Hot Rod Movies
DEVIL ON WHEELS (1947)
This is a good little film. Darryl Hickman plays Mickey Clark, a kid building his own hot-rod car. His father, John, is preaching how bad driving habits will cause trouble. Then, he drives this way himself.
There are several occurrences in the film dealing with poor driving, running from the police after an accident, and an incident in a morgue!
This film is a typical PRC potboiler and is worth a look.
American-International did not invent the juvenile delinquents-jalopies-reckless driving-hot rodders-build it at home-chicken playing genre of movies. PRC and Monogram started churning them out in the mid-forties as part of their let-this-be-a-lesson-to-you genre, preceded by the zoot-suiter and jitter-buggers films, which was better than the social guidance films teen-agers were being overdosed on at school. PRC did at least use card-carrying members of SAG. This one is a sermon against speeding, and Darryl Hickman has it brought straight home to him when he side-swipes a car and causes a collision in which his best friend is killed---the fate of all best friends in juvenile-theme movies including "Rebel Without a Cause"--- and his mother is injured. Lots of lecturing precedes and follows.
Director: Crane Wilbur
Writers: Tony Sargent (idea), Crane Wilbur (screenplay)
Cast
Noreen Nash - Sue Tanner
Darryl Hickman - Michael 'Micky' Clark
Terry Moore - Rusty Davis (as Jan Ford)
Rating: ?
Genres: Drama
Sound Mix: Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color: Black and White
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1
Runtime: 67 min
Release Date: 15 February 1947 (USA)