Fast moving and actionful melodrama of long-haul trucking biz, They Drive clicks with plenty of entertainment content. Story, off the beaten track, divides into two sections, but with a neat dovetail to weld it together. First half is adventure of George Raft and Humphrey Bogart as brothers operating a freelance highway truck, culminating with an asleep-at-the-wheel wreck in which Bogart loses an arm and his desire for further highway adventures. Second half is devoted to the triangle melodrama, with Raft on the receiving end of persistent amorous advances of the married Ida Lupino.
Fast moving and actionful melodrama of long-haul trucking biz, They Drive clicks with plenty of entertainment content. Story, off the beaten track, divides into two sections, but with a neat dovetail to weld it together. First half is adventure of George Raft and Humphrey Bogart as brothers operating a freelance highway truck, culminating with an asleep-at-the-wheel wreck in which Bogart loses an arm and his desire for further highway adventures. Second half is devoted to the triangle melodrama, with Raft on the receiving end of persistent amorous advances of the married Ida Lupino.
Raoul Walsh provides deft direction that accentuates dramatic moments and maintains a zippo tempo throughout. Script is decidedly workmanlike with numerous snappy and at times spicily double-entendre lines interwoven.
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Raft holds the spotlight as the vigorous and determined trucking indie battling against adversities to consummate a dream of owning his own fleet. He turns in a topnotch performance. Equal in importance is Lupino who turns on her dramatic talents for an exceptionally outstanding portrayal, unsympathetic though it is. Bogart is excellent as the hard-working driver and Raft’s brother. Anne Sheridan is okay, mainly for love interest, overshadowed by the stellar performance of Lupino.
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