Friday, February 7, 2020

Detour (1945)

A satisfying little noir told in flashback. Al (Tom Neal) and Sue (Claudia Drake) are working in a two-bit bar out East. Although engaged to marry, Sue decides to head to Hollywood leaving Al behind. Al finally decides to go out and join her and begins hitch hiking across the U.S...

In Arizona his luck changes. He hitches a ride with Charles (Edmund McDonald) who can take him all the way to L.A. but Charles dies of a sudden heart attack. Fearful that the police might think Al did Charles in he decides to hide the body and take Charles' identity and head to L.A. Then he makes his biggest mistake, he picks up Vera (Ann Savage) who knows Al is not Charles and begins to blackmail him...

Although a low budget B-movie this is a top quality noir. The cheapness and dinginess of the sets adding to the feel of hopelessness and dark fate. The story may have a few slightly far fetched elements but that doesn't distract from what is a masterpiece.