I had barely ever heard of this film before I saw it at a local art house. I had not intended to see the film, but it was playing and I saw it anyhow. For 67 minutes, I was captured in this suspenseful, well-told story that is all the more amazing because it was made on a shoe-string budget in six days. Edgar G. Ulmer, who directed the film, is one of the true geniuses in film. With absolutely minimal resources, he masterfully directed what I consider to be one of the ten finest films ever made. Ulmer grips the audience with his attention to detail. The story is told tersely and to the point. On top of all this, the screenplay is exceptionally well-written and contains many of the classic lines of film noir. After leaving the screening of this film, I was compelled to buy it on video as fast as possible. It made a great impression on me. I believe it should be shown to all film students as an example of how to make a great film.
Review of Detour
