The Long Haul (1957)
The Long Haul (1957)
„The Long Haul“ is a 1957 film noir crime drama film directed by Ken Hughes, who also wrote the screenplay based on the 1957 novel of the same title by Mervyn Mills.
Upon receiving his military discharge from a U.S. Army Transport Company in Germany, trucker Harry Miller looks forward to returning stateside. However, when Harry’s British wife Connie asks if they can spend a few months in her hometown of Liverpool before leaving Europe, Harry reluctantly complies.
In Liverpool, Harry goes to work driving for a trucking company owned by Connie’s uncle, George H. Mills. Harry’s first assignment is to follow veteran driver Casey on a run to Glasgow. Along the way, Casey pulls in to a truck stop where Harry watches as Casey furtively confers with two well-dressed men, stealing the cargo from Casey’s truck and tries to stop them. After breaking up the fight, Casey returns a roll of cash to the men and tells Harry to continue on to Glasgow.
Upon delivering his shipment, Harry reports to the dispatch office of the J. Easy Hauling Company. The two men from the truck stop arrive and have a word with the dispatcher, and Harry is denied an assignment. Furious, Harry complains to the trucking company’s owner, villain Joe Easy. Joe orders his thugs to get rid of Harry, and so they beat him up and throw him into the alley, where he is found by Joe’s girl friend Lynn. Lynn patches up Harry, after which he returns home to Connie and his young son Butch.
Soon after, George asks Harry to take over Casey’s delivery of a shipment of Scotch to Glasgow. Lynn begs Harry for a ride. A teeming rainstorm forces them to take shelter at a roadside café. There Lynn explains that she is only with Joe for purposes of self-preservation and confides that she is worried about her brother Frank, who works as Joe’s bookkeeper. The next morning, a remorseful Harry hears someone drive off in his truck and accuses Lynn of setting him up for the hijacking.
Joe accuses Harry of keeping Lynn. Harry denies it, then makes up with Lynn, who is working there as a taxi dancer at the Congo Club.
Joe offers Harry a percentage of the cut to steal a valuable truckload of fur pelts, and passage on a ship to Boston in return for driving the truck. Lynn warns Harry not to get involved with Joe, then begs him to meet her at the park that afternoon.
At the park, Lynn meets Harry. Butch falls off a swing and Harry hurriedly takes him home. Connie accuses Harry of betraying them. As the two argue, Connie blurts out that Butch is not Harry’s son.
Harry informs Lynn that he has left his wife. Harry feels guilty about leaving Connie and Butch destitute, and decides to deliver some money to them. Lynn convinces him to let her make the delivery because the police will probably be watching the building. When Lynn rings the doorbell, she finds the doctor telling Connie to call an ambulance because Butch has suffered a brain hemorrhage from his fall off the swing. Lynn hands the money to Connie, then returns to Harry. Harry insists on returning home and arrives just as the ambulance attendants are carrying Butch out on a stretcher. As the police surround Harry, Connie sobs on his shoulder, then joins Butch in the ambulance. Lynn watches as the police lead Harry away, then instructs the cab driver to take her to the Congo Club.
Cast:
- Victor Mature – Harry Miller
- Diana Dors – Lynn
- Patrick Allen – Joe Easy
- Gene Anderson – Connie Miller
- Peter Reynolds – Frank
- Liam Redmond – Casey
- John Welsh – Doctor
- Meier Tzelniker – Nat Fine
- Michael Wade – Butch Miller
- Dervis Ward – Mutt
- Murray Kash – Jeff
- Ewen Solon – Charlie - Employee of Joe Easy
- Jameson Clark – Sam MacNaughton
- Wensley Pithey – George H. Mills
„Die Fahrt in den Abgrund“ (The Long Haul) ist ein Film Noir-Kriminaldrama aus dem Jahr 1957 unter der Regie von Ken Hughes, der auch das Drehbuch schrieb, das auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von Mervyn Mills aus dem Jahr 1957 basiert.
Nach seiner Entlassung aus dem Militärdienst bei einer Transportkompanie der US-Armee in Deutschland freut sich der Trucker Harry Miller auf seine Rückkehr in die USA. Als Harrys britische Frau Connie ihn jedoch fragt, ob sie ein paar Monate in ihrer Heimatstadt Liverpool verbringen können, bevor sie Europa verlassen, willigt Harry widerstrebend ein.
In Liverpool arbeitet Harry als Fahrer für ein Transportunternehmen, das Connies Onkel, George H. Mills, gehört. Harrys erster Auftrag besteht darin, den erfahrenen Fahrer Casey auf einer Fahrt nach Glasgow zu begleiten. Unterwegs hält Casey an einer Raststätte, wo Harry beobachtet, wie Casey sich heimlich mit zwei gut gekleideten Männern unterhält, die die Ladung aus Caseys Lkw stehlen, und versucht, sie aufzuhalten. Nachdem er den Streit beendet hat, gibt Casey den Männern eine Rolle Bargeld zurück und sagt Harry, er solle nach Glasgow weiterfahren.