The Hitch-Hiker

"This is a well made b-movie noir about two men having their car hijacked by a hitchhiking asylum escapee. Most notably, the film is directed by Ida Lupino (who had starred in many classic noir films), which makes this the first noir film to be directed by a woman. William Talman’s titular hitchhiker steals the movie. He’s a raw nerve, who is desperate to show he has all of the power and control, even as you can feel it slipping away from him. The way they use the deformity of his eye as a storyline device is quite inspired. Despite its obviously small budget, the film builds tension throughout its 71 minutes and keeps you locked into the story. It’s a fun watch if you’re a fan of these B-movie noirs. 3.75 out of 5 Stars Note: This film is in the public domain, so the quality of prints hosted by the different streamers can vary widely in quality."

"A taut thriller from 1953, co-written and directed by Ida Lupino, on the dangers of picking up hitchhikers. Friends Gilbert Bowen and Roy Collins set off on a fishing trip when they encounter a man who has run out of gas. He turns out to be sociopath Emmett Myers, who is notorious for robbing and murdering drivers. He leads the men on an escape from police into the Mexican desert, threatening to kill them in the end. Lupino’s story contrasts two kinds of postwar masculinity—one amoral and narcissistic and the other cooperative and social—and Myers makes that explicit when he chides the men for their friendly devotion to one another. Interesting feature: the Mexican characters speak Spanish throughout without translation and they defy stereotypes. "

"Ida Lupino isn't talked about nearly enough. "