Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, Detour is a haunting, low-budget film noir that has achieved legendary status for its raw intensity, fatalistic tone, and stripped-down storytelling. Starring Tom Neal and Ann Savage, the film was produced by Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC)—Hollywood’s “poverty row”—and became the first B-movie ever selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry.
Plot Summary
Al Roberts (Tom Neal), a down-on-his-luck pianist, hitchhikes from New York to California to reunite with his girlfriend. Along the way, he’s picked up by Charles Haskell Jr., a gambler who mysteriously dies during the trip. Panicked, Al assumes Haskell’s identity, fearing the police won’t believe his story.
Things spiral when Al picks up Vera (Ann Savage), a ferocious hitchhiker who knows he’s not Haskell and blackmails him. Their toxic relationship unfolds in a claustrophobic motel room, culminating in another death and Al’s descent into despair. The film ends with Al’s chilling voiceover: “Fate, or some mysterious force, can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all.”
Cast Highlights
- Tom Neal as Al Roberts — a brooding, passive antihero
- Ann Savage as Vera — one of noir’s most venomous femmes fatales
- Claudia Drake as Sue — Al’s distant love interest
- Edmund MacDonald as Charles Haskell Jr.
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film was shot in 28 days, not the often-repeated myth of one week
- The 1941 Lincoln Continental V-12 convertible used in the film was director Ulmer’s personal car
- Savage and Neal despised each other off-camera; Savage once slapped Neal after he embarrassed her on set
- The yellow sweater worn by Savage belonged to Ulmer’s wife, Shirley, who also served as the script clerk
- A real car tried to pick up Savage during filming, mistaking her for a genuine hitchhiker
Legacy
Detour is a masterclass in existential dread, proving that budget constraints can’t limit artistic impact. Its expressionistic lighting, fatalistic narration, and psychological tension have influenced generations of filmmakers. Roger Ebert called it “an embodiment of the guilty soul of film noir”. Despite technical flaws, it remains unforgettable—a film where every shadow hides a trap, and every choice feels doomed.
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