Detour (1945)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Martin Goldsmith (screenplay)
Martin Goldsmith (original story)
(more)

Release Date:

30 November 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

He went searching for love... but Fate forced a DETOUR to Revelry... Violence... Mystery!

Plot:

Chance events trap hitch-hiker Al Roberts in a tightening net of film noir trouble.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Pianist | Hitchhiking | Murder | Pick Up

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Tom Neal	...	Al Roberts
Ann Savage	...	Vera
Claudia Drake	...	Sue Harvey
Edmund MacDonald	...	Charles Haskell Jr
Tim Ryan	...	Nevada Diner Proprietor
Esther Howard	...	Holly, Diner Waitress
Pat Gleason	...	Joe, Trucker at Diner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Brodie	...	Used Car Salesman (uncredited)
Roger Clark	...	Cop (uncredited)
Eddie Hall	...	Tony, Used-Car Lot mechanic inspecting Car (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	California Border Patrolman (uncredited)

Directed by
Edgar G. Ulmer

Writing credits
Martin Goldsmith		(screenplay)
Martin Goldsmith		(original story)
Martin Mooney		uncredited

Produced by
Leon Fromkess	....	producer
Martin Mooney	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Leo Erdody		(as Erdody)

Cinematography by
Benjamin H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George McGuire

Art Direction by
Edward C. Jewell

Set Decoration by
Glenn P. Thompson

Costume Design by
Mona Barry

Makeup Department
Bud Westmore	....	director of makeup

Production Management
Raoul Pagel	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William A. Calihan Jr.	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Max M. Hutchinson	....	sound engineer (as Max Hutchinson)

Music Department
Joseph McCarthy	....	composer: song "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" (uncredited)

Other crew
Ben Coleman	....	dialogue director
Eddie Hall	....	stand-in: Tom Neal (uncredited)
Shirley Ulmer	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Producers Releasing Corporation (as PRC Pictures, Inc.)

Distributors

• Producers Releasing Corporation (1945) (USA) (theatrical)
• Madison Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Timeless Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Questar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• St. Clair Vision (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport International Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• St. Clair Entertainment Group (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Admit One Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Englewood Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Manta Film Distribution and Video Production (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Payless Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• RBC Entertainment (????) (Australia) (DVD)
• Scorched Earth Productions (????) (USA) (VHS)
• St. Clair Entertainment Group (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Dimensions (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Western Electric  sound system

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | UK:A (1946) | UK:U (1992) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #11048) | Australia:G

Company:

Producers Releasing Corporation

Trivia:

The budget PRC gave director Edgar G. Ulmer for this film was so small that the 1941 Lincoln Continental V-12 convertible driven by Charles Haskell was actually Ulmer's personal car.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Al Roberts is dragging Charles Haskell Jr's body from the car into the bushes on the side of the road, you can see the rain-making apparatus shooting water up into the air to generate the rain.

Quotes:

Al Roberts: So when this drunk handed me a ten spot after a request, I couldn't get very excited. What was it I asked myself? A piece of paper crawling with germs. Couldn't buy anything I wanted.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Best of Film Noir (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

I'M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS

Bottom rung studio rings loud kudos

Dear Me, PRC, the sub-Republic/Monogram indie studio that was considered the most cardboard of studios managed on this occasion to actually create a deliciously nasty noir. DETOUR, as many commentators here like to spoil for you by telling you THE WHOLE STORY is an excellent low budget film of one man's descent into accidental crime. So powerful are the screen images and the seedy tawdry drama that one almost forgets they are watching one of the cheapest (and profitable) films ever made. Monogram Pictures made several highly appreciated low end noirs (like the truly shocking DECOY of 1946) and must have been very envious of the now enduring $66,000 PRC masterpiece DETOUR. In fact I would not be surprised to find that Monogram were inspired enough to make DECOY as a result. Tom Neal sadly actually went to jail in real life in a genuine DETOUR like way and vicious Ann Savage lived up to her name in a few more noir shockers for various crummy B/W outfits who specialized until the mid 50s in similar films. NARROW MARGIN and KISS ME DEADLY are equals. DETOUR is one of the most rewarding grim descents into 40s desperation film making and the doomed loser played by Tom Neal certainly is the most tragic of them all. This is a great film. It is all it is meant to be and viewers who sit riveted to the unfolding emotional horror are genuinely rewarded. Originally TIFFANY STUDIOS in the 20s the lot became for hire after 1932 then was the home for GRAND NATIONAL from 1935 -39 and morphed into PRC in 1940. With a huge shed of snazzy 20s furniture and sets from the previous 15 years it allowed PRC's budget conscious front office to upgrade their art direction by virtue of all these classy fittings costumes bought and left there by the sophisticated view of those previous managements. I have seen a number of independent B grade30s pix made there with the same sets and outfittings inbetween management reincarnation. PRC in the late 40s were bought up by EAGLE-LION a US/Brit franchise headed by J Arthur Rank and rolled in 1950 into UNITED ARTISTS. As one journalist aptly wrote "No other poverty row outfit were able to cash in their chips so handsomely". Good on 'em! See DETOUR and gasp!!