Steven Terrell, the son of a bricklayer who has built his hot rod part by part, or John Ashley, son of the richest man in town, who has had everything given to him, but feels like he's in competition with Terrell for everything. Miss Spain is not sure which. But as the big drag race is coming up and Ashley buys his own drag car and "borrows" Terrell's so he'll know what the competition can do, she's going to decide before the end of the movie.
Director Edward Cahn will return to this theme with his two male leads in the future, but for now he's telling the bare story without much ornamentation or subtext. Grazia Narciso and Tito Vuolo are on hand as the pizza shop owners where the kids hang out for some comic relief, and Frank Gorshin and Tommy Ivo are also drag-racing kids. In many ways, it looks like the precursor to the beach movies that AIP would produce in the 1960s.
Director Edward Cahn will return to this theme with his two male leads in the future, but for now he's telling the bare story without much ornamentation or subtext. Grazia Narciso and Tito Vuolo are on hand as the pizza shop owners where the kids hang out for some comic relief, and Frank Gorshin and Tommy Ivo are also drag-racing kids. In many ways, it looks like the precursor to the beach movies that AIP would produce in the 1960s.
enjoyable a.i.p. flick
johnc214124 January 2011
OK i'm a big fan of most movies made by the late American international movies,fun b-movies.my favorites being invasion of the saucermen and i was a teenage werewolf.but this movie dragstrip girl is very entertaining,it tells the story about a young pretty girl(Fay Spain)who drives a hotrod.and has two guys fighting over her,poor but honest nice guy(Steve Terrell)and rich snobby nasty dishonest guy(John Ashley)who both are also drag racers.there's much melodrama and fighting.but im not giving away any more of the plot.lets just say its a very good a.i.p. b movie from the fifties.also stars pre riddler(Frank Gorshin)and a.i.p. regular Russ Bender.heres a fact terrell and gorshin were in invasion of the saucermen soon after this.like i said this movie was enjoyable.8 out of 10.
Don't count your trophies before they're won, Mr. Big Wheel.
mark.waltz16 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The drag racing scene in "Rebel Without a Cause" set off a string of B movies about that dangerous sport with some not so bright teenagers risking their lives and the lives of their friends in doing some really stupid stunts that will lead to no good. Critics complained that this film represented the promotion of a fad that shouldn't be exploited onscreen, yet that didn't stop the teenage crowd from going to the drive-ins to see these films. The film itself isn't horrible, but gives cliched views of teens of the time, square parents and an Italian American couple (Grazia Narciso and Tito Vuolo) who get laughs as the stereotypical owners of a pizzeria, providing the comic relief as the overly chatty mama and the quiet papa who gets one very funny moment when he adds presentation to the teen passed out on their floor after being beaten up. Vuolo gets the last line to the nagging Narciso which is very funny and gives the film a satisfying conclusion.
The film's leads are Fay Spain as a young girl who is just as much a speed demon as her boyfriends, Steven Terrell and John Ashley as the rivals for her affections. The opening scene has one of the boys standing between the two cars as it goes down a busy Los Angeles Street, a stunt that with how fast they are going seems impossible to do without falling to a violent and bloody death. Their actions leads to a hit and run, which of course leads to a lot of cover-up and pain for the families of the perpetrator and the victim. The film culminates with a legitimate drag race where the police show up to stop it because of the hit and run. Frank Gorshin (a decade before "Batman") is standout. There's a few moments of the film that do seem to be written with a bit of common sense, but overall it's a silly teen action drama that takes an ironic look at the characters who would probably n9w be great grandparents.
The film's leads are Fay Spain as a young girl who is just as much a speed demon as her boyfriends, Steven Terrell and John Ashley as the rivals for her affections. The opening scene has one of the boys standing between the two cars as it goes down a busy Los Angeles Street, a stunt that with how fast they are going seems impossible to do without falling to a violent and bloody death. Their actions leads to a hit and run, which of course leads to a lot of cover-up and pain for the families of the perpetrator and the victim. The film culminates with a legitimate drag race where the police show up to stop it because of the hit and run. Frank Gorshin (a decade before "Batman") is standout. There's a few moments of the film that do seem to be written with a bit of common sense, but overall it's a silly teen action drama that takes an ironic look at the characters who would probably n9w be great grandparents.
