Hell Drivers (1957)

[dorisjosser]

This may have been discussed previously, before I joined but does anyone else think Patrick Mcgoohan's performance in Hell Drivers is abysmal? He is so over the top. I haven't seen it for years but watched it yesterday and thought he was awful. The only performance worse than his was the "speeded up lorries"

I still enjoyed it though.

[smudge]

(dorisjosser @ Feb 17 2006, 07:19 PM)

This may have been discussed previously, before I joined but does anyone else think Patrick Mcgoohan's performance in Hell Drivers is abysmal? He is so over the top. I haven't seen it for years but watched it yesterday and thought he was awful. The only performance worse than his was the "speeded up lorries"

I still enjoyed it though.

It's not his finest performance, no ; there's a hell of a lot of scenery chewing, but it just about fits the picture as a whole. All of the characters in the ensemble are broadly drawn caricatures - it's entertainment, not Ibsen. As you say, no matter what it's still an enjoyable piece.



You have to remember that PMcG wasn't particularly happy with his contract at Rank and I don't doubt that this would have affected his performances for them to some degree. IIRC he actually got out of it before fulfilling the obligations to the number of films he had to do. You can't really blame him, when you consider what he was given ; hardly stretching for an actor of his talent.



I know he has his 'barking' style at times, but he is still one hell of a performer.



SMUDGE

[dorisjosser]

It's always good to see Vera Day in a film. What a shame she wasn't better used by the film industry, Used in the best possible sense of course!!!!

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

I love this film; to be honest; I don't think **any** of the performances are particularly brilliant, bearing in mind the talent in this film, but I love it all the same.



And I've just got to say it:-



'...Give it the gun...'



Two other 'haulage' films I particularly like are:-



'THE LONG HAUL'

'CROSSROADS TO CRIME'

[piroflip2]

(dorisjosser @ Feb 17 2006, 07:19 PM)

This may have been discussed previously, before I joined but does anyone else think Patrick Mcgoohan's performance in Hell Drivers is abysmal? He is so over the top. I haven't seen it for years but watched it yesterday and thought he was awful. The only performance worse than his was the "speeded up lorries"

I still enjoyed it though.

agreed,,,,,,,,way over the top.



Even as a young child many years ago and could see that the lorry's cornering was all wrong.



Good film though.



regards piroflip

[Johnny Rico]

Just caught a film on TV called " HellDrivers" - Hadn't heard of it - What a Cast!:eek: Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan,Sean Connery, Sid James, Herbert Lom,Gordon Jackson,William Hartnell and a 12 year old David McCallum



Plus loads of lovely old Lorries



A nice treat and a refreshing change from Moron TV ( Property or antiques )



A mention of Patrick McGoohan's carpet chewing performence as an Irishman - not a square remains of the shag pile as every tick , twitch , eye-roll is topped off with a tin eared "Oirish " accent

[Johnny Rico]

Nearly forgot about Sid James . This must have been the only film where James Bond acted with Sid James

[Phil Turner]

I agree Johnny. A fine film with a vintage cast. I found myself star-spotting with so many cherished old actors/actresses popping up in small cameos. Priceless!



Regards

Phil Turner

[harryfielder]

I remember seeing it the first time round and still watched it again.



Those were the days when you could speed about at 50 mph.



Aitch,

[DB7]

Tis a marvelously taut film with a dose of gritty realism and despite the trucks not going that fast the road duels are far more exciting than many car chase scenes. Also a film where it's hard to single out any one actor for praise as the whole cast perform convincingly.

[Cuffy]

Over the top, but not necessarily bad - it was all relative in my opinion.

[bloodworm]

Two other 'haulage' films I particularly like are:-



'THE LONG HAUL'

'CROSSROADS TO CRIME'

One of the finest haulage films i can remember is Wages of Fear. I have a copy but most of the text is in french and i dont recall this when i first watched it. Does anyone know whether it was released with an english text ??



C/U The Worm

[Johnny Rico]

This may have been discussed previously, before I joined but does anyone else think Patrick Mcgoohan's performance in Hell Drivers is abysmal? He is so over the top. I haven't seen it for years but watched it yesterday and thought he was awful. The only performance worse than his was the "speeded up lorries"

I still enjoyed it though.

LOL! Yes , it was a completely Bonkers performance which screamed " Look at me , this is your actual acting! " PLUS Higher Trousers than Simon Cowell



Check out the thread " Keep on Truckin " where the McGoohan performance struck me as

A mention of Patrick McGoohan's carpet chewing performence as an Irishman - not a square remains of the shag pile as every tick , twitch , eye-roll is topped off with a tin eared "Oirish " accent

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

A terrific film, with a terrific cast but what exactly was the ballast they were carrying used for? Judging by McGoohan's 18 runs a day, and the number of runs claimed by the other drivers, there must be at least 100 runs being completed daily. At 10 tons a time, that's 1,000 tons of ballast being delivered daily to what looked like a housing estate being built. What was it - Milton Keynes??

[tellingbone]

I think some of it was shot in Bucks and some near the South Coast.

[Moor Larkin]

This may have been discussed previously, before I joined but does anyone else think Patrick Mcgoohan's performance in Hell Drivers is abysmal? He is so over the top. I haven't seen it for years but watched it yesterday and thought he was awful. The only performance worse than his was the "speeded up lorries"

I still enjoyed it though.

Que?

Abysmal but you enjoyed it though?

Thereby, perhaps hangs the key?



The fight scene between Baker and McGoohan was a sensation in it's day. I'm not sure how today's audiences would view it.... possibly not as 'Sensational'.



I cannot think of many baddies that McGoohan played any differently. He always exaggerates his baddies. It is inherent to his acting style. These people are mad, bad and dangerous to be around..... I always enjoy them.....

[radiojon73]

Lovely to see Sid James,Alfie Bass, and dear old Hudson as tough lorry drivers. And what about Sir Sean in an early flik !

[julian_craster]

HELL DRIVERS could provide an excellent remake, set in England 2007. Who would you cast ?



Probably the cast would be more multi-cultural than in 1957, with legal (and illegal) immigrants untaking this kind of driving, so a cast of Poles, Turks, Irish, etc etc. and a few 'hard men' British types...



WAGES OF FEAR (with subtitles and dubbed ) was given a full Rank circuit release in 1955. and was very successful, which encouraged them to make HELL DRIVERS....

[batman]

WAGES OF FEAR (with subtitles and dubbed ) was given a full Rank circuit release in 1955. and was very successful, which encouraged them to make HELL DRIVERS....

I think a remake of 'Hell Drivers' could work, as JulianCraster said it could feature different nationalities and could be a great showcase for old and new acting talent. With a good script and director I think it could be interesting. 'Dirty Pretty Things', which featured immigrant workers in the hotel industry, was a good film.



Bats.





Ps - Unfortunately the remake of 'Wages of Fear' was awful.

[ChristineCB]

Stallone could probably do the remake. He could spend, oh, 4-5 minutes practicing his accent, and then, after HellD 4, 5, and 6 were finished, maybe he'd run into Rocky 9 looking for a job, and then pick up Rambo 14 in yet another. Oh yes... the joy of remakes... ha ha



"I love the smell of remakes in the morning..."