The Hitch-Hiker

Among the original "tough dames" of ‘30s and ‘40s movies, actress Ida Lupino later moved behind the camera to become one of the industry's few prominent female directors. After a series of films often categorized as "women's pictures" (Never Fear, Outrage), Lupino took a hard turn with the gritty, hard-boiled tale The Hitch-Hiker.

Two men (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) make the mistake of picking up a tormented hitch-hiker (William Talman). Upon its release in 1953, the film earned Lupino strong reviews and prompted the occasional comparison to Hitchcock's style.

The Hitch-Hiker was added to the National Film Registry in 1998.

The film is in the public domain, and is available to watch or download at the Internet Archive.

Not to be confused with the Mystery Anthology series of the same name which aired on HBO between 1983 and 1987, and USA Network from 1989 to 1991.