Detour *** (1992, Tom Neal Jr, Lea Lavish, Susanna Foster) – Classic Movie Review 9370

Director Wade Williams’s 1992 thriller Detour stars Tom Neal Jr, who plays his father Tom Neal’s old part in a quite effective, close colour remake of the 1945 black and white cult B-movie classic Detour, following the original script and including subplots cut from the original because of a lack of time and money.

Neal Jr plays a New York pianist who is hitching a lift to join his gal in California. He is picked up by a socialite, who dies in a bizarre incident. Neal Jr swaps identities with the dead guy, picks up a femme fatale hitcher, Vera (Lea Lavish), who accuses him of murder and blackmails him.

Detour is thoroughly well done and richly enjoyable. The screenplay is by Wade Williams and Roger C Hull, based on the novel by Martin Goldsmith. It also has the benefit of bringing back to the screen Susanna Foster, as Evie.

Also in the cast are Erin McGrane, Duke Howze, Brad Bittiker and Catherine Overfelt.

It was Susanna Foster’s first film since 1945 and proved the only film of her comeback. She died on 17 January 2009, aged 84.

Detour is directed by Wade Williams, runs 90 minutes, is written by Wade Williams and Roger C Hull, based on the novel by Martin Goldsmith, is shot by Jeff Richardson, is produced by Wade Williams, is scored by Bill R Crain and is designed by Jeff Richardson.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9370

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com