Nico Garcos (Richard Conte, Don Barzini in
The Godfather) has just returned home to his family after serving in World War 2. He comes laden with gifts for all, money for the future and plans to settle down with his girlfriend. However, when he discovers that his truck driver father was crippled by shady produce dealer Mike Figlia (Lee J. Cobb,
Do you really need me to tell you what films Lee J. Cobb was in? What’s the matter with you? Have you never seen a film made before 1980?), he puts his dreams on hold and gambles his future. Nico goes into business with another driver called Ed (Millard Mitchell,
Singin’ in the Rain), in order to track down Figlia and get his father’s money.
Thieves Highway (based on screenwriter A. I. Bezzerides own novel,
Thieves’ Market) is a lean, mean noir. There are no major stakes at play, nor is there an overriding threat to the world (the villain is an unscrupulous twat who doesn’t want to pay his bills). Instead, director Jules Dassin (
Rififi) is more interested in how his characters handle their small crises. When Nico is first introduced arriving to his idyllic suburban home and his pretty blonde girlfriend, he walks with a spring in his step and carries a smile to brighten any night. He’s the sort of man that Eisenhower envisioned being the perfect, all-American man. Yet, towards the end of the film, he’s ready to chop people’s fingers off.
Desperation is what drives the characters of Thieves’ Highway. When a bruised Nico tries to strangle a streetwalker (Valentina Cortese,
Day for Night), it’s not out of misogyny, but a futile attempt at recovering his lost money. At one point, Nico’s partner, Ed, tries to swindle a farmer out of his true earnings but it’s not greed that drives him. It’s the sad fact that Ed is in serious financial trouble and needs the money. Even Figlia is introduced haggling with customers and struggling to beat his competitors’ prices. Dassin and Bezzerides never attempt to manipulate our feelings towards their players. They simply show their actions and allow us to form our own opinions.
The film’s moral ambiguities are matched by its black and white visuals. Norbit Brodin’s (
Kiss of Death) cinematography captures a world covered in either frightening darkness, or blinding lights. Sweat and grease cake this world, while steam escapes every manhole. You can almost smell the stench.
Barring a bolted-on happy ending (complete with a Barney Says segment), Thieves’ Highway is a gritty treat. The real locations are complimented by Dassin’s punchy direction, while the cast do an excellent job at conveying Bezzeride’s hard-boiled dialogue and conflicts.
Highly recommended.