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Detour (1945 film)
Encyclopedia
Detour 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 MacDonald) gives him a ride in his convertible
. Haskell has Al pass him pills several times along the way. That night, Al is driving while Haskell sleeps, when a rainstorm forces Al to pull over to put up the top. Unable to rouse Haskell, Al opens the passenger-side door. Haskell falls out and strikes his head on the ground. Al then realizes the bookie is dead. Fearful that the police will believe he killed Haskell, Al dumps the body off the side of the road, takes Haskell's money, clothes and identification, then drives away. After spending the night in a motel, Al picks up another hitchhiker, Vera (Ann Savage), at a gas station. By sheer bad luck, it turns out that the femme fatale
had also been picked up by Haskell earlier. She scratched him deeply in the arm and got out after he tried to become too friendly. When Al identifies himself as Haskell, she blackmail
s him by threatening to turn him in.
In Hollywood, they rent an apartment, posing as Mr. and Mrs. Haskell to provide an address when they go to sell the car. However, Vera learns from a newspaper that Haskell's wealthy father is near death and looking for his son, who ran away as a youth after accidentally injuring his friend. Vera demands that Al impersonate Haskell, but Al balks at this notion, pointing out that he knows nothing about the dead man. Back in the apartment, Vera gets drunk, and they begin arguing. She threatens to call the police, running into the bedroom with the telephone and locking the door. She falls into a stupor on the bed, with the telephone cord tangled around her neck. Al tries to break the cord. Then, when he breaks down the door, he sees that he has accidentally strangled her. He goes hitchhiking again, but is picked up by the police.
In 1972, Director Ulmer said in an interview that the film was shot in six days. In a 2004 documentary Ulmer’s daughter Arianne presented a shooting script title page which noted, "June 14, 1945-June 29. Camera days 14." Ann Savage was contracted to PRC for the production of Detour for three six-day weeks. She later said the film was shot in four six-day weeks with an additional four days of location work in the desert at Lancaster, California. While popular belief long held that Detour was shot for about $20,000, Noah Isenberg, in doing research for his book on the film, discovered that the film's actual cost was upwards of $100,000.
. Erdody took extra pains to underscore Vera's introduction with a sympathetic theme, giving the character a light musical shading in contrast to her razor-sharp dialogue, and its ferocious delivery by Ann Savage. The film was completed, negative cut and printed throughout the late summer and fall of 1945. It was released in November of that year. The total period of pre-production through post-production at PRC ran from March through November 1945. In contrast, during the period Detour was in post, PRC shot, posted and released Apology for Murder, also starring Ann Savage. Apology was given a shorter production period, a quick sound job, and used library music for the soundtrack. Clearly, Detour was a higher priority to PRC, and the release was well promoted in theaters with a full array of color print support, including a six sheet, standees, hand drawn portraits of the actors, and a jukebox tie-in record with Bing Crosby singing "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me".
With re-shoots out of the question for such a low-budget movie, director Edgar G. Ulmer put storytelling above continuity, such as flipping the negative for some of the hitchhiking scenes. This showed the westbound New York
to Los Angeles
travel of the character with a right-to-left flow across the screen, but also made cars seem to be driving on the "wrong" side of the road, with the hitchhiker getting into the car on the driver's side.
, Variety
and The Hollywood Reporter
, among many others. It was released to television in the early 1950s, and ran in syndicated TV markets until the dawn of mass cable systems in the 1980s. TV reviewers casually recommended it in the 1960s and 1970s as a worthwhile "B" movie. During the 1970s, Detour began be seen as a prime example of "Film Noir", and critics began to write about it at increasingly greater length. During the 1980s, revival houses, universities, and film festivals began to honor Edgar G. Ulmer with retrospective tributes to his work, and public interest in noir films and crime dramas increased with the rise of cable TV screenings and availability on VHS and Laserdisc
in home video.
Edgar Ulmer died in 1972, well ahead of the full revival of Detour, and the critical re-evaluation of his career. Tom Neal also died in 1972. Ann Savage made live appearances with the film from 1985 to 2006, increasing public visibility as critical interest and analysis continued to grow.
In 1992, Detour was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry
by the Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Critical response to the film today is almost universally positive. Most reviewers contrast the technical shoddiness of the film with its successful atmospherics. Film critic Roger Ebert
wrote:
He also included it in his list of great films.
Sight and Sound reviewer Phillip Kemp would later write:
Novelists Edward Gorman
and Dow Mossman
wrote:
's son Tom Neal Jr. and Lea Lavish along with Susanna Foster
's first acting appearance in 43 years and her final appearance on film. Produced, written and directed by Wade Williams and released by his distribution company, Englewood Entertainment, it has not been released on DVD, but a VHS release has been available.
