Hot Cars

John Bromfield is an honest young man with a pretty wife and a new baby. He's also a used car salesman, who gets fired for not pushing junk to a customer. That customer turns out to be the owner of a chain of used car lots, looking for someone like Bromfield to sell stolen cars.

HOT CARS, like many a Schenck-Koch production in this period, has an interesting story, people who look good on the screen and fine visuals. Not only is it shot in the "Southwest Noir" style, but there's a fine noir ending on a roller coaster. What it lacks is good performances. The line readings all seem a bit droning, like a bad episode of DRAGNET. It even results in calling attention to the actors. Joi Lansing, in particular, seems to hit her mark and pose before reciting her lines.

Still, the careful visuals and bravura ending add to the story to keep things interesting all the way through.

"Nick Dunn" (John Bromfield) is an honest, hard-working man who does his best trying to support his wife, "Jane Dunn" (Carol Shannon) and their extremely ill newborn son. Then one day things take a turn for the worse when he is subsequently fired from his job as a used car salesman after telling a customer by the name of "Karen Winter" (Joi Lansing) the truth about one of the vehicles. Needless to say, this puts him in a bind as the bills are quickly piling up and he has no money left to pay them. Things begin to change, however, when he learns that Karen has recommended him for a job at another used car lot and after talking to the owner "Arthur Markel" (Ralph Clanton) he is not only hired but also discovers that he will now make even more money than before. What he doesn't know, however, is that there is more to this used car lot than he was initially told and in order to sell the cars he will have to put his integrity on the line as well. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a rather basic crime drama which suffers from an unremarkable script and a general lack of suspense. Having said that, it wasn't necessarily a bad film by any means and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

In HOT CARS, used car salesman, Nick Dunn (John Bromfield), gets mixed up with the "wrong crowd" after being fired from his job. Nick winds up working for a rival car lot run by a criminal mastermind.

When Nick's son becomes ill, he finds himself deeply involved in the car theft underworld.

Violence and murder soon follow.

This is an entertaining crime drama / morality tale, packed with 1950's ambiance and culminating in a wonderful finale, featuring the "fight-to-the-death on a rollercoaster" sequence!

Co-stars the beautiful Joi Lansing as the seductive Karen Winter!...

Despite this being a B movie, I actually think it's a good film. A story about a man who works in a hot-car racket to save his son's life, only to find himself becoming the fall guy when a detective investigating said racket is murdered, it is a story full of many twists and turns. Despite its lack of star power and its short length (a little over one hour), the story is very powerful and dramatic. Plus, the actors do a good job here, despite not being big names in the movie industry. This is one classic crime film I recommend giving a try.

Not a Teen-Ager or Rock n' Roller in Sight in this Mid 1950's B-Movie that is Pretty Pedestrian.

Although Joi Lansing is Pretty and quite a Sight Lighting Up the Screen with a Sculpted Goddess Appeal.

But the Movie is Rather Dull when Joi is Off-Screen although the B-Actors do a Good Job with the Go-Nowhere, Predictable Script.

Cars Relentlessly Role in and out of the Screen and some L. A. Locations get a Nod.

The Story Includes an Episode of Adultery, but is Quickly Forgiven,

The Climax aboard a Roller Coaster was Fast becoming a Cliche at the Time.

But it Looks Well Staged and Adds a bit of a Thrill-Ride (ironic it's not a car) to the Conclusion.

The only Other Thrill in the Film is Ogling Joi Lansing, whose Career went Absolutely Nowhere.

Her most Famous/Infamous Film is "Hillbillies in a Haunted House" (1967), but the Stunning Ms. Lansing did do a Lot of TV.

She Made most of Her Money Modeling.