I think Henri-Georges Clouzot must have watched THIEVES' HIGHWAY en route to making LE SALAIRE DE LA PEUR. The scenes involving the trucks, especially when one falls on top of Conte, are remarkable and bring to mind the predicaments facing the four drivers in SALAIRE.
Acting is not particularly good. Supporting actor Lee J Cobb easily steals the show. Conte looks much weaker, and is not helped by a character reminiscent of Hamlet, always showing anger in the face of injustice but dithering far too much when it comes to acting. Also, he is not the brightest spark -- why would anyone carrying $4,000 (a very large sum even by today's standards) at night, by a railroad, waiting to be pounced on, when you have just forced it out of a man who has crippled your father, and must perforce want revenge?
Photography is fine, truck stunts are particularly good, and Dassin's direction is sound. Sadly for Dassin, it was this very film, and its portrait of the American Dream going sour, that first caught the attention of Senator McCarthy and of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, forcing him to flee to Europe.
It is worth watching, but not a great noir, certainly no match for the likes of RIFIFI, THE THIRD MAN, OUT OF THE PAST, NIGHTMARE ALLEY or LAURA.
Acting is not particularly good. Supporting actor Lee J Cobb easily steals the show. Conte looks much weaker, and is not helped by a character reminiscent of Hamlet, always showing anger in the face of injustice but dithering far too much when it comes to acting. Also, he is not the brightest spark -- why would anyone carrying $4,000 (a very large sum even by today's standards) at night, by a railroad, waiting to be pounced on, when you have just forced it out of a man who has crippled your father, and must perforce want revenge?
Photography is fine, truck stunts are particularly good, and Dassin's direction is sound. Sadly for Dassin, it was this very film, and its portrait of the American Dream going sour, that first caught the attention of Senator McCarthy and of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, forcing him to flee to Europe.
It is worth watching, but not a great noir, certainly no match for the likes of RIFIFI, THE THIRD MAN, OUT OF THE PAST, NIGHTMARE ALLEY or LAURA.