Detour (1945)

Chance events trap hitchhiking nightclub pianist Al Roberts in a tightening net of death, deception and blackmail.

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Martin Goldsmith (screenplay), Martin Goldsmith (original story)

Stars:

Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tom Neal	...	Al Roberts
Ann Savage	...	Vera
Claudia Drake	...	Sue Harvey
Edmund MacDonald	...	Charles Haskell Jr
Tim Ryan	...	Nevada Diner Proprietor
Esther Howard	...	Diner Waitress
Pat Gleason	...	Joe

Storyline

In flashback, New York nightclub pianist Al Roberts hitchhikes to Hollywood to join his girl Sue. On a rainy night, the sleazy gambler he's riding with mysteriously dies; afraid of the police, Roberts takes the man's identity. But thanks to a blackmailing dame, Roberts' every move plunges him deeper into trouble.

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Plot Keywords:

blackmail | impersonation | b movie | telephone | hitchhiking | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

It is frequently reported that this film was shot only in one week. In truth, the shooting schedule was 28 days. The "one week" myth appears to be based on an off-hand remark by director Edgar G. Ulmer toward the end of his life.

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Goofs

Several of the scenes of Al traveling across country are reversed images. When he first starts his road trip to California he is seen getting into what appears to be the driver's side of the truck, and in the next scene he is seen riding in a Model A, which seems to have right-hand drive. Both of these scenes and a few more are clearly scenes where the film stock was reversed to give the impression of travel from east to west.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Al Roberts: I keep trying to forget what happened, and wonder what my life might have been if that car of Haskell's hadn't stopped. But one thing I don't have to wonder about, I know. Someday a car will stop to pick me up that I never thumbed. Yes. Fate, or some mysterious force, can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all.

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Connections

Referenced in Harry Monument (2004)

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Soundtracks

Waltz Op. 64 No. 2 in C Sharp Minor
(uncredited)
Music by Frédéric Chopin
Played by Al on the piano (dubbed by Leo Erdody)

User Reviews

The hitchhiker

It's a tribute to Edgar Ulmer that "Detour", made for about thirty thousand dollars, still keeps an interest with new fans who discover it. According to some comments, "Detour" has not been seen in this country in quite a while, but we recall the first time we saw it when it was presented at New York's Film Forum as part of a Film Noir festival in the late eighties. The copy shown recently on TCM has a poor quality, while the print we saw at Film Forum was in better condition.

What makes "Detour" a must see, is the clever way its narrative unfolds on the screen. Al and Sue are seen first in the small bistro he plays the piano and she sings, in Manhattan. Sue sings a happy rendition of "I Can't Believe You're in Love with Me", and Al shows he can improvise on a theme by Chopin as he jazzes it up. When Sue decides to pack it and move to L.A., Tom promises he'll follow. The tragic mistake he makes is to intent crossing the country hitchhiking. Even in the forties, it's a miracle he made it alive!

In Arizona Al meets the kind Charles Haskell, who happens to be going all the way to L.A. and offers him a ride. The two men develop an easy friendship until the point when Haskell dies of an apparent heart attack. Al disposes of the body and keeps going, assuming now, Haskell's persona. At the nearest gas station he sees a pretty woman, Vera, who appears is hitchhiking, and offers her a ride. This will prove to be his biggest mistake.

Vera turned out to be Al's worst nightmare. She knows Al is not Haskell since she, herself, knows the man. Al ends up a virtual prisoner hiding in the apartment they have rented in Hollywood. He can't escape. When Vera realizes there's a lot of money to be made by having Al pretend to impersonate the dead Haskell, he refuses. She threatens to call the police and he is left on the other room pulling the telephone cord...

The film works because all the elements are in place in this satisfying 67 minutes work and because of the great performances Mr. Ulmer got out of Tom Neal and Ann Savage. Edmund MacDonald and Claudia Drake played Haskell and Sue.

"Detour" was shot in two sets and it shows. It's a small film that doesn't pretend what it's not, and that's basically why audiences seem to like it as it's discovered.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 1946 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Detour

Filming Locations:

Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,127, 2 December 2018

Gross USA:

$16,172

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,172

Company Credits

Production Co:

Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1