Ida Lupino’s 1953 true crimenoir,The Hitch-Hiker, sees Collins (Edmond O’Brien) and Gilbert (Frank Lovejoy)accidentally pick up Emmet Myers (William Talman), a violent murderer and escaped convict. The film centers around whether or not the pair will be able to escape Myers before he kills them.The Hitch-Hikeris a great watchfor anyone wishing to study character writing and how to maximize every aspect of storytelling. Not many films could be made with a small budget and essentially just three characters and hold such a tense and engaging narrative. Lupino’s influence on this film is felt throughout the narrative and filmmaking, in her selection of characters and how she utilizes them. Not only is the directing and cinematography a triumph, but all three actors, O’Brien, Lovejoy, and Talman, give fantastic performances, ensuringThe Hitch-Hikeris well deserving ofits 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Ida Lupino Excels at Exploring the Noir Genre Through True Crime
Ida Lupinoweaves a tense tale that draws from thereal-world inspiration of Billy Cook, who murdered six people and kidnapped three others in 1950, who he took on “murderous road trips”. The opening ofThe Hitch-Hikeris a shot of a man, who we never see but assume is Myers, waiting to hitchhike, along with text that explains that this could happen to anyone. It’s a bone-chilling and cold reminder that sticks with the audience throughout the film.Lupino uses Myers to heighten the gritty, noir aspectsof the film, exploring the soul of a man with no morals.
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As the first U.S. classic noir filmdirected by a woman,Lupino takes a unique approach to exploring the male-dominated genre. Collins and Gilbert are both ex-army, with Gilbert being an expert marksman, but neither are great heroes nor badasses. Rather than seeing them pounce on Myers in his sleep, they try to run off. Watching their compliance and growing desperation is a far more interesting exploration of the will to survive that exists within all of us rather than the unnatural will to risk your life fighting a battle against the odds. Similarly, Myers' anti-climactic ending goes against the classic noir ending of our heroes having a big confrontation with the villain, like inThe Third Man, which came out four years prior.
In the novelThe Making of The Hitch-Hiker, Lupino explained that she wanted a sense of “realism” in the capture of Myers, where police simply find and arrest Myers at the end of the line, which is how Cook was captured. The moment of Myers' arrest could be viewed as anti-climactic, but Myers' helplessness as he is held by police, and his inability to defend himself when he is attacked by Collins, shows the loss of the power that he held throughout the film. We see that in the end, a person’s morally condemnable actions will catch up with them.
‘The Hitch-Hiker’ Is Shot Incredibly For Its Time
Despite this being filmed in 1953 and produced independently,The Hitch-Hikerlooks incredible. Famous cinematographerNicholas Musuracashot the movie, highlighting the contrast of the shadowsagainst the desert, turning it into even more of a hellish, inescapable wasteland than it already is. Shot mostly with the three men in a car, the camera’s movement at one point from outside the car to within, revealing Myers in the shadows. It is a great bit of camera motion, as it positions Myers like a monster in the shadows, making him a terrifying villain from the beginning.
The rear projection used throughout holds up to this day, and providing a sense of motion that is constantly building tension as we see our heroes moving closer to their end destination, and potentially their final one. Having this kind ofmotion mixed with the claustrophobia of Collins and Gilbert being trapped in the car with Myersis an effective use of all the tools at a director’s disposal.The Hitch-Hikeris not without mistakes, as at different points, during exterior shots, you can clearly see only two men in the car, rather than the three there should be. However, these can be forgiven considering the film’s obvious limitations in budget and technology.
William Talman and Edmond O’Brien Deliver Standout Performances In ‘The Hitch-Hiker’
Great writing and directing are not enough to sustain a 70-minute narrative with just three characters, however. The charisma, chemistry, and performances of the actors can make or break the film, and inThe Hitch-Hiker, Lovejoy, O’Brien, and Talman make every single line, action, and reaction count. However, whilst Lovejoy’s Gilbert is great as the average person who sticks up for his friend, it isEdmond O’Brien as Collins and William Talman as Emmet Myers that particularly stand out, as they are polar opposites that contrast with each other so well. Despite almost zero backstory in this film,Collins feels gentler than Gilbert, partly due to not being the marksman and the fact Myers picks him as the victim to bully.
As we watch Collins become more and more desperate, Myers' sick and twisted enjoyment becomes greater, with the glint in his eye growing as Collins' terror-filled scowl deepens. After Collins has a breakdown, Myers takes great pleasure in telling Gilbert to leave him alone, quipping, “Can’t you see he’s praying?” These opposites of brutality and vulnerability make Myers’ capture at the end so much more rewarding. Talman’s menacing and cool demeanor when Myers acts as though he were on a road trip with a few buddies is terrifying andhis violent outlook on the world makes you fear for all the characters he interacts with. This cements him as one ofthe best noir villains of all time.
Overall,The Hitch-Hikeris a great and unique noir thriller. Ida Lupino’s realistic and unique approach exposes the fragility of Myers' power and explores the survival instincts within humanity, providing a fascinating execution of the classic noir genre.The Hitch-Hikeris made stronger by all of its unique parts coming together to make it great, with all three of the key actors giving 110% to the roles and making the noir thriller a must-watch film for anyone who loves cinema.
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
During a seemingly ordinary fishing trip, two friends find themselves in a perilous situation after picking up a hitchhiker who is a wanted criminal. As their journey becomes increasingly dangerous, they must devise a plan to escape the relentless threat posed by their volatile passenger.
The Hitch-Hikeris currently available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
