Changes: Violent Road (1958)

Latest revision as of 21:32, 31 January 2020

video

File:Placeholder

Violent Road (1958) - Plot Summary Poster

Violent Road (1958)

Plot

Showing all 2 items

Jump to: Summaries (2)

Summaries

Truck drivers take cargo of explosives over bumpy mountain road.

—<BrianVN@earthlink.net>

The Cyclone Rocket Company is a military contractor building missiles for the U.S. Air Force. The company also produces the highly volatile rocket fuel used in the missiles. During a test, a missile explodes. For safety reasons, the government decides to move the company from its current location, nearby an army base and small town, to a new remote location. However, the plant's dangerous chemicals must be moved by truck to the new location via secondary unpaved roads bypassing all inhabited areas, towns and communities. Moreover, the move must be completed fast and the plant must be operational in three days, in order to maintain its government contract. Three trucks are selected to transport the dangerous rocket fuels. Short on drivers for such a dangerous assignment, the company hires a motley crew of desperate men to drive the trucks through rough terrain to the new location. Each truck has a driver and a helper. Each man is promised five thousand dollars as payment upon successful delivery of the trucks and cargo. The six men are: recently unemployed maverick trucker Mitch Barton, company representative and fuel developer scientist George Lawrence, retired Marine sergeant Frank Miller, amiable drunk Pat Farley, compulsive gambler Ben and expert mechanic Joe. On the day of departure, a drunken Pat is replaced by his younger brother Ken who is a hot-rod race car driver. After the departure, each man explains his motivation for taking the job and what he will do with his pay. As expected, the three-truck convoy runs into trouble.

plot[]

Truck drivers take cargo of explosives over bumpy mountain road.

Director: Howard W. Koch

Writers: Richard H. Landau (screenplay) (as Richard Landau), Don Martin (story)

Stars: Brian Keith, Dick Foran, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. | See full cast & crew »

The Violent Road casts Brian Keith taking on a really hazardous trip, transporting three components of rocket fuel, any one of them could reek havoc of some kind if it is jarred. Making it worse Keith has to travel over an abandoned road with little traffic that is rocky. It's like traveling with nitroglycerin with