Detour (1945)

 Edgar G. Ulmer's "Detour"


The first thing I noticed about Edgar G. Ulmer's 1945 noir classic "Detour" was just how short it was. Clocking in at just over an hour, the film is a breezy watch. On top of this, it reminded me of a "Twilight Zone" episode. I know "The Twilight Zone" wouldn't grace television screens for another 14 years, but the ambiance, narration, and unexpected twists and turns gave the impression of one of its episodes. 

As far as film noirs go, "Detour," although it would never top any list of mine, is still a great entry to the genre. The film touches on themes of fate and inevitability. Can we ever truly escape our fates? The incidents that occur to our protagonist seem like happenstance/accidents. However, they mount up and create an endless web that he gets trapped in. The darkness from the film comes from the impending doom around every corner. At any moment, you're life could turn completely upside down. This darkness that lurks around every corner is waiting for you. When looking down the road towards your fate, only darkness awaits. 



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