Hell Drivers (1957)

Director:

Cy Endfield

Writers:

Cy Endfield (adapted for the screen by)
Cy Endfield (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 August 1957 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Roaring Down the World's Deadliest Roads!

Plot:

Ex-con trucker tries to expose his boss' rackets.

Plot Keywords:

Truck | Ex Convict

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Stanley Baker	...	Tom Yately
Peggy Cummins	...	Lucy, Hawlett Trucking Secretary
Patrick McGoohan	...	C. 'Red' Redman, Foreman (Truck 1)
Herbert Lom	...	Gino Rossi
William Hartnell	...	Cartley, Hawlett Manager
Wilfrid Lawson	...	Ed, Hawlett Mechanic
Sid James	...	Dusty, Truck Driver (as Sidney James)
Jill Ireland	...	Jill, Pull In Waitress
Alfie Bass	...	Tinker, Truck Driver
Gordon Jackson	...	Scottie
David McCallum	...	Jimmy Yately, Tom's brother
Sean Connery	...	Johnny Kates
Wensley Pithey	...	Pop, Truck 4 Driver
George Murcell	...	Tub, Truck Driver
Marjorie Rhodes	...	Ma West, Landlady

Also Known As:

Hard Drivers

Runtime:

108 min | USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2003) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Aqua Film Productions

Trivia:

Tom says that he is from a place not far from Cardiff (Wales) called Blaen Llechau (which is a small village set on a mountain in South Wales). In actual fact Stanley Baker was from Ferndale which is the village that Blaen Llechau looks down on.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the film during the final chase, Tom's loaded truck is headed through the shortcut in the same direction that the drivers have taken to pick up a load (when the trucks are empty). He's going the wrong way.

star studded and eminently watchable

Although the film belongs to Baker and mcgoohan there are plenty of other famous faces to spot. yes, sid james only ever played one character in all his films- that of sid james- but its an interesting romp nonetheless. I have it on good authority it was filmed around Stanwell moor, west London, and the trucks are "kew" dodges. something no-one has picked up on is that the sequences showing the trucks traveling at speed are obviously speeded up, these old motors were incapable of exceeding 45 mph, even more so carrying 10 tons o gravel (they were only 7 ton design weight) The plot is believable though, the practice of paying drivers "per trip" was and still is a common practice, especially in the tipper sector (obviously to encourage more runs) I know, I worked for a firm remarkably similar to Hawletts. someone has commented on the "coincidence" that all the drivers sleep at the same lodgings- this too was common in the 50's, before the advent of sleeper cabs, drivers would simply find "digs" for the night. also fewer people had their own car in those days, so wouldn't it make sense to sleep close to the job? Made on a small budget in an era where you would need to watch your Ps and Qs and also tone down any scenes of violence, its a classic in my opinion. In those days you'd actually probably be very grateful to be behind one of these wagons, the speed limit for trucks was only 20mph back then!