The Hitch Hiker (1953)

Two friends (Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy) on a fishing trip give a ride to a hitch-hiker (William Talman). This turns out to be a major mistake as the hitch-hiker is a homicidal and sadistic sociopath! Directed by Ida Lupino, this fact based film is based on the crime spree of one Billy Cook, who killed six people in a 22 day period in 1950. This is a tight and economical (it runs around 70 minutes) intense thriller and Lupino doesn't let up on the tension for a minute. I only wish I liked it more. Don't get me wrong, I did like it but I can't put my finger on it and give an explanation but given its reputation among film noir fans, I expected to really like it as opposed to just liking it well enough. O'Brien and Lovejoy are fine but it's William Talman who really sends shivers down your spine with his cold blooded "I hate everybody" attitude. The Lone Pine and Big Pine, California locations stand in for Mexico and Nicholas Musuraca's (OUT OF THE PAST) sharp B&W cinematography make the most of the landscapes.