The Hitch-Hiker

When two friends pick up a hitch-hiker on a trip to Mexico, the man turns out to be a disturbed convict. He takes them hostage and forces them to drive on in an attempt to evade authorities. Along the way, the hitch-hiker reveals his sadistic nature and taunts and threatens the friends mercilessly. “You guys are soft. You know what makes you that way? You’re up to your neck in IOU’s. You’re suckers! You’re scared to get out on your own. You’ve always had it good, so you’re soft. Well, not me! Nobody ever gave me anything, so I don’t owe nobody!”

THE HITCH-HIKER is a no-nonsense film noir, and a landmark as the first film noir directed by a woman. In this case, that woman is veteran actress Ida Lupino. She started her career in the 30s and gained prominence in Hollywood with her roles in HIGH SIERRA and THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT, highlighting her experience in the film noir genre.

Ida Lupino made a habit of learning about the different functions of film-making, taking a particular liking to the directing side of film. In the hopes of ending up in the director’s chair herself one day, she started an independent production company with her husband. Her solo directing debut followed in 1949 with NEVER FEAR. Lupino made a series of poignant dramas about taboo subjects, such as rape (OUTRAGE) and bigamy (THE BIGAMIST), and with THE HITCH-HIKER she tackled the film noir genre, often seen as a mostly male genre. The tense thriller with an all-male cast became her most prominent directing credit.

As a film noir, THE HITCH-HIKER is quite distinctive. It’s not a typical story of gangsters versus police. Lupino focuses on the crazed criminal and his two hostages, who witness their fate becoming more and more dire. Another unique feature is its setting, shifting between the claustrophobic car interior and their various stops, usually photographed in bright daytime, a drastic shift to the night-time bound film noirs of the time. Lupino strips away the genre’s glamour of femme fatales and shadowy cityscapes, and bases her story on a terrifying true story that depicts the horrific nature of random and psychological violence.

With THE HITCH-HIKER, Lupino broke barriers for women directors, proving they could handle gritty, violent subject matter with masterful control.