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
thriller that stars Tom Neal
Tom Neal
Thomas Neal was an American actor best known for appearing in the critically lauded film Detour, a tryst with Barbara Payton and later committing manslaughter.-Career:...
, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald. The movie was adapted by Martin Goldsmith
Martin Goldsmith
Martin Goldsmith wrote several classic B-movies including Detour , Blind Spot and The Narrow Margin in 1952 for which he was Oscar-nominated....
and Martin Mooney (uncredited) from Goldsmith's novel of the same name
Detour (novel)
Detour is a 1939 novel by Martin M. Goldsmith. The author adapted his novel into the noted film noir cult film of the same name.The book, subtitled "An Extraordinary Tale," was published by the Macaulay Company...
and was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. The 68-minute film was released by the Producers Releasing Corporation
Producers Releasing Corporation
Producers Releasing Corporation was one of the more lower-end Hollywood film studios on Poverty Row from the late '30s to the mid-'40s. PRC, as it was commonly known, made low-budget B-movies for the lower-half of a double bill. A few of its films have gained a respectable reputation over the...
(PRC), one of the so-called "poverty row
Poverty Row
Poverty Row is a slang term used in Hollywood from the late silent period through the mid-fifties to refer to a variety of small and mostly short-lived B movie studios...
" 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
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
and is freely available from online sources. There are also many DVD editions.
Plot
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicle to travel a distance that may either be short or long...
his way across the country.
In Arizona, bookie
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
Charles Haskell Jr. (Edmund MacDonald) gives him a ride in his convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
. Haskell has Al pass him pills several times along the way. That night, Al is driving while Haskell sleeps, when a rainstorm forces Al to pull over to put up the top. Unable to rouse Haskell, Al opens the passenger-side door. Haskell falls out and strikes his head on the ground. Al then realizes the bookie is dead. Fearful that the police will believe he killed Haskell, Al dumps the body off the side of the road, takes Haskell's money, clothes and identification, then drives away. After spending the night in a motel, Al picks up another hitchhiker, Vera (Ann Savage), at a gas station. By sheer bad luck, it turns out that the femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
had also been picked up by Haskell earlier. She scratched him deeply in the arm and got out after he tried to become too friendly. When Al identifies himself as Haskell, she blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
s him by threatening to turn him in.
In Hollywood, they rent an apartment, posing as Mr. and Mrs. Haskell to provide an address when they go to sell the car. However, Vera learns from a newspaper that Haskell's wealthy father is near death and looking for his son, who ran away as a youth after accidentally injuring his friend. Vera demands that Al impersonate Haskell, but Al balks at this notion, pointing out that he knows nothing about the dead man. Back in the apartment, Vera gets drunk, and they begin arguing. She threatens to call the police, running into the bedroom with the telephone and locking the door. She falls into a stupor on the bed, with the telephone cord tangled around her neck. Al tries to break the cord. Then, when he breaks down the door, he sees that he has accidentally strangled her. He goes hitchhiking again, but is picked up by the police.
Cast
- Tom NealTom NealThomas Neal was an American actor best known for appearing in the critically lauded film Detour, a tryst with Barbara Payton and later committing manslaughter.-Career:...
as Al Roberts - Ann Savage as Vera
- Claudia Drake as Sue Harvey
- Edmund MacDonald as Charles Haskell Jr
- Tim Ryan as Nevada Diner Proprietor
- Esther HowardEsther HowardEsther Howard was a film character actress who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals, appearing in over 100 movies in her 23-year film career.-Career:...
as Holly, Diner Waitress - Pat Gleason as Joe, Trucker at Diner
- Don BrodieDon BrodieDon Brodie was an American actor and director.A veteran of more than 250 film and television productions, Brodie appeared as a callow, mustachioed actor in a variety of utility roles in films from the early 1930s...
as the Used Car Salesman
Production
Editing
As detailed in Savage Detours: The Life and Work of Ann Savage, great care was taken during the post-production of Detour. The final picture was tightly cut down from a much longer shooting script, which had been shot with more extended dialogue sequences than appear in the final film. The soundtrack is fully realized, with ambient backgrounds, motivated sound effects, and a carefully scored original musical soundtrack by Leon Erdody. Ulmer and Erdody had previously worked together on Strange IllusionStrange Illusion
Strange Illusion is a 1945 American film noir directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. According to noir historian Spencer Selby the film is, "A stylish cheapie by the recognized master of stylish cheapies."-Plot summary:...
