J M O
over 7 years
ago
classic noir: dark, noble, and a little implausible
Kevin Luckham
over 8 years
ago
A noir classic that proves you don't have to have a big budget, just a compelling plot.
Detour (1945) is a film noir thriller that stars Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald. The movie was adapted by Martin Goldsmith and Martin Mooney (uncredited) from Goldsmith's novel of the same name and was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. The 68-minute film was released by the Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), one of the so-called "poverty row" film studios in mid-twentieth century Hollywood.
Although made on a small budget with bare sets and straightforward camera work, Detour has gathered much praise through the years and is held in high regard. The film has fallen into the public domain and is freely available from online sources. There are also many DVD editions.
Piano player Al (Tom Neal) is bitter about having to work in a New York nightclub. After his girlfriend Sue (Claudia Drake) leaves to seek fame in Hollywood, he decides to join her. With little money, he has to hitchhike his way across the country.
In Arizona, bookie Charles Haskell Jr. (Edmund...