Plot: What’s it about?
Joe Fabrini (George Raft) and his brother Paul (Humphrey Bogart) work as wildcat truckers, which isn’t a simple or safe business. The main trade comes from transporting produce from farms to storefronts, but other work is needed to supplement the income. And even routine routes aren’t that stable, as corrupt bosses, ruthless competition, and desperate lawmen often force them out of assignments. The two spend countless hours out on the road, hauling their payload over long distances in extensive drives. This means driving for hours and hours without much of a break, even if the route runs through the night. The brothers struggle to make ends meet, but continue on in hopes of hitting a good streak at some point. The road doesn’t allow them to be at home much, nor even at the same place for long, so relationships are out of the question. This changes when the two pick up disgruntled waitress Cassie (Ann Sheridan), who quickly forms a romantic bond with Joe. An accident soon forces Joe to continue as a trucker for someone else, since Paul isn’t able to push on as part of the team. Joe takes a job with a good friend, but the friend’s wife (Ida Lupino) has a strong attraction to her husband’s friend. This leads to a whirlwind of betrayal, murder, blackmail, and more, but will Joe be able to persevere?
This is the kind of movie that when dissected, seems as if it should have been a failure, as its parts aren’t that impressive. The storyline is shallow, the message is corny, and the performances aren’t consistent, all of which would seem to be a detriment. But sometimes, a film’s sum can equal more than its parts and without question, that is the case in They Drive by Night. By all accounts, this might have been a mediocre picture, but all the tumblers rolled into place and a result, They Drive by Night was a success. This movie was Ida Lupino’s breakout project and of course, served as a major step toward elite level stardom for Humphrey Bogart. Lupino and costar Ann Sheridan steal the show however, as Bogart and George Raft are left behind. The men have some good lines and scenes, but this movie belongs to the ladies, no doubt about it. I think the film’s upbeat and positive tone hits a chord with audiences too, as its easy to root for our everyday protagonists, even though the film never manipulates us too much. They Drive by Night is just a fun, likable movie that can audiences of all ages can connect with. The blue collar nature of the leads makes them common heroes, the kind of characters people love to see come out on top. I wouldn’t recommend this as a purchase, but as a rental, it is more than worthwhile.
His name isn’t at the top of the billing in They Drive by Night, but of course, Humphrey Bogart is one of the main reasons the film succeeds. Bogart might be the fourth name on the list here, but his presence is massive, even though he isn’t the brightest star present. No, this time around Bogart finds himself upstaged by his female costars, but he seems to take it in stride. He makes the most of his screen time and delivers a great effort, one which enhances the film’s impact. Of course, he wasn’t as well known when this film was released, but They Drive by Night was a main component in his rise to stardom. His work in this film and High Sierra proved to be the stepping stones toward the big leagues. I didn’t find his turn here to be that remarkable, but it is good and shows no flaws, so I shouldn’t complain. His screen presence is what makes his role a success, as he has the same powerful presence as always. Other films with Bogart include Casblanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of Sierra Madre, The African Queen, and Dark Passage. The cast also includes Ida Lupino (The Big Knife, The Sea Wolf), Ann Sheridan (Stella, The Unfaithful), and George Raft (Ocean’s Eleven, Some Like it Hot).
Video: How does it look?
They Drive by Night is presented in full frame, as intended. I had just watched Warner’s High Sierra disc before this one, so my expectations were high. At it turns out, this movie doesn’t look quite as good, but this is still a solid treatment. The print is in good condition, though minor grain, debris, and even some shakes can be seen at times. But those flaws don’t distract too much and on the whole, this is a clean, sharp presentation. You’ll see some softness from time to time, but nothing too serious to mention. The contrast is solid also, though not as refined as I had hoped, as some scenes are a little inconsistent. Even so, black levels are often great and at worst passable, so the visuals never disappoint here. So for the age of the material, Warner does done some fine work here, though not on pace with transfers like the one for High Sierra.
Audio: How does it sound?
The mono option here is stable and solid, but of course, is limited by the mono format. I heard some hiss at times, but only to a minor degree and other age related errors were absent, which is good news. The outrageous music and sound effects seem in fine order, while dialogue is crisp and always easy to understand. This is about as basic as you can get, but since minimal errors surface, I won’t be too hard on this one. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, just in case you might need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief retrospective featurette, a vintage short on Warner’s musical lot, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
