Thieves' Highway

I've recently fallen for the films of Jules Dassin. I saw Brute Force a while back and loved it, and over the past couple months, have seen Rififi and Night and the City, both masterpieces. So naturally, I had to check out Thieves' Highway.

It's the story of a man, Nico, who arrives home after a trip around the world, repairing ships. He's in good spirits and brings home presents for everyone and a ton of money. The mood's soured, though, when he finds out his Father's been injured badly and has been swindled more than once. He confronts the man who bought his Father's truck and never paid, and learns about a job the guy's setting up, hauling apples to a market in San Fransisco, which, conveniently, is where the man who hurt his Father works.

It's really a great movie. The plot is top-notch, and moves at a great pace, never failing to hold your interest. You'll actually learn a few things about long-haul trucking and fruit markets, since the film presents it all so vividly. As usual, Dassin really does a great job of putting you right in the middle of it all, and the atmosphere of the film genuinely envelops you. There's plenty of suspense and tension in the plot, as well, so it keeps you on the edge of your seat quite a bit.

If I have any complaints, it's that the plot gets wrapped up a little too neatly at the end. Not bad, just a little hard to swallow. That, and some of the acting is a little rough, but it's not bad by any means. Definitely a great film, another one to add to Dassin's great achievements.