Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 6, 2020

Richard Quine's "Drive a Crooked Road" (1954) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage promotional materials for the film; archival introduction by Martin Scorsese; audio commentary by film critic Nick Pinkerton; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The getaway road

Guys like Mickey Rooney’s car mechanic and part-time race driver, Eddie Shannon, are some of the most dangerous chameleons. They look harmless and spend the majority of their time alone with their thoughts, but they are not classic social outcasts. They would allow you to engage and befriend them, and after a while they will trick you to conclude that you know enough to trust them. If you reveal that you feel sorry for them a time will come when they would even allow you to help them. What makes them dangerous, however, is not their ability to fool you. It is the fact that they don’t actually realize that they are walking ticking bombs, so there is no way for you to know either. When they reveal their true identities, it is usually too late, and nine out of ten times they are just as shocked with the transformation as you are.

In Richard Quine’s Drive a Crooked Road Eddie is part of a team and his teammates know him well -- or so they think. He is that simple, incredibly transparent and predictable, good-hearted workaholic that is never late and always one of the last to go home. His teammates are convinced that he works hard because he loves his job, but he does it because it is the only thing that makes him feel normal. If he stops working and isn’t drunk his mind immediately begins reminding him that he is a loser and doomed to be miserable. The truth hurts Eddie, but like most great chameleons he suppresses the pain and pretends that all is well.

When Eddie encounters Barbara (Dianne Foster) he sees a legitimate chance to end the pain. She is beautiful and classy, the type of lady any guy would love to be in a relationship with. He fixes her car and then ‘accidentally’ meets her at the beach spot she has mentioned to him. They talk, get some sun, and then talk some more. Then they meet again and this time Barbara casually reveals to Eddie that she genuinely likes being with him. She even shows interest in Eddie’s favorite subject, racing, and asks him to explain what is the difference between American and European cars. Eddie cannot believe his luck. And neither can his teammates at the car shop, after he describes Barbara to them. Eddie hooking up with a gal like Barbara? Impossible. There must be a catch.

When Barbara introduces Eddie to Harold (Jack Kelly) and Steve (Kevin McCarthy) it turns out that there is a catch -- they are planning a robbery and want Eddie to drive their getaway car. If Eddie agrees to do the job, they will pay him $15,000. This is the type of money that a guy like Eddie needs if he is to be in a serious relationship with a classy gal like Barbara. At first the stunned Eddie rejects the offer, but then, after thinking what the money could do for his and Barbara’s future, changes his mind. The job won’t be easy, but with the right car it can be done.

Without Rooney this film would have been very, very different, and unquestionably not as good as it is. Indeed, Rooney’s excellent performance is what legitimizes the suspense and the manner in which it ultimately shapes up the film’s identity. He plays two entirely different characters -- a quiet loner who is essentially drifting through life, and a man who suddenly regains his passion for life after encountering a woman that isn’t truthful to him. The transformation is very interesting because at first it seems subtle but later on becomes so dramatic that it has to be done the right way to appear authentic. Rooney’s performance accomplishes precisely that and, in the process, helps the rest of the characters around him look even better.

The production values are rather modest. However, the film does not need spectacular panoramic vistas and fancy camera work to look stylish. The natural beauty of the different locations where the action takes place are perfect for the intended noirish ambience. This shouldn’t be surprising either consider the fact that Quine was able to use the services of cinematographer Charles Lawton Jr. (3:10 to Yuma).

The original screenplay for the film was written by Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther Film). It is based on an original story by James Benson Nablo (A Bullet for Joey).

Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Drive a Crooked Road arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from a very good older restored master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. Excluding a few small density fluctuations I think that everything looks just about as good as it should. (Take a look at screencapture #4 to see what type of fluctuations to expect). Delineation, for instance, ranges from very good to excellent. Clarity is consistently pleasing as well. Even though there are a few darker areas with some extremely light black crush, this is master is also very nicely graded. I projected the film and thought that the ranges of delicate but stable grays and whites were outstanding. There are no traces of problematic digital adjustments. Image stability is great. Finally, the master is also very healthy. All in all, this is a very solid technical presentation of Drive a Crooked Road that makes a treat to revisit the film on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical issues to report in our review. When the current master was prepared the audio was fully remixed and as a result its basics are very solid. Indeed, clarity, sharpness, depth, and balance are as good as they should be. There are no encoding anomalies to report either.

Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - remastered vintage trailer for Drive a Crooked Road. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Introduction - an archival introduction recorded by Martin Scorsese. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Image Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for the film.

• Screen Snapshots: Mickey Rooney, Then and Now (1953) - this shot documentary feature, part of Columbia's Screen Snapshots series, was directed by Ralph Staub. In English, with optional English subtitles. (10 min).

• The Guardian Interview with Mickey Rooney - this archival audio interview with Mickey Rooney was conducted by Tony Sloman at the National Film Theatre in London on September 11, 1988. In English, not subtitled. (81 min).

• Commentary - film critic Nick Pinkerton deconstructs Drive a Crooked Road shares a lot of factual information about the conception of the film and the different people that contributed to it. Also, there is interesting information about the different locations that are seen in the film as well as the evolution of film noir.

• Book - a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Iris Veysey, Paul Duane, Jill Blake, Wheeler Winston Dixon, Nathalie Morris, and Sergio Angelini;archival interview extracts with Budd Boetticher, Joseph H Lewis, Phil Karlson, and Robert Aldrich; extracts from the autobiographies of Don Siegel and Vincent Sherman; and film credits.

Drive a Crooked Road Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Yes, one of Mickey Rooney's best performances might be right here, in Richard Quine's Drive a Crooked Road. The entire film relies on his transformation to impress and he does a fantastic job with his character, a disillusioned car mechanic-turned-getaway driver. I think that the only addition that could have made the film better is a nice long episode with some nighttime desert footage where the robbers do something dramatic. I just felt that Rooney and the cool car were perfect for such a 'distraction'. The release is sourced from a very solid organic master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. It is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' upcoming Columbia Noir #1 box set. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.