The Hitch-Hiker
Remember when genre movies had no fat on them? The filmmakers told the story as economically as possible, with all the tension and excitement that could be make it in a timeframe where an entire film was told? That can be a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand, you get a story that’s has everything you want in it. On the other hand, is there depth to the characters, and the story at hand? For a filmmaker like Ida Lupino, she understood the importance in economical storytelling, and didn’t forget that a little bit of depth can go a long way with audiences.
Of the five films of Lupino’s that I have seen, “The Hitch-Hiker” is the most nakedly a genre film. Written by Lupino and her producer husband, Collier Young (and credit to Robert L. Joseph, as well), “The Hitch-Hiker begins with a title card about the dangers of a man with a gun. It also says this is based on a true story; it’s not that the story itself is “true,” but that it follows a very likely scenario to happen. Ultimately, a lot of Lupino’s movies in this era were message movies that brought in a multitude of controversial themes. Here, we get two friends (played by Edmond O’Brien and Frank Lovejoy) who, while on a fishing trip, pick up a hitch-hiker (William Talman). It doesn’t take long for them to learn that he is Emmett Myers, a serial killer. Is their fate sealed? It certainly seems like it.
The vast majority of “The Hitch-Hiker” involves the three men’s journey as Emmett tries to get to a point where the law is not following him. One of the most fascinating aspects of the movie is how Collins (O’Brien) and Bowen (Lovejoy) don’t really try and overtake Myers; they seem very passive in how they handle him. Are they thinking about their families at home? Are they thinking about each other? They know if they cooperate with Myers, it could extend their lives a little bit longer, even though action could bring this to an end quickly for them. It’s smart plotting by Lupino and Collier’s part- with an uncredited assist by blacklisted writer Daniel Mainwaring- and we are held in suspense every step of the way as the three men try and survive, two because they are held hostage, and the third because he’s trying to escape responsibility for his crimes. This is a smart, economical thriller from a filmmaker who knew what mattered most to tell a story, and delivers a tense experience for the viewer.
