The Hitch-Hiker main backdrop
The Hitch-Hiker main poster

The Hitch-Hiker

Visit website

6.8/10 • 185

1953-03-301h 11m

ThrillerCrime

Who'll be his next victim... YOU?

Roy and Gilbert's fishing trip takes a terrifying turn when the hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a sociopath on the run from the law. He's killed before, and he lets the two know that as soon as they're no longer useful, he'll kill again. The two friends plot an escape, but the hitchhiker's peculiar physical affliction, an eye that never closes even when he sleeps, makes it impossible for them to tell when they can make a break for it.

Directors
Ida Lupino
Editors
Douglas Stewart

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Edmond O'Brien

    Edmond O'Brien

    Roy Collins

  2. Frank Lovejoy

    Frank Lovejoy

    Gilbert Bowen

  3. William Talman

    William Talman

    Emmett Myers

  4. José Torvay

    José Torvay

    Captain Alvarado

  5. Sam Hayes

    Sam Hayes

    Radio Broadcaster

  6. Wendell Niles

    Wendell Niles

    Wendell Niles

  7. Jean Del Val

    Jean Del Val

    Inspector General

  8. Clark Howat

    Clark Howat

    Government Agent

  9. Natividad Vacío

    Natividad Vacío

    Jose

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Nov 14, 2022

6/10

William Talman ("Myers") is great in this thriller that follows the tortuous journey of two fishermen who stopped to pick up a traveller and discover they are now in the hands of a gun-toting psychopath. Determined to escape the pursuing authorities, he forces them to drive, then walk, through largely desert terrain heading for a port and his escape. To make matters worse, he has already informed them that when he gets there - he is going to kill them!. Ida Lupino directed this quite spooky drama with some skill and Edmond O'Brien and Frank Bowen play well together as the captives in what is essentially a taut three-hander. It does push the bounds of plausibility at times, though - there are opportunities to overwhelm their antagonist and after a while those begin to undermine the threat; you do begin to believe that good will out and so the tension starts to diminish quite quickly... It's a very darkly filmed, moody piece of cinema that is rarely seen nowadays and is still well worth catching up with almost 70 years on.

Media

  • The Hitch-Hiker backdrop
  • The Hitch-Hiker backdrop
  • The Hitch-Hiker backdrop
  • The Hitch-Hiker backdrop
  • The Hitch-Hiker backdrop

Recommendations

  • Gun Crazy main backdrop

    Gun Crazy

    7.5

  • Tokyo Sonata main backdrop

    Tokyo Sonata

    7.4

  • Atari: Game Over main backdrop

    Atari: Game Over

    6.6

  • The Major and the Minor main backdrop

    The Major and the Minor

    7.0

  • Nightfall main backdrop

    Nightfall

    6.8

  • The Bigamist main backdrop

    The Bigamist

    6.4

  • Eye of the Beast main backdrop

    Eye of the Beast

    5.1

  • A Dog Called Money main backdrop

    A Dog Called Money

    5.8

  • Kiss Me Kate main backdrop

    Kiss Me Kate

    6.4

  • The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry main backdrop

    The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry

    6.2

  • Stage Fright main backdrop

    Stage Fright

    6.8

  • The Big Heat main backdrop

    The Big Heat

    7.6

  • Poetry main backdrop

    Poetry

    7.6

  • The Cat o' Nine Tails main backdrop

    The Cat o' Nine Tails

    6.7

  • Silent House main backdrop

    Silent House

    5.4

  • Black Narcissus main backdrop

    Black Narcissus

    7.5

  • Ace in the Hole main backdrop

    Ace in the Hole

    7.8

  • In Bed with Victoria main backdrop

    In Bed with Victoria

    5.8

  • Mandibles main backdrop

    Mandibles

    6.3

  • How to Have Sex main backdrop

    How to Have Sex

    6.4

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
mexicofilm noirhitchhikerwoman director