Noir City: Detour
February 19, 2025
Ann Savage’s ferocious performance as “Vera” is at the black heart of this classic—the ultimate in noir fatalism. Tom Neal plays Al Roberts who hitchhikes cross-country to reunite with his estranged girlfriend. Things go from bad to worse once vixenish vagabond Vera gets her hooks into him.
Passes: $158 | $133 SIFF Members
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SIFF year-round passes and vouchers are not valid for these screenings.
Tickets
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Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Note: Reserved seating is not available for Noir City.
Ann Savage’s ferocious performance as an avaricious drifter known only as “Vera” is at the black heart of this ramshackle affair, often cited as the ultimate tale of noir fatalism, as well as one of the most creative—if impoverished—movies ever made in Hollywood. Tom Neal plays Al Roberts, a hard-luck nightclub piano player who decides to hitchhike cross-country to reunite with his estranged girlfriend. Things steadily go from bad to worse, especially once vixenish vagabond Vera gets her hooks into him. Shot in only a few days on the most miniscule budget, Ulmer’s most famous film is a delirious fever dream of paranoia and dread. Don’t miss a chance to see this legendary noir on the big screen! Note courtesy of Noir City.
Detour was restored by the Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation in collaboration with Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Cinémathèque Française. Restoration funding provided by the George Lucas Family Foundation.
- Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
- Principal Cast: Tom Neal, Ann Savage
- Country: USA
- Year: 1945
- Running Time: 68 min.
- Producer: Leon Fromkess
- Screenplay: Martin Goldsmith
- Cinematographers: Benjamin H. Kline
- Editors: George McGuire
- Music: Leo Erdody
- Filmography: The Naked Dawn (1955), Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943), The Black Cat (1934)
- Language: English
- US Distributor: Janus Films