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ReviewsReviewer: Steverz2 - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - February 4, 2022
Subject: Timeless
Stands the test of time. As fresh today as it will be in 50 years. One of my goto movies made before I was born,
Reviewer: Gissinglover - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - October 18, 2021
Subject: Noir In The Desert
Ida Lupino (1918 -- 1995) was a renowned film actress who became interested in directing in the 1940s. In 1952, Lupino became the first woman to direct a noir film with this 1953 release, "The Hitch--Hiker". Fifty years later, the movie remains the only woman-directed film noir. "The Hitch-Hiker" also is unusual in that it is set on lonely desert roads and small towns rather than in the urban areas of New York City or California favored for noir film. The movie has no femme fatale or other sexual interest. All the important characters are men.
The film is about two long-time friends and blue collar workers, Roy Collins (Edmond O'Brien) and Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy) who take a rare fishing trip vacation leaving wives and kids at home for a few days. On the road the pick up a hitch-hiker, Emmett Myers (William Talman) who immediately puts them under a gun. Myers is a serial killer. The opening frames of the movie show him killing an earlier victim. The police have a manhunt across several states. Myers is psychopathic, sad*stic, and utterly ruthless. He lacks the use of an eye. He forces Collins and Bowen to drive him to the coast of Mexico where he plans on catching a ferry and making a getaway.
The plot of the film is predictable, but the movie works in creating dramatic tension. The acting by the three major characters, particularly Talman as the killer, is taut. The story unfolds slowly as the killer forces the men to drive down deserted Mexican roads through small towns and an occasional small store or gas station. The killer forces the men to turn on the radio to learn news about the efforts of the police towards his capture.
Besides the acting, the photography and scenery make "The Hitch-Hiker" work. The movie creates a sense of claustrophobia as the car travels alone, with the pair at the point of a gun. The noir component includes the driving and stops at night at desolate places, the flat desert scenery interspersed with mountains, the stops along the way, and the psychology of the killer and his prospective victims. The two men differ about how to react to their desperate situation but ultimately work together. With all its chilling noir elements, the film celebrates the power of friendship. The movie is short at about 73 minutes which allows it to maintain and to develop its focus and intensity.
In 1998, "The Hitch-Hiker" was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry, an honor awarded to "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" films. The movie is in the public domain and easily accessible. It was shown as part of a celebration of noir film held in October at the American Film Institute in Washington, D.C. This is an excellent film for those with an interest in film noir.
Robin Friedman
Reviewer: Hakuna Muhimu - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - February 16, 2018
Subject: Hitchhiker
Very good. Would have gave it five star if it were a little more to the movie than driving around in a car. I really appreciated the fact that the perp was apprehended, as oppose to being killed. I feel that being incarcerated is worse punishment; although sometimes the death penalty is needed to make an statement that some lives are not worth sparing.
Reviewer: brassclams - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - November 21, 2014
Subject: re Hitchhiker, et al
Why do many people add, in praising a film, the phrase "for its time." If it's good, it's good. Ben Hur (silent version 1925), Sunrise (late 20's), Casablanca, The Graduate, On the Waterfront (1954). Clearly, we all know that new technology creates change, in what we watch, eat, listen to, play with, etc., etc. But all these things have intrinsic value,
which transcends considerations of time. Some people just can't watch a black and white film, some can't watch non-digital animation, I suppose. To bad for them. But this doesn't mean that Disney's Snow White is good for its time; it's just good, the same with black and white pics, like Double Indemnity, Brief Encounter, Some Like It Hot, et al.
Reviewer: gregorian chambers - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - September 1, 2014
Subject: Classic Stuff
Ida Lupino, as director, William Tallman of Perry Mason Fame, Frank Lovejoy and Edmond O'brien make this a must watch. Classic 1940 & 50's cars and smultch aplenty make this a gotta see movie. I particularly was impressed with Lupino's directing; gritty and leading from the romantic to the real. Worth watching but gets an extra star for artistic class. Lovejoy and O'brien had been kings of the Noir over the radio waves.
Reviewer: Kentworth - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - August 30, 2014
Subject: Definitely worth a watch
For 1952-53 this is an excellent movie. Acting and direction (Ida Lupino as the latter) are superb. The ending a bit anticlimactic, but overall I would recommend this movie.
