Watch Drive a Crooked Road

Drive a Crooked Road is a classic film-noir movie from 1954, directed by Richard Quine and starring Mickey Rooney, Dianne Foster, and Kevin McCarthy. The story follows a lonely mechanic named Eddie Shannon, who is recruited by a beautiful seductress to participate in an intricate heist plan. Despite his initial reluctance, Eddie agrees to participate, thinking that this could be his ticket to love and redemption. However, as the plan unfolds, he realizes that he has been set up as a patsy and that his life is now in grave danger.

The film takes place in Los Angeles, and the city's noir atmosphere is captured brilliantly by Quine's direction and the cinematography of Charles Lawton Jr. The lighting, shadow, and angles of the shots are all expertly crafted to create an unsettling mood that fits perfectly with the plot. As the film opens, we see Eddie Shannon leading a solitary life as a mechanic, repairing race cars for wealthy clients. He has little ambition, no friends, and no romantic prospects. However, that all changes when he meets Barbara Mathews, a beautiful and mysterious woman who seems to take an interest in him.

Barbara invites Eddie to her Hollywood Hills mansion, where she reveals her true intentions. She is actually working with a gang of criminals led by Steve Norris, played by the chillingly amoral Kevin McCarthy. Norris and his associates want to steal a prototype car that Eddie has been working on, and they believe that Eddie is the key to their successful heist plan. Barbara seduces Eddie and convinces him to join the gang's plan, promising him a share of the profits and her love in return. Eddie is hesitant at first, but he eventually succumbs to Barbara's charms, desperate for a chance to turn his life around.

The heist itself is the highlight of the movie, a tense and thrilling sequence that showcases the technical prowess of the filmmakers. The plan involves Eddie driving the prototype car in a precarious race through the mountains, with the criminals following him in a helicopter. The stakes are high, and the pressure mounts as Eddie realizes that he is being used as a pawn in the gang's larger scheme. As the plot unfolds, Eddie discovers the true nature of Barbara's intentions and must fight to survive as the gang turns on him.

The acting in Drive a Crooked Road is superb, with each actor delivering a multi-layered performance that captures the complexity of their character. Mickey Rooney, known mainly for his comedic roles, gives a surprising and convincing turn as Eddie Shannon, a man who is out of his depth but determined to make the most of his opportunity. Dianne Foster plays Barbara Mathews with a subtle sensuality that belies her true motives, while Kevin McCarthy is chilling in his portrayal of the ruthless and manipulative Steve Norris.

Drive a Crooked Road is a classic example of film-noir, a genre that thrived in Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. The movie's themes of betrayal, greed, and redemption are timeless, and the film's moody and atmospheric style captures the essence of the genre perfectly. The director's use of shadow and light creates a foreboding sense of doom that seeps into every scene, and the use of location and setting adds to the gritty realism of the story.

Overall, Drive a Crooked Road is a movie that should not be missed by fans of the film-noir genre. The film is a classic example of the genre, with superb acting, masterful direction, and a gripping plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. Whether you are a fan of Mickey Rooney or Kevin McCarthy or just love classic Hollywood movies, this film is a must-see.

Drive a Crooked Road is a 1954 crime movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.