evanston_dad Two buddies played by Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy pick up a hitch hiker who happens to be a psychopath on the run in this tense, no-nonsense thriller from director Ida Lupino.This is the kind of film noir without an ounce of fat on it. It's about the two men trying to get away, and that's it. At one point, the killer tells them that he's going to do away with them, it's just a matter of when, so there's a ticking clock quality that adds suspense on top of that already created by the scenario of two average guys who find themselves in a bad situation.Lupino proves herself to be a fantastic director, and the film's best asset is its fluid movement from one nail biting scene to another. She keeps things humming along, and the film, already pretty short to begin with, feels far shorter than it actually is.Grade: A-

dougdoepke Though I've seen the suspenser before, I still had a sweat bucket handy for this latest go-round. Great job all-around. It's the kind of B-movie old movie fans savor, that is, if you don't mind your knuckles turning white. Talman delivers a career performance as the psychotic hitchhiker Emmett Myers. He'd just as soon shoot you as shake your hand. So who do you suppose average guys Lovejoy and O'Brien give a ride to.That's it, the whole story--- two nice guys at the mercy of an escaped lunatic with neither a tree nor a girl in sight. But the suspense seldom lets up. Sure, a critical eye could wonder why the two hostages don't try to turn the tables more than they do. Wisely, however, the script suggests that neither wants to endanger the other with a false move. Besides, Talman's one scary dude. Producer Lupino better have three of the industry's best actors because their interaction's the whole story. Fortunately she got them. Two inspired touches-having Myers (Talman) unable to close one eye gives him a subtly gruesome appearance, plus filming in a hellish desert perfectly mirrors the situation. The lonely traveling car is like a one-way trip to Hades. I doubt that any film has gotten more out of a dollar-eighty budget than this little suspense gem. I love it when a cheap-jack production like this delivers more goods than the Technicolor biggies of the day. Thanks be to the versatile Ida Lupino and her company of three outsized talents for this minor triumph.

Leofwine_draca ...THE HITCH-HIKER is the original, '50s-made hitchhiking nightmare film. It's a straightforward three-hander in which a couple of buddies (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) are accosted by a manic serial killer (William Talman), who forces them to drive him to Mexico in order for him to escape the authorities.This is a low budget, black and white suspense thriller that has more tension in it than a dozen recent movies. The low budget works in its favour, with tight camera angles making for a claustrophobic viewing experience. Actress Ida Lupino certainly knows what she's doing behind the camera as she rarely puts a foot wrong here: the pacing is exact and the performances are excellent.While O'Brien and Lovejoy ground the movie playing the two protagonists, but in reality this is Talman's turn. He gives a pitch perfect turn as the creepy villain, one that would pave the way for later screen psychos like Robert Mitchum's character in NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Talman's acting is the stuff of brilliance, and he alone makes the film worth watching. The rest of it is the icing on the cake.

gavin6942 Two fishermen pick up a psychotic escaped convict (William Talman) who tells them that he intends to murder them when the ride is over.First and foremost, I should warn the viewer to avoid the version available from Alpha Video. Alpha has released many (public domain) classic films over the years in varying degrees of quality. I would say this is not one of their better ones, and to really get the right feel, you should pick up the copy from Kino.Beyond the tense plot and and skillful acting, what really distinguishes this film is the director, Ida Lupino. Lupino was a fairly well-known actress in her day, but her move to director is noteworthy. Even today we have few female directors, but in the 1950s it was almost completely unheard of.