贼之高速公路 (1949)

War veteran Nico takes it on the road hauling fruit to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of vicious and amoral produce shylock Mike Figlia. En route he is "befriended" by beautiful and exotic Rica, who turns out to be in league with Figlia and initially betrays Nico. Defeated and brutally beaten, Nico is forced first to fight for survival, and then for his ability to trust Rica, for whom he still has feelings. Can a betrayed man on a failed mission give up his mission and... [展开全文↓]

War veteran Nico takes it on the road hauling fruit to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of vicious and amoral produce shylock Mike Figlia. En route he is "befriended" by beautiful and exotic Rica, who turns out to be in league with Figlia and initially betrays Nico. Defeated and brutally beaten, Nico is forced first to fight for survival, and then for his ability to trust Rica, for whom he still has feelings. Can a betrayed man on a failed mission give up his mission and forgive his betrayer?

在远洋轮上当技师的尼克周游列国带着一大堆礼物兴高采烈回家，然而一到家他发现父亲的腿没有了，他的父亲是个做长途贩运的卡车司机因为奸商麦克暗算而变成残废并且被麦克讹走一大笔钱，年轻气盛的尼克决定为父亲讨回公道，于是，他和人结伴收购了果园里的苹果准备去卖，一路上，他们遇到了暴胎、瞌睡、受伤种种困难终于将货物运到了市场，在市场上和狭路相逢，奸诈的麦克以卑鄙手段扎破尼克卡车的论坛，试图让尼克就范低价出售苹果，他还找来应招女郎丽卡纠缠尼克，但尼克胸有成竹对付奸商的计谋，据理力争，终于拿到了应得的份额。他高兴地请丽卡喝酒却招来横祸巨款被麦克手下以暴力手段抢走，尼克的女友知道了他的情况弃他而去，这样倒坚定了丽卡帮助他的决心，她不仅帮助尼克追回了巨款，也使得恶霸绳之以法，她自己也获得了尼克的爱情，好莱坞电影总是有着一个令人满意的结局，唯一遗憾的是虽然尼克赢得了钱和丽卡的爱情，而带他出道伙伴埃迪却因为刹车失灵，车毁人亡，音乐无法感受他们的甜蜜了。

作为好莱坞的B级片，剧情相对简单，大都来源于通俗小说，本片是根据巴兹撒比提A.I. Bezzerides 小说改编的。但通过导演对把握节奏的到位，让一个简单而俗套的故事有了批评性。影片开始是尼克远行回家听到父亲欢唱的声音，到送鞋给父亲发现他的脚已经截肢把快乐的气氛降到冰点，这种设计显示了推动戏剧高潮点的能力。

尼克和伙伴在苹果园讨价还价的细节非常有趣，苹果在阳光下散落的镜头十分诗意而这和后来尼克伙伴因为车祸而苹果滚满山坡的仰角镜头起到了对比，显示着对底层生活艰辛的悲悯和同情，为了生活的努力和结局的不可设置成为了悖论，导演说那个卡车翻落山坡的镜头是他最喜欢的镜头之一，而描写两个竞争对手目睹埃迪翻车到油箱爆炸起火燃烧葬身火海，其中一个演员拉上夹克拉链的镜头是导演的神来之笔，表现了生命的脆弱和绝望，至今当导演回忆这个镜头时依旧不寒而栗。

旅馆调情的戏很生活化，丽卡用手在尼克赤裸的胸上来回滑动的镜头有着十足的色情，扮演丽卡的华伦卡泰格眼神里有着暧昧和空洞的混杂，很符合片中人物的性格，而导演也因外这部戏爱上了她，惺惺相惜，确实，她的有着诱人的眼神十分招惹男性视野。

作为B级片的著名导演，他的影片有着来自底层的粗犷的张力，有着男性的阳刚和野性之美，剧中人的道德感往往是简单的，他们都是简单站在自己立场上说话的人，在奸商麦克办公室里为了苹果价格的讨价还价是两人精神上的角力，也体现着美国人的精神，力量的角逐。

这部预算有限 30天时间就完成的低成本影片靠的是演员的发挥，导演特别提及了杰克奥奇是个聋子但是他凭借纯语和其他演员配戏，从未误事，演员们的敬业让导演深受感动。此片是他被列入调查黑名单之前的最后一部作品。

◆演员列表：

李科布 Lee J. Cobb .... Mike Figlia

Richard Conte .... Nico 'Nick' Garcos

Walter Baldwin .... Officer Riley, market patrolman (uncredited)

Robert Bice .... Announcer (uncredited)

Morris Carnovsky .... Yanko Garcos

Howland Chamberlain .... Mr. Faber (uncredited)

David Clarke .... Mitch, thug in hat (uncredited)

Valentina Cortese .... Rica

Roy Damron .... Motor Policeman (uncredited)

Al Eben .... Newman (uncredited)

Hope Emerson .... Midge, a buyer

Robert Foulk .... Taller Cop at Roadside Bar (uncredited)

Joe Haworth .... Inspector (uncredited)

Percy Helton .... Roadside Bar Manager (uncredited)

Ted Jordan .... State Highway Policeman (uncredited)

◆NFO：

来源检查