Hot Rod Girl

Filmed entirely in the San Fernando Valley, CA ... If you want to see what the Valley and early Hot Rodding was like, THIS is the movie for you!! The film opens at the old San Fernando Dragstrip and moves all around the Valley from Northridge to Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood, Van Nuys Blvd ... If you want a history of what the "Nifty Fifties" was like this is it! ... a forerunner to American Graffitti and Hollywood Knights ... You couldn't re-make this film today if you had 50 million dollars ... A TRUE CLASSIC !!

I have to admit it. Why? Well it features a young Chuck Connors for one thing but even more importantly for me it stars Lori Nelson of REVENGE OF THE CREATURE fame. I have to admit there's just something about Nelson I adore, not sure what it is exactly but she has a certain quality that defies description. The film itself is an interesting piece of 1950s nostalgia, especially for anyone who remembers or actually lived through the hot rodding craze from that era. Now I'll admit this was before my time, yet it holds a certain fascination and appeal for me. The film, while being basically pro-teens (they are just mixed up kids in need of a place to go and have fun but who need the help and guidance of a responsible adult-Connors' Detective Ben Merrill), does send a mixed message with regards to hot-rodding...both positive and negative to the point that in the end we are left scratching our heads.

This film will take you back to the days of rock and roll, jukeboxes and of course, hot rods. Well acted (especially by John Smith) and Lori Nelson is real easy to look at (although you might prefer her cool '55 T-bird). It's also fun to watch a pre-Riddler Frank Gorshin in one of his early roles. Get ready to to roll up your sleeves and grease your hair back while you watch "Hot Rod Girl".

Now here is a little 1950's JD film that I had a lot of fun watching! Kind of an off the wall affair that sends a mixed message but is certainly a hoot to check out. A young Chuck Connors plays a local cop who is trying to end illegal drag racing by getting the kids to participate in a sort of legalized form of racing at a drag strip he put together and supervises with some of the local youth. Things seem to be working fine, though Connors is constantly getting heat from his Captain who wants hot rodding banned altogether, until the local "hero" Jeff loses his brother in an illegal street race. Jeff goes brooding and decides he wants no part of Connors program anymore just as a typical 1950's hood comes driving into town for the first time trying to shake things up. I found the film to be oddly entertaining but I wasn't sure if the message was that kids shouldn't be drag racing or that it's ok, as long as it's done in a certain place. Anyway, a fun movie featuring pretty good performances by Connors, John Smith and a very young Frank Gorshin as "Flat Top". Also in the cast is the extremely attractive Lori Nelson who has the title role. It seems a little odd that the film carries the title HOT ROD GIRL as Nelson is clearly a supporting player and the only time she "hot rods" is very briefly in the beginning during the opening credits. Still, her 1955 T-Bird is a blast to look at as are some of the other cars featured in the film. Catchy 1950's music score also helps capture a nice feel. If you like these kinds of films, as I do, I think you'll find this one rather enjoyable.

A humane cop works at converting troublesome teens from street racing onto supervised dragstrips. But then a new guy, a street outlaw, comes to town and stirs the pot.

The movie's title is something of a misnomer. Actually, our hot rod girl operates a clipboard rather than a road racer. But that's okay, since Lori Nelson is—surprise, surprise—very pretty, and even a good actress, to boot. Focus shifts about half-way through from the teens to cop Chuck Connors as he tries to shift street racing to the less dangerous drag strip. At 6'6", he's clearly an imposing presence that commands audience attention. There's also a good look at young Frank Gorshin (Flat-top), who comes through with some badly needed snap. He's also a very distinctive presence and clearly on his way up the show-biz ladder; he even does a couple brief Cagney bits. Too bad he wasn't cast as the outlaw where he could have shown his talents as a sneering villain (e.g. The Riddler).

No doubt much of the theme is familiar to teens of the time when a guy's status could depend on how close he was to a fast car, preferably a 'hot rod'. The movie itself is fairly routine, longer than needed, and without much drag strip footage. Overall, the results lack needed drama, as when the two collisions are only implied and not shown. Maybe the staging was just too expensive for a budget outfit like Nacirema. Then too, actor Smith comes off as too bland to inject his nice boy Jeff with much personality. All in all, the movie's a drive-in programmer with a provocative title minus anything more.