Detour is a 1945 film noir cult classic that stars Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald. It was shot in six days. The film, budgeted for $89,000, ended up costing $117,000 to make. To preserve the films right-to-left orientation used in the cross-country scenes, the movie's director reversed many of the hitchhiking shots so that now the cars are on the wrong side of the road. Film director Edgar G. Ulmer (1904-1972) is mostly remembered for the movies The Black Cat (1934) and Detour (1945). ... Thomas Neal ( January 28, 1914 - August 7, 1972) was an American actor and convicted murderer. ... Born February 19, 1921 - Columbia, SC as Bernice Maxine Lyon. ... PRCs logo 1945 Part of the 1930s and 1940s Hollywood studios Poverty Row (along with Republic Pictures and Monogram Pictures), PRC made only small-budget B-movies. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Film noir is a stylistic approach to genre films forged in depression-era detective and gangster movies and hard-boiled detective stories which were a staple of pulp fiction. ... Thomas Neal ( January 28, 1914 - August 7, 1972) was an American actor and convicted murderer. ... Born February 19, 1921 - Columbia, SC as Bernice Maxine Lyon. ...

The movie was adapted by Martin Goldsmith and Martin Mooney (uncredited) from Martin Goldsmith's novel, and was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. The 68-minute film was created and released by the Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). Because the 1945 Production code mandated that "murderers... must be brought to justice" in all films made, director Ulmer satisfied censors by ending the movie with Al the hitchhiker being picked up after predicting his arrest earlier. Film director Edgar G. Ulmer (1904-1972) is mostly remembered for the movies The Black Cat (1934) and Detour (1945). ... PRCs logo 1945 Part of the 1930s and 1940s Hollywood studios Poverty Row (along with Republic Pictures and Monogram Pictures), PRC made only small-budget B-movies. ...

Plot

A piano player, Al (Neal), sets off hitchhiking his way to California to be with his girl. Along the way, a stranger in a convertible gives him a ride. Al and the paranoid stranger pull over to put the top up only to find the driver dead at the wheel. Al panics and dumps the body in a gully and drive off in his car. Later, he picks up another hitchhiker. Vera, (Savage) a femme fatale, threatens to turn him in for the supposed murder unless he assumes the identity of the dead man to collect an inheritance. Mata Hari, exotic dancer and convicted spy, made her name synonymous with femme fatale during WWI. — Mae West A femme fatale is a stock character, a villainous woman who uses the malign power of sexuality in order to ensnare the hapless hero. ...

Quote

I know. Someday a car will stop to pick me up that I never thumbed. Yes, fate, or some mysterious force can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all.

The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. The National Film Registry is the registry of films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress. ...

Cast

• Tom Neal Al Roberts
  

  Ann Savage still taken from "Detour."
• 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

Thomas Neal ( January 28, 1914 - August 7, 1972) was an American actor and convicted murderer. ... Born February 19, 1921 - Columbia, SC as Bernice Maxine Lyon. ...

External links

• Detour (http://www.movietome.com/movietome/servlet/MovieMain/movieid-112995/) at Movie Tome
• Detour (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037638/) at the Internet Movie Database