Thieves’ Highway (1949)

(On Cable TV, June 2022) While classic film noir is often celebrated for its atmosphere, it’s not always as successful in accurately presenting time and place – the smoke-filled, blinds-lit offices of private eyes are creations borne of timeless cinematic fantasy rather than portraying authentic post-WW2 America. Thieves’ Highway’s main claim to fame is that it places its chips in the other direction – director Jules Dassin spends time on the actual streets of San Francisco to deliver a portrait of food trade in the city, from the orchards to the markets. This is accompanied by a credible representation of working-class families trying to get ahead in an uncaring capitalistic system, which in turn motivates the revenge storyline around which the film is structured. Our protagonist spends much of his time in the film looking for the men responsible for his father’s injuries, and barely stops for romance on his way to his satisfaction. After a strong immersive start, Thieves’ Highway unfortunately retreats to a stage-bound second half and loses some of its initial energy. Still, the result is worth a look as something closer to social realism than most films of the noir era lineage – another success for Dassin – not that it would count for much in the following years, as he would be listed in the communist witch-hunt and effectively exiled out of the United States.