Hell Drivers (1957)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Cy Endfield

Writers:

John Kruse (screenplay) and
Cy Endfield (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 August 1957 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Roaring Down the World's Deadliest Roads!

Plot:

Ex-con trucker tries to expose his boss' rackets.

Plot Keywords:

Ex Convict | Truck | British Noir

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Stanley Baker	...	Tom Yately
Herbert Lom	...	Gino Rossi
Peggy Cummins	...	Lucy, Hawlett Trucking Secretary
Patrick McGoohan	...	C. 'Red' Redman, Foreman (Truck 1)
William Hartnell	...	Cartley, Hawlett Manager
Wilfrid Lawson	...	Ed, Hawlett Mechanic
Sid James	...	Dusty, Truck Driver (as Sidney James)
Jill Ireland	...	Jill, Pull In Waitress
Alfie Bass	...	Tinker, Truck Driver
Gordon Jackson	...	Scottie
David McCallum	...	Jimmy Yately, Tom's brother
Sean Connery	...	Johnny Kates
Wensley Pithey	...	Pop, Truck 4 Driver
George Murcell	...	Tub, Truck Driver
Marjorie Rhodes	...	Ma West, Landlady

Also Known As:

Hard Drivers

Runtime:

108 min | USA:91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2003) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Blue Circle Cement Works - disused, Steyning Road, Upper Beeding, West Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Aqua Film Productions

Trivia:

Hawletts' Yard, contrary to some reports on the internet, was actually built on the Pinewood Studios back lot, just to the north of 'H' Stage. This is approximately where the massive '007' Stage stands today.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Tom Yateley (Stanley Baker) wears the same shirt throughout the duration of the film, regardless of whether he is driving or going out socially.

Quotes:

[Ed is encouraging Tom to drive faster and faster along a single-track road]
Ed, Hawlett Mechanic: Don't ease up.
Tom Yately: Supposing we meet something.
Ed, Hawlett Mechanic: Supposing we don't. Look on the bright side.

Trucking Hell

The trucking crew reads like a who's who of male British-based acting talent. Baker, Connery, Sid James (who was a superb straight actor), Lom, Gordon Jackson, etc, under the foremanship of Patrick McGoohan. Back home minding the shop we have David McCallum and in the office, ripping them all off is William Hartnell.

I love the road scenes be they shot at normal speed or otherwise. The language had to be toned down for censorship reasons, otherwise you would find McGoohan calling Baker something a little stronger than yellow belly.

With a cast like that you would expect to see some great performances; and you do. But since Patrick McGoohan has the best role, he stands head and shoulders above the rest as the mad Irishman who swigs Guiness at the wheel, and who can lose a fight and still have his cigarette sticking out of his mouth.

I love this film.