Star Beacon
July 27, 2007 12:23 pm
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Some of the best film dramas are those with the best, most daunting foes.
James Bond films sink or swim by what nemesis the famous spy is battling.
Remember Robert Mitchum as Max Cady in the original "Cape Fear"" Talk about full-body shivers.
Another eerie, frightening individual was Emmett Myers, a character played by William Talman.
You know Talman, he played the always losing district attorney, Hamilton Burger, on TV's "Perry Mason" from 1957 to 1966.
But four years earlier, Talman was on the other side of the justice system in a gripping, suspenseful bit of film noir called "Hitch-Hiker."
The movie is based on a true incident that happened in California in the early 1950s. A man named Bill Cook murdered a family of five, then a traveling salesman. He then kidnapped two hunters and took them across the border into Mexico, intending to kill them as well.
He was captured by Mexican police and died in the gas chamber at San Quentin in December 1952.
In this film, the character's name is Emmet Myers. The film starts with some graphic images of him killing people who picked him up while hitch hiking.
Myers is discovered by two fishermen, played by Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy. They aren't suspicious when they see him standing by the car of some of his murder victims. That's because he announces his car ran out of gasoline.
The fisherman agree to take him to a gasoline station. Instead, Myers pulls a gun, deciding he needs them to drive him to a certain location in Mexico where he thinks he will be safe.
While only 500 miles away, the trip takes several days. Now you would think Talman's character would require sleep.
But he comes off as a crazed killer who really doesn't care. Also, he has a lazy eye that won't shut all of the way. He sits up with shotgun in hand, with an eye staring eerily at his victims. They don't know if he is asleep or watching them. If they decide wrong and attack him, they are dead men.
It's difficult to believe this film was directed by a woman, none other than actress Ida Lupino. She also wrote the screenplay. Excellent job.
And Talman shines as this grotesque version of a human being.
At one point, Talman requires one fisherman to shoot a can out of the hand of another victim. The victim is told to hold the can close to his body, running a bigger risk of being shot by his companion.
Talk about sadistic!
It's too bad Talman didn't play more varied roles in his life. The chain-smoking actor is best known for his work on "Perry Mason."
His last role was in an anti-smoking commercial after he learned he had lung cancer and was fighting for his life. Talman died of the disease before the commercial ever ran.
You can see the commercial at www.youtube.com and a snippet from "Hitch-Hiker." Just type Talman's name into the search engine.
"Hitch-Hiker" has aired on Turner Classic Movies and is available on DVD.
If you like dark, old, black-and-white movies, this is a great, hidden gem.
Star Beacon Print Edition: 7/27/2007
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