The Devil Thumbs a Ride

Lawrence Tierney singlehandedly lifts this poverty row cheapie from lowbrow crime melodrama anonymity to the upper pantheon of low budget noir exploitation immortality. Bears some resemblance to other low budget limited set piece claustrophobic pics like THE DESPERATE HOURS or PETRIFIED FOREST, but don't dwell on that. There are a lot of strangled laughs given the tense set-up, but don't dwell on that, either. Ignore the implausibilities and wildly uneven acting and revel instead in young Tierney's charismatic menace and casual sadism. He so dominates the proceedings that any analysis of plot points (fairly lacking) or cinematography (surprisingly good) or direction (not so hot) really pales in comparison. One of those rare films that has such bad performances that it is an instant classic yet also featuring such a standout performance from Tierney that it is also an instant classic. Trust me on this one, brother... don't miss this obscure but vital piece of 50s Americrimedramacana. You will be amused and amazed, horrified and entertained, but most of all... you will not soon forget the experience.

Laurence Tierney seems to have been born to play this role. He is sinister, amoral, nasty. It's beautifully filmed and superbly directed, though it has a raw feel.

Tiernry is the title character. A devil he surely is. He gets the poor dope who picks him up a very hard time. The two women they then give rides to fare even less well.

Betty Lawford is perfect as the tough, over-the-hill floozy of those two. She is always looking for a deal for herself -- silk stockings, salvation... We like her, though, and feel that we may have encountered her or her like behind countless counters.

We feel bad for the gas station attendant when Tierney says cruel things about the picture of his young daughter. There is no doubt: Tierney's character is a dreadful person. But the gas station attendant is a pain himself. He's an annoying know-it-all.

The police are not portrayed in a very favorable light, either. So who do we actually like? Maybe the younger of the two hitchhikers, Beulah. Her older pal, though we surely do not admire her. The watchman Tierney cruelly gets drunk? Not really.

It's a slice of life cut with a hatchet and the slice is not pretty no matter what angle we look at it from.

Ironic, given that TCM's print of "Detour" looks and sounds so awful it borders on unwatchable, this little film plays with crystal clear sound and a perfect picture.

While "Devil" does not really approach the genius of "Detour", it is a very engaging story and a fun hour of film. The hitch-hiker is disturbingly without conscience, and his ability to manipulate the actions of both the driver and the other passengers display a rather keen understanding of the sociopathic personality. Just how different life was in the 1940's is immediately made clear by those two dames that get picked up early in the film (this is so unlikely in 21st America that no self-respecting film-maker would ask you to believe it).

The pace is taunt, which I like, and there are a few real surprises along the way. Our story is marred only (and BADLY) by a very stupid slapped on ending that may have gotten a chuckle out of contemporary audiences, but will surely illicit only groans from the modern viewer. Still worthwhile, enjoy the ride and don't pick up any strangers!

I saw this many years ago on AMC. I barely remember the story, but I do remember that it was a very effective piece of noir. I've wanted to see it again, but it is extremely hard to come by. It isn't on video or DVD, and it rarely appears at revival theatres. If you ever have the chance to catch this on AMC or TCM, do whatever you can to see it. I definitely put it up there with "Detour" and "They Walked By Night". Great stuff.

A very enjoyable, mostly fast-paced film noir written & directed by Felix Feist, who also brought you This Woman Is Dangerous. FF doesn't muck around. The story of a murderous armed robber on the lam cracks along, and is full of snappy lines from all the characters - especially Lawrence Tierney, who clearly revels in his nastiness. Story gets a bit bogged down in a holiday house, and it's full of implausibilities, but it's also packed with a great supporting cast, who give it all they've got - even if what they've got tends to the fairly dumb at times..but hey, this is cheap and cheerful entertainment. Even Tierney's unremitting (and enjoyable) meanness is alleviated by the lively tone of the piece. Tierney by the way is the guy who plays Elaine's implacable dad in a classic episode of Seinfeld. However, his performances in the title roles of Dillinger and Born To Kill (both 1947) are chilling.