Okay, I admit it': I was pleasantly surprised by this bottom-budget 1936 flick, only 57-minutes long. But the action hardly lets up as hijackers use an inside man to grab gasoline tankers, while our hero, ex-patrolman Talmadge, tries to out-smart them. And catch those rickety old two lane highways they race down, along with the drabby filling stations, and hopped-up motorcycles. And how about those bulging oil tanks they circle around ; one explosion and the whole city goes up. It sure ain't the LA of Hollywood and Vine or even studio back-lots. Then too, reviewer JH Reid's right: where else can we get such graphic views of the past than these vintage flicks, especially the cheepos. And how about stuntman Talmadge's many acrobatic stunts done with such amazing ease, though his fist fights with four guys are about as plausible as my dance-work. Also, too bad sweetie Wilde's presence fades with the second half. I really liked her imaginative way of sidling up to handsome patrolman Talmadge, though it costs Dad a load of money. Sure, the flick's about the last word in movie obscurity, plus being a distance from a sleeper. Still, the camera-work and overall energy show that even bottom barrel budgets can vibrate with life and roadsides past.
Review of Murder on the Road
