They Drive by Night

They Drive by Night is really two very different movies glued together, and the Depression-era working class drama is probably the objectively better half, but the pulp pleasures of the murderous noir it turns into can’t be denied. This is entirely thanks to American treasure Ida Lupino, whose scheming femme fatale chews enough scenery for the entire cast and then some. Lupino was 22 at the time and looked even younger, and while it was no surprise her character was paired up with a man well over twice her age (a 48-year-old Alan Hale), it did give me pause when that couple was said to be celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary. 😬