(dir. E. Ulmer, 1945, USA, 68 mins., NR)
This low-budget B-movie noir gem packs hours worth of tension and dread into its taut 68 minutes: in the words of one critic, “all killer, no filler.” The aptly-named Ann Savage plays Vera, an acid-hearted dame who commandeers a self-loathing lug posing as a high roller. The weak protagonist (Tom Neal) plunges into an ever-tightening net of noir. Director Edgar Ulmer (a disciple of F.W. Murnau) weaves a pulpy tale of woe that leaves us questioning the cruelty of fate. Detour’s cheaply-made look only reinforces its authentic seediness. Film introduced by film historian Eric Grayson. Feature preceded by the Warner Brothers cartoon Racketeer Rabbit (1946).

Film shown in 35 mm.