Main Cast: Lawrence Tierney, Ted North, Nan Leslie, Betty Lawford, Andrew Tombes
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 63 minutes
Plot
Not by any means a great film, The Devil Thumbs a Ride nonetheless has an indefinable audience allure that sucks the viewer into its labyrinthine storyline and doesn't let go until the fade-out. Lawrence Tierney plays Steve Morgan, a charming but utterly sociopathic criminal who has just robbed and killed a movie theater cashier. Morgan hitches a ride with inebriated conventioneer Jimmy Furguson (Ted North). Later on, Furguson picks up two more hitchhikers: virginal Beulah Zorn (Nan Leslie) and good-time girl Agnes Smith (Betty Lawford). When circumstances lead Jimmy to believe that Steve is the fugitive whom the cops are looking for, Morgan sweet-talks his way into everyone's confidence. Before he knows what's happening, Jimmy is holed up in a beach house while Steve parties with Beulah and Agnes. Not even the most fervent of film noir fans will be able to predict the outcome of this one. Long ignored by movie buffs, The Devil Thumbs a Ride gained a large following through repeated TV showings in the 1960s and '70s. It is now considered so representative of its genre that one film historian used the film's title for a collection of his essays on B-melodramas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Devil Thumbs a Ride is a gripping, mesmerizing noir-ish excursion that succeeds in spite of itself. Definitely a "B" movie, Devil's more-or-less hour running time is filled with stumbling blocks that should keep it from being a stand out -- and yet most viewers are more than willing to overlook its flaws because of the undeniable attraction it exerts. Chief among its distinctions is the fact that it is one of the most cold-blooded films of its time. The villain of the piece, a sociopathic killer, is the one that engages the audience the most; he fascinates from his first moment on the screen, and the audience finds itself totally drawn in by him. In most films where this happens, the "hero" would be not far behind the villain in terms of engaging audience support, but in Devil, it's the "bad girl" who comes in second in terms of audience interest. The "good" couple barely register, and when they do it's only because viewers know that they're supposed to be on their side and feel obligated to give them some support. Part of this is due to the actors, as Lawrence Tierney as Morgan is absolutely electrifying, giving a terrifying, at times over-the-top but always captivating performance that gives Devil its sizzle. Betty Lawford can't match him -- and her character is not bad in the same way his is -- but she adds some nice splashes of vinegar to her role. Felix E. Faust directs with an emphasis on tension, but makes plenty of room for comedic touches as well; he tries to get too much into the short running time, but this gives Devil a somewhat relentless quality that suits it. The ending is ridiculous, but up until then, Devil has been quite a ride. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Charles F. Pyke - Art Director, Felix E. Feist - Director, Robert Swink - Editor, Paul Sawtell - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Roy Hunt - Cinematographer, Herman Schlom - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, Charles F. Pyke - Set Designer, William Magginetti - Set Designer, Russell A. Cully - Special Effects, Terry Kellum - Sound/Sound Designer, Felix E. Feist - Screenwriter, Robert C. DuSoe - Book Author
Steve Morgan (Lawrence Tierney), a charming but utterly sociopathic criminal who has just robbed and killed a cinema cashier, gets a ride with unsuspecting Jimmy 'Fergie' Ferguson (Ted North), who does not know that Morgan is a killer. While heading to Los Angeles they stop at a gas station and pick up two women. Encountering a roadblock, Morgan takes over and persuades the party to spend the night at an unoccupied beach house. The police close in as one by one, Morgan begins killing.
Reaction
Channel 4's film guide calls the film "Fast-paced, lean and mean: a vintage noir." [1]
