MovieChat Forums > Detour (1946) Discussion > FRESH as a spring breeze

FRESH as a spring breeze

posted 15 years ago by merrywood
3 replies | jump to latest

The film is "anti-Hollywood" in its low budget and attention only to
story with all else adequate but not the kind of contrivances that come
from big budget, large crew and cast traditions. A simple film yet one
that grabs the viewer by the seat of his or her pants. It proves that
you do not have to waste money to entertain on film. You do not have
to have "A" list actors to have the legs that this one has grown
in the more than half century since it was made. All you really need
is good writing.

[–] franzkabuki 15 years ago

As far as acting goes, Detour coulda done a whole lot better though - neither of the leads gave a virtuoso performance exactly. To say the least. But maybe that´s the way it´s ought to be in a picture like this.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] liscarkat (18886) 4 years ago

All the performances in "Detour" were top-notch. Tom Neal was convincingly morose, anxious, and desperate. Ann Savage transcended the script and brought a tough and sexy, hyper-crazy, over-the-top brilliance to her role.

And since we're here--that was just a slip of the tongue by Reagan, and was not what he meant to say at all. He even acknowledged it and laughed about it when it happened. Taking it out of context makes you look foolish, not him.

[–] Ace_Spade (9601) 3 years ago

I liked Neal and Savage, but I do think she was a bit over-the-top sometimes, dragging in venom where she didn't have to. Then again, she's entertaining, and the character is fun to hate, so she did her job. Ebert said that the leading man could only "pout" and Savage could only "sneer", and I think he was kinda right there, even though it works for the movie.