. Erdody took extra pains to underscore Vera's introduction with a sympathetic theme, giving the character a light musical shading in contrast to her razor-sharp dialogue, and its ferocious delivery by Ann Savage. The film was completed, negative cut and printed throughout the late summer and fall of 1945. It was released in November of that year. The total period of pre-production through post-production at PRC ran from March through November 1945. In contrast, during the period Detour was in post, PRC shot, posted and released Apology for Murder, also starring Ann Savage. Apology was given a shorter production period, a quick sound job, and used library music for the soundtrack. Clearly, Detour was a higher priority to PRC, and the release was well promoted in theaters with a full array of color print support, including a six sheet, standees, hand drawn portraits of the actors, and a jukebox tie-in record with Bing Crosby singing "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me".
With re-shoots out of the question for such a low-budget movie, director Edgar G. Ulmer put storytelling above continuity, such as flipping the negative for some of the hitchhiking scenes. This showed the westbound New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
travel of the character with a right-to-left flow across the screen, but also made cars seem to be driving on the "wrong" side of the road, with the hitchhiker getting into the car on the driver's side.
Censorship
The Hollywood Production Code did not allow murderers to get away with their crimes, so Ulmer got through the censors by having Al picked up by a police car at the very end of the movie, after foreseeing his arrest in the earlier narration.Critical reaction
Detour was well received upon initial release with positive reviews in the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
and The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
, among many others. It was released to television in the early 1950s, and ran in syndicated TV markets until the dawn of mass cable systems in the 1980s. TV reviewers casually recommended it in the 1960s and 1970s as a worthwhile "B" movie. During the 1970s, Detour began be seen as a prime example of "Film Noir", and critics began to write about it at increasingly greater length. During the 1980s, revival houses, universities, and film festivals began to honor Edgar G. Ulmer with retrospective tributes to his work, and public interest in noir films and crime dramas increased with the rise of cable TV screenings and availability on VHS and Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in home video.
Edgar Ulmer died in 1972, well ahead of the full revival of Detour, and the critical re-evaluation of his career. Tom Neal also died in 1972. Ann Savage made live appearances with the film from 1985 to 2006, increasing public visibility as critical interest and analysis continued to grow.
In 1992, Detour was selected for preservation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Critical response to the film today is almost universally positive. Most reviewers contrast the technical shoddiness of the film with its successful atmospherics. Film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
wrote:
"This movie from Hollywood's poverty rowPoverty RowPoverty Row is a slang term used in Hollywood from the late silent period through the mid-fifties to refer to a variety of small and mostly short-lived B movie studios...
, shot in six days, filled with technical errors and ham-handed narrative, starring a man who can only pout and a woman who can only sneer, should have faded from sight soon after it was released in 1945. And yet it lives on, haunting and creepy, an embodiment of the guilty soul of film noir. No one who has seen it has easily forgotten it."
He also included it in his list of great films.
Sight and Sound reviewer Phillip Kemp would later write:
"Using unknown actors and filming with no more than three minimal sets, a sole exterior (a used-car lot) to represent Los Angeles, a few stock shots, and some shaky back-projection, Ulmer conjures up a black, paranoid vision, totally untainted by glamour, of shabby characters trapped in a spiral of irrational guilt."
Novelists Edward Gorman
Edward Gorman
Ed Gorman is an award-winning American author best known for his crime and mystery fiction. He wrote The Poker Club which is currently in post production for a film of the same name directed by Tim McCann....
and Dow Mossman
Dow Mossman
Dow Mossman, born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is an American writer.Mossman studied at Coe College for two years, finished college at the University of Iowa and received his M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1969. His novel, The Stones of Summer, was published by Bobbs-Merrill in 1972 and...
wrote:
"...Detour remains a masterpiece of its kind. There have been hundreds of better movies, but none with the feel for doom portrayed by ... Ulmer. The random universe Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
warned us about—the berserk cosmic impulse that causes earthquakes and famine and AIDS—is nowhere better depicted than in the scene where Tom Neal stands by the roadside, soaking in the midnight rain, feeling for the first time the noose drawing tighter and tighter around his neck."
Remake
A remake of Detour was produced in 1992 starring Tom NealTom Neal
Thomas Neal was an American actor best known for appearing in the critically lauded film Detour, a tryst with Barbara Payton and later committing manslaughter.-Career:...
's son Tom Neal Jr. and Lea Lavish along with Susanna Foster
Susanna Foster
Suzanne DeLee Flanders Larson was an American film actress best known for her leading role as Christine in the 1943 film version of The Phantom of the Opera....
's first acting appearance in 43 years and her final appearance on film. Produced, written and directed by Wade Williams and released by his distribution company, Englewood Entertainment, it has not been released on DVD, but a VHS release has been available.
External links
- Detour at Time Magazine All Time 100 Movies
- Detour film stills at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Ann Savage discusses film at You Tube
- Detour at Sisters Noir by writer Ed Evans