DRIVING TEST

Scenes from the class struggle in film noir.

This nice piece was painted by French artist Emmanuel Gaillard for Une femme dangereuse, which was originally released in 1940 as They Drive by Night. The movie, which is adapted from A. I. Bezzerides’ 1938 novel Long Haul, deals with two wildcat truckers caught in the American class struggle—you know, that thing all the millionaire pundits on television tell you doesn’t exist? The drivers want to rise above their station, but find many obstacles in their way, including leasing companies, fruit buyers, competing truckers, road accidents, injuries, fatigue, and eventually, murder. While the world-against-the-working-man aspect is interesting, the best part is watching George Raft and Humphrey Bogart play the two hard luck drivers. The movie also boasts the excellent Ann Sheridan, as well as film noir icon Ida Lupino in full-on crazy mode. But like the several trucks onscreen that veer off the road, the movie itself lurches into melodrama at the end. Une femme dangereuse had its French premiere today in 1947.

France, Une femme dangereuse, They Drive by Night, Long Haul, George Raft, Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Ann Sheridan, Emmanuel Gaillard, A. I. Bezzerides, poster art, cinema, literature, film noir, movie review

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HISTORY REWIND

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September 12

1994—White House Hit by Airplane

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