Probably worth 4 stars, but I'm giving it 5 because it's tense, plausible, and basically it's very well made. Edge of the seat film, and I really wondered what would happen next, and how it would turn out. Barely over an hour, well spent.
Reviewer: slurryer - favoritefavoritefavorite - November 27, 2011
Subject: Not Great But Definitely A Good Movie
I liked this. It wasn't great, but good. By the final scene at the water front, I was really expecting the good guy to get it. Nice twist. Somewhat predictable, but nicely done.
Reviewer: NoSpillBlood - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - November 11, 2011
Subject: A good film for any time, actually.
Thanks for the upload.
This film frankly and powerfully demonstrates the fact that the world isn't a superhero comic or Rambo. People can mess with you -- with anyone reading this -- and get away with it under the right circ*mstances. That's where the power of The Hitchhiker comes from, as stated in the films prologue title. Perhaps it took a woman to direct a film that deals honestly with this in it's time. No macho would-be heroics here, just emotional, psychological truth.
Reviewer: MalcolmL - favoritefavoritefavorite - October 26, 2011
Subject: Good
The film is good for it's time
Reviewer: jeffzkrazie - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - October 7, 2011
Subject: Awesome Movie!
Great Noir!
Reviewer: admario - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - June 12, 2011
Subject: The good old movies!
Great movie, with that sense of what really takes to get you stuck to the screen! Great performances, too.
Reviewer: Kodachrome - favoritefavorite - November 28, 2010
Subject: I thought the plot was dull.
The acting was fine, but the story was not plausible and I could not identify with the characters.
Perhaps it is because I find the whole "victim mentality" to be abhorrent, but in my world, I would have mocked the villain at the first stop and told him that he didn't have the testicular fortitude to kill me.
I won't be watching this film again.
I hate to give one star just because the story stunk, so I'll give it two.
Reviewer: danielps2fan - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - September 30, 2010
Subject: Cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca
Val Lewton fans should watch this movie if only to see the brilliant Nicholas Musuraca cinematography.
Musuraca who worked on Lewtons Cat People(1942),The Seventh Victim(1943)and The Ghost Ship(1943)now uses his skills in broad daylight and on location, something he seldom did on his films with Lewton.
Reviewer: Elric_Dewisant - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - September 20, 2010
Subject: Holy crow! Hamilton Burger can act!!
Here in Portland OR, Perry Mason consistently beats out the local noon news in the ratings. Honestly, I'm bored of it. Day in and day out, most performances are phoned in, Burger always loses and is forever arrogant, bumbling and incompetent.
Not here, Lupino is in fine form as a director, and William Talman does a decent job of acting, though his character is still a loser...a very nasty, loser. Lupino and Young really did their homework, basing the events of the film on the real-life crime spree of Billy Cook. Though some facts were changed, Emmett Myers is Billy Cook, right down to the deformed eye. The tension and pacing are great. It's pretty brightly lit for noir, but what matters is how bleak the atmosphere is. It's not exactly dark in the desert, though the interiors tend to be darkly lit. The piece is just about as bleak as you can get. All in all, with the print quality and sound being absolutely superb, this is a highly overlooked, under-rated gem of a film and worth seeing.
Reviewer: keygrip - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - August 30, 2009
Subject: A milestone
This is an edge of the seat crime drama (though not my idea of film noir) from ground breaking director/producer Ida Lupino,featuring three stalwarts of the 50's. Special mention to the excellent William Talman who gave a great study in evil.
The film has not dated and stands up to anything made today in a similar vein.
One to treasure
Reviewer: jmcorry1 - favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - April 5, 2009
Subject: Great!
Definitely worth a watch. Even though it was predictable at times... even cheesy, it was good, honest entertainment and quite suspenseful with good acting to boot.
Reviewer: j_james - favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - June 15, 2008
Subject: Hitchhiker review
I've seen a few hitch-hiker movies lately. The hitcher, both the Rutger Hauer classic and the fairly recent remake. I like this one better. It made for a good lazy Sunday afternoon feature with plenty of suspense and believable actors, even though in one or two places, he plot itself unfolds in either predictable ways or temporarily lifts the veil of illusion. I give it a solid four stars.
Reviewer: flickfdude - favoritefavoritefavorite - April 27, 2008
Subject: couldn't download the mpeg
But the FLV on the FTP page downloaded. It was a good movie.
The bad rating is because it wasn't very good resolution.
