The devil's curve

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Movie
German title The devil's curve
Original title The Devil's Hairpin
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1957
length 83 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Cornel Wilde
script James Edmiston
production Cornel Wilde
music Van Cleave
Ross Bagdasarian
camera Daniel L. Fapp
cut Floyd Knudtson
occupation

The devil curve (Original title: The Devil's Hairpin ) is an American movie from 1957 of Cornel Wilde . The script was written by James Edmiston . He used his own novella as a template. The main roles are cast with Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace , Mary Astor and Arthur Franz . The work was first shown in cinemas on October 4, 1957 in the United States. In the Federal Republic of Germany you could see the film from April 18, 1958 on the screen.

action

The film begins with racing driver Nick Jargin reviewing the past in his mind's eye before a particularly difficult race begins:

Nick Jargin's extremely reckless driving style has made enemies of many people, including his brother Johnny. Since he once brutally chased him over the dreaded Devil's Curve, Johnny is physically and mentally exhausted. Even Mrs. Jargin doesn't want to have anything to do with her son for this reason. When Nick has had enough of racing, he retires and almost only cares about his thriving bar in southern California. One day he is visited by the sports journalist Mike Houston. Nick learns from him that Botari, the new world champion in sports car racing, will start on the Malibu track in a few days. Nick should try a comeback. But he waves it away.

The day after reading Nick in the newspaper, that he will go to the start. It doesn't take long before he is assaulted from many quarters, including Danny Rhinegold, his former boss, whose racing team now also includes Botari. But because Nick still does not allow himself to be softened, Rhinegold and Houston try a trick: They provoke an argument at the next table and in anger Nick promises to settle the differences on the racetrack.

The starting signal should be given in a few minutes. Nick is concerned because he rejected his girlfriend's request to finally marry him. He prefers a loose bond to marriage. That's why Kelly broke up with him. She now wants to work as a gymnastics teacher again in the profession she learned.

The race begins. Kelly and Nick's mother wanted to avoid the event, but are now among the audience. A tough duel breaks out between the two favorites. Nick has the chance to push Botari off the dangerous vicious curve, but this could also mean his death. Because he doesn't want to blame himself for this, he lets Botari drive by. At first it seems that Botari is winning the race; but in the last second Nick manages to overtake his rival. Nick is the first to cross the finish line.

Nick's fair behavior on the slopes has turned his enemies into admirers. Even Kelly and his mother forgive him. Now it is Nick who asks Kelly to marry him. After he promised her that he would finally give up motorsport, she wanted to become his wife.

additions

The buildings were designed by the film architects Hal Pereira and Hilyard M. Brown . The set designers Sam Comer and Grace Gregory were responsible for the equipment. Edith Head contributed the costumes.

criticism

The lexicon of international films draws the following conclusion: “The melodrama of a vain, egocentric master driver kept tense by fast car racing scenes. [...] Cornel Wilde, director and leading actor, leaves nothing out to be the first to cross the finish line. "

source

Program for the film: Das Neue Film-Programm , published by the publishing house of the same name in Mannheim, without a number

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lexikon des Internationale Films, rororo-Taschenbuch No. 6322 (1988), p. 3761