Hell Drivers (1957)

[Multi-Region]

The Dodge Kew:







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(Peggy Cummings is Peggy Cummins of course)

[Moor Larkin]

Was the original audience equally underwhelmed by those scenes?

I've read many contemporary reviews of the movie, from both the UK and the US and none ever mentioned they felt that way, that I have noticed. American reviews refer to the movie's violent nature being something of a departure from the usual British fare of drawing rooms and cucumber sandwiches.



I did speculate on the old Hell threads that maybe you get a very different impression on the big screen. On the TV screen (even a biggish one) some sequences do look very fidgety.

[frame69]

The Dodge Kew:







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Very nice.

Frame.

[stefmcd]

One of my favourites - fantastic cast. The R2 dvd has a rather nice pic and is well worth picking up. The grime and grit floats off ur tv screen watching this movie!

:-)

[Number Six]

I dug out these pics from my collection of the set of Hell Drivers, which I hope all fans find interesting!







Hawletts Garage set







The Pull Inn set - that's Peggy Cummings on the left.







The Pull Inn set exterior







The Pull Inn set interior







Hawletts Garage set on the Pinewood Studios backlot

[Mortdecai]

I watched this on iPlayer the other night, and yes I enjoyed it too.



I always considered Stanley Baker and Sean Connery to be two actors that were quite similar in appearance, almost doubles in fact, but seeing them on screen at the same time you realise that Mishter Connery has at least 60% more eyebrow than Stan.



And how did Patrick McGoohan manage to keep his ciggy in his mouth during that scrap?

[Big Figure]

Thanks for sharing the piccies, Number Six. Fascinating - especially the cafe exterior set.

[Filmbar]

A great film. Caught this in my younger years and was pleasantly surprised - a noirish, near existential Brit thriller that was as tough as nails. To be honest, I've not re-visited in some time, but I believe my opinions will still hold. I have no issue with dated effects such as under-cranking. These were acceptable at the time and, as stated by many on this thread, most part due to budgetary concerns. What's important is the attitude, which Hell Drivers has in spades. And there's nowt wrong with McGoohan going overboard in my book...

[wadey]

Thanks Number Six for the fantastic quality stills, much appreciated

[Moor Larkin]

I did speculate on the old Hell threads that maybe you get a very different impression on the big screen. On the TV screen (even a biggish one) some sequences do look very fidgety.

A rare modern chance to see it on the big screen:

Helldrivers, the classic movie where Stanley Baker tries to beat Patrick McGoohan's record of 18 deliveries a day for Hawlett Trucking, is back on the big screen for one day only.

On Sunday 5 December, the London and south-east area of the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society will screen the film in Vista Vision at the Everyman cinema in Oxted, Surrey.
Helldrivers: back on the big screen - 11/10/2010 - Road Transport

[flynn]

Great pics.Six.Thanks for sharing them

[NightEditor]

Stanley Baker, an actor 'with a face like a fist' is a ex-con who tries to go straight driving for a corrupt truck company where the bosses pit drivers against each other in a dangerous competition that leads to higher profits...and death.

I was over the moon to see this one on the big screen recently at the Noir City 11 festival in San Francisco at the Castro Theater along with 1400 other folks.

Peggy Cummings who also stars was in attendance, the first time she'd been back to the States in 61 years. She looked amazing and had done a wonderful interview the night before after a screening of 'Gun Crazy'.

[sam kydd]

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.

The speeded up lorries were a bit silly. Had they kept at normal speeds, varying the camera angles and their positions, heights etc would have given a far better 'frightening' or 'dangerous' effect. Speeding up vehicles on film seemed to happen in a quite a few films of old.

Actors playing villainous types often were a bit OTT back then, as many based their portrayals on similar types of character in films or plays they'd seen. Or perhaps PM was under pressure to perform the part as the director wanted.

Enjoyable film though, and I'm glad I bought it.

[Moor Larkin]

Actors playing villainous types often were a bit OTT back then, as many based their portrayals on similar types of character in films or plays they'd seen. Or perhaps PM was under pressure to perform the part as the director wanted

McGoohan once commented, after Hell Drivers, that playing Toughs was all very well, but he thought there should be some 'explanation' of why they were, the way they were....

As so often, McGoohan actually found a way to *explain* anyway. In the closing sequence when Red confronts Cartley, you realise that the whole "Red is a mad bloke" thing you have been watching was actually an act by the character himself, within the movie story. All the braggadocio is gone in that last scene and he is just an annoyed and ruthless criminal who forces Cartly to join him in the ultimate act that their "fiddle" has led to be required. Red is going to run Tom off the road but he's not doing it like some crazed Terminator, he's a career criminal who makes sure his boss comes along for the ride too, because he's sick of having to operate the whole con by himself. It's seen to be a calculated act that he deems necessary for the prior crimes to remain undetected, not some kind of temper loss.

Basically the "over the top" mad driver was an act within the film itself; Red was pretending to the other drivers that he was just a mad guy, whereas in fact he is seen to be a rational and organised criminal at the end.

[sam kydd]

Basically the "over the top" mad driver was an act within the film itself; Red was pretending to the other drivers that he was just a mad guy, whereas in fact he is seen to be a rational and organised criminal at the end.

I'll have to watch it again and pay attention next time.

[Moor Larkin]

[pitchfork]

A re make would be interesting though these days the transport industry is much more regulated with tachos, Operators Licences
HGV Drivers licences and of course a 56mph speed limiters. nb legal limit for an HGV on an A road is 40 mph (so at least that could be exceeded!).I did a bit of tipper driving years ago mainly 8 wheelers, some of it on muck away, demolition- brick away and some aggregates- they were the better firms. The former could have used Hell Drivers as a training film.That said the Mc Goohan types I met were always the best drivers. I still give tippers and skip lorries a wide berth though!

[sam kydd]

I drove artics and coaches many moons ago, but I wouldn't like to do it these days.

I wanted to buy a classic Routemaster double-decker when they were being sold off a few years ago, but 'er indoors wouldn't allow it. I just wanted to drive around like Reg Varney (although his bus wasn't a Routemaster), and have some fun. It could have earned its keep by ferrying wedding guests and hen parties around Bournemouth.

You sacrifice more than freedom when you get married.

[pitchfork]

Well I have always wanted a Dodge Kew tipper as in the Film. Very rare though so dont think I will be succesful.
Always wanted an AEC Matador. Handy for shopping taking the cross country route!
Some ladies just dont appreceate the qualities of a classis bus or commercial design.....