Dragstrip Girl

The late fifties was definitely the period of juvenile delinquency fashion, that Nicholas Ray was the launcher of with REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. After this movie, this kind of film was nearly everywhere, but especially in the B movies, not major, big budgets ones. The films destined to teen audiences were mostly shown in drive in, saturday matinees and evening shows. This one makes no exception, I can't imagine adults watching this movie when it was released. Even director John Brahm made such a film with HOT RODS TO HELL, his last movie. He who gave us THE LODGER and THE LOCKET...Here, Edward L Cahn seemd to be very comfortable for such a feature. But Edwward L Cahn was not John Brahm.

Exactly what you would expect from American International Pictures - cars, chicks, fights, and another Elvis impersonation by John Ashley.

Fay Spain rides her hot rod into town, and immediately encounters Ashley and Steve Terrell in their own set of wheels. They drag down the street, until the cops get wind of this. Ashley and Terrell hide Spain in their garage, and the inevitable "I saw her first" starts, leading to a split between the two buddies. Tensions escalate as Spain can't decide which guy to date, so she plays them both. Her parents want her to choose Ashley, because his old man is loaded. However, they haven't heard Ashley sing.

Police Lieutenant Russ Bender wants the kids to form a car club so they won't drag race along the city streets, Ashley turns progressively more into a heel through the course of the film, leading to a "chicken run." Just before the big race, Ashley manages to implicate Terrell in a hit and run. There's always a big race. There's never a small or medium-sized race. Always a big race. How come there is never a big final exam? "Hey man, just me and you, and the geometry final. Be there or be square."

Spain looks sexy, so no one should care about her acting talent, or lack of same. She gets to drive a hot rod in a dress and high heels. Trust me, that hot rod looks silly in a dress and high heels. Frank Gorshin plays Terrell's buddy, but doesn't do any impersonations. However, he does sing with a tablecloth over his body and a mop on his head: "She's my dragstrip girl with a streamlined chassis, got a set of pipes and a grill that's classy, Draggggggggggg-strip babyyyyyyy." Yeah. Almost makes one yearn for Ashley's singing. Almost. Gorshin also orders a slice of pizza with a scoop of chocolate ice cream on it. Hurl. Blonde bombshell Judy Bamber plays Gorshin's girlfriend, and has some good comic scenes, especially during the fistfight between Ashley and Terrell - she can't figure out which one to root for, and Gorshin keeps reminding her who is supposed to win. Tito Vuolo plays the owner of a pizzeria where the kids hang out. Vuolo's chef's hat looks like a misplaced extra large prophylactic.

Dragstrip girl is fun drive in type movie. If you like old cars,50's style plot lines of bad girl/ bad guy, then you will love this movie.It takes you back to another time,when things seemed to be a little less trouble. It does not insult you with bad languge or body parts that you dont care to see.Classic cars,narrow ties,and boys who still meet the parrents.

"Louise Blake" (Fay Spain) is a new girl in town who loves cars and racing. Because of these interests she soon gets acquainted with others her age who have the same fondness for drag racing. In particular she meets two guys named "Jim Donaldson" (Steven Terrell) and "Fred Armstrong" (John Ashley) who both become attracted to her. However, rather than choose just one she decides to string both along which ends up being a huge mistake as Fred is insanely jealous of Jim and begins to provoke and undermine him at every opportunity. What nobody realizes is the depth of envy and how far he is willing to go to make Jim look bad. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a fairly average hot rod movie which could have been better with a bit more character development. Additionally, I didn't particularly care for the repeated taunts by Fred which became more than a bit annoying after a while. I also would have liked to have seen a little more of Judy Bamber (as "Rhoda") who was quite stunning. Be that as it may, in spite of the flaws and the fact that this film was definitely dated I still liked it and rate it as about average.

OK i'm a big fan of most movies made by the late American international movies,fun b-movies.my favorites being invasion of the saucermen and i was a teenage werewolf.but this movie dragstrip girl is very entertaining,it tells the story about a young pretty girl(Fay Spain)who drives a hotrod.and has two guys fighting over her,poor but honest nice guy(Steve Terrell)and rich snobby nasty dishonest guy(John Ashley)who both are also drag racers.there's much melodrama and fighting.but im not giving away any more of the plot.lets just say its a very good a.i.p. b movie from the fifties.also stars pre riddler(Frank Gorshin)and a.i.p. regular Russ Bender.heres a fact terrell and gorshin were in invasion of the saucermen soon after this.like i said this movie was enjoyable.8 out of 10.