Shack Out on 101 (1955)

An isolated diner on California's 101 highway provides the backdrop of the story involving nuclear secrets, foreign spies and federal agents.

Director:

Edward Dein

Writers:

Edward Dein (story), Mildred Dein (story)

Stars:

Terry Moore, Frank Lovejoy, Keenan Wynn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Terry Moore	...	Kotty
Frank Lovejoy	...	Prof. Sam Bastion
Keenan Wynn	...	George
Lee Marvin	...	Slob / Mr. Gregory
Whit Bissell	...	Eddie
Jess Barker	...	Artie
Donald Murphy	...	Pepe
Frank DeKova	...	Prof. Claude Dillon
Len Lesser	...	Perch
Fred Gabourie	...	Lookout

Storyline

At an isolated, seaside greasy-spoon cafe live George, the sarcastic owner; Slob, the potentially violent cook; and Kotty, the sexy waitress all the men lust after. Plus an occasional customer, including "Professor Sam", Kotty's boyfriend from a nearby research facility. And something's going on under the potentially explosive surface emotions...nuclear secrets being smuggled out of the country.

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Plot Keywords:

waitress | professor | cook | spy network | spy film | 

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Taglines:

Four men and a girl!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shack Up on 101

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

William F. Broidy Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lee Marvin and Keenan Wynn bonded in friendship during the shooting of the film and it lasted throughout their lives.

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Goofs

Leading up to the final moments of the film, Perch (Len Lesser) is shot at whilst climbing some steps, and his hat falls off. Being pursued, he is unable to retrieve it. However, when he enters the diner, he is wearing it.

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Quotes

Prof. Sam Bastion: Kotty, now what's wrong.
Kotty: Nothing. I just don't want to stand between you and your shells. You don't need a woman, you should go steady with a clam. I don't get it... a grown up man, and you still play with sea shells.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood Remembers Lee Marvin (2000)

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Soundtracks

A SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE
Written by Barbara Belle, Louis Prima, Anita Leonard and Stan Rhodes
Credited and used in score but not vocally

User Reviews

Strange Doesn't Begin To Cover It. But So Good!

The most important thing about this amazing piece is that despite its limitations from the buck fifty budget to the sledgehammered propagandist overtones to the all-over-the-place acting, this is a highly entertaining and enigmatic movie-going experience. That is not to say that it makes a lick of sense. But when you are treated to as much tear stained laughs and anvil-forged he-man dialogue, does it matter? I didn't even intend to see this one but a revival house ran it as the second feature here in Hollywood a few years back and I sat and watched and was blown away. I can't recall what the top billed film was but I sure recall this quintessential (yet almost unknown) tough guy movie. Screw all the proto-Nietzchean questions of Man and Superman, existential angst and jingoistic integrity discussion. This is pure lusty FUN... the story of good girls gone bad and bad men gone worse!

For starters, here's an object lesson on how someone with screen charisma can overcome incredible problems, including a spotty on-the-nose script and zero production values. In this case, young Lee Marvin (SLOB) absolutely obliterates, yanking all our attention away from whatever else is happening (generally not much) in any given scene. This IS a compliment. His infectiously sullen scowl and alienated bad boy 'tude is so blinding that even Keenan Wynn, quite the smouldering hambone of hate himself, is superseded. I can't really recall all the ins and outs of the thinly veiled communist parablizing (something about smuggled nuclear secrets), but I sure recall Marvin hitting up a very comely Terry Moore and that the sparks fly. Truly, there is as much iconoclastic rebellious poseuring here as in Brando's much more famous (but no better) THE WILD ONE or any three Clint Eastwood movies. There may not have been any visible plot but the dialogue is diamond hard and I promise the blisteringly melodramatic interactions will have you laughing harder than you will at anything Adam Sandler puts out.