The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

(On Cable TV, September 2022) Ida Lupino is a favourite of many classic Hollywood fans for good reasons. The actress turned writer-producer-director was one of the few female filmmakers of the classic Hollywood era, and the films she completed still stand the test of time. One of the most obvious cases in point is The Hitch-Hiker: a film noir thriller with enough crucial differences to make it stand out as something different. Leaving the dark city behind for the sun-drenched desert of Baja California, it focuses on two friends out on a road trip being taken hostage by a murderous psychopath seeking a ride. What could have been solely a plot-driven film gets the Lupino touch of focusing more on the characters, creating a tight, sweaty 71-minute thriller that feels claustrophobic despite the wide-open desert landscapes surrounding the car. It hasn’t aged much either: You could remake The Hitch-Hiker today with very little change. For Lupino, it remains an evergreen testament to her talent.