Fay Spain plays the title babe, which is just enough reason to watch this flick
scsu197524 November 2022
Exactly what you would expect from American International Pictures - cars, chicks, fights, and another Elvis impersonation by John Ashley.
Fay Spain rides her hot rod into town, and immediately encounters Ashley and Steve Terrell in their own set of wheels. They drag down the street, until the cops get wind of this. Ashley and Terrell hide Spain in their garage, and the inevitable "I saw her first" starts, leading to a split between the two buddies. Tensions escalate as Spain can't decide which guy to date, so she plays them both. Her parents want her to choose Ashley, because his old man is loaded. However, they haven't heard Ashley sing.
Police Lieutenant Russ Bender wants the kids to form a car club so they won't drag race along the city streets, Ashley turns progressively more into a heel through the course of the film, leading to a "chicken run." Just before the big race, Ashley manages to implicate Terrell in a hit and run. There's always a big race. There's never a small or medium-sized race. Always a big race. How come there is never a big final exam? "Hey man, just me and you, and the geometry final. Be there or be square."
Spain looks sexy, so no one should care about her acting talent, or lack of same. She gets to drive a hot rod in a dress and high heels. Trust me, that hot rod looks silly in a dress and high heels. Frank Gorshin plays Terrell's buddy, but doesn't do any impersonations. However, he does sing with a tablecloth over his body and a mop on his head: "She's my dragstrip girl with a streamlined chassis, got a set of pipes and a grill that's classy, Draggggggggggg-strip babyyyyyyy." Yeah. Almost makes one yearn for Ashley's singing. Almost. Gorshin also orders a slice of pizza with a scoop of chocolate ice cream on it. Hurl. Blonde bombshell Judy Bamber plays Gorshin's girlfriend, and has some good comic scenes, especially during the fistfight between Ashley and Terrell - she can't figure out which one to root for, and Gorshin keeps reminding her who is supposed to win. Tito Vuolo plays the owner of a pizzeria where the kids hang out. Vuolo's chef's hat looks like a misplaced extra large prophylactic.
Fay Spain rides her hot rod into town, and immediately encounters Ashley and Steve Terrell in their own set of wheels. They drag down the street, until the cops get wind of this. Ashley and Terrell hide Spain in their garage, and the inevitable "I saw her first" starts, leading to a split between the two buddies. Tensions escalate as Spain can't decide which guy to date, so she plays them both. Her parents want her to choose Ashley, because his old man is loaded. However, they haven't heard Ashley sing.
Police Lieutenant Russ Bender wants the kids to form a car club so they won't drag race along the city streets, Ashley turns progressively more into a heel through the course of the film, leading to a "chicken run." Just before the big race, Ashley manages to implicate Terrell in a hit and run. There's always a big race. There's never a small or medium-sized race. Always a big race. How come there is never a big final exam? "Hey man, just me and you, and the geometry final. Be there or be square."
Spain looks sexy, so no one should care about her acting talent, or lack of same. She gets to drive a hot rod in a dress and high heels. Trust me, that hot rod looks silly in a dress and high heels. Frank Gorshin plays Terrell's buddy, but doesn't do any impersonations. However, he does sing with a tablecloth over his body and a mop on his head: "She's my dragstrip girl with a streamlined chassis, got a set of pipes and a grill that's classy, Draggggggggggg-strip babyyyyyyy." Yeah. Almost makes one yearn for Ashley's singing. Almost. Gorshin also orders a slice of pizza with a scoop of chocolate ice cream on it. Hurl. Blonde bombshell Judy Bamber plays Gorshin's girlfriend, and has some good comic scenes, especially during the fistfight between Ashley and Terrell - she can't figure out which one to root for, and Gorshin keeps reminding her who is supposed to win. Tito Vuolo plays the owner of a pizzeria where the kids hang out. Vuolo's chef's hat looks like a misplaced extra large prophylactic.
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