They Drive by Night
Director: Raoul Wash
Cast: Ida Lupino, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and George Raft.
Plot: Two brothers get caught up with the dangers of the open road and with a scheming wife who is just plain right evil.
They Drive by Night was a wonderful film that I currently watched for the first time. Ida Lupino she stole the show with her heart-wrenching performance and how she made everyone hate her character. Here is a rich woman who wants the love of George Raft's character but she's such a witch. She's brutal but elegant a very complex character.
Bogart and Raft were both billed in the film and played brothers but Raft dominated the film. Bogart though the parts he had gave a good performance. He's very broody while Raft's character is more laid back. Ann Sheridan can’t leave her out she played the love interest of Raft and had a sense of humor to her character.
The film had witty and snappy dialogue. It gives an interesting look at early trunk drivers and how tough the job is and was. It has a suspenseful plot that has a lot of action involved with vehicles crashing and murder. It's a very satisfying film from the beginning to the end.
I find the trial scene to be the most intense besides the truck crashes and without giving too much away Ida Lupino gives a tour-de-force performance in the trial scene. I felt her emotions while watching it. She made you feel bad for her even when you didn't like her because how bad she was.
They Drive by Night is a gritty film that also showcases some humor in it by some of the minor characters. It gives a satisfying ending and doesn't make you feel like you lost out on two hours. While George Raft is the main focus you still feel Humphrey Bogart's presence. The two leading ladies were perfect Sheridan made you laugh while Lupino made you hate her and also feel sorry for her. It's a film that shows the gritty side of the trucking business and shows how people's lives are not perfect but how they can still overcome tragedies.
Raoul Wash knew what he was doing he made a film that was at first a simple drama but then gave it many film noir elements to make it a film noir. I give it a high rating and say if you're fan of classic films and have not watched this then you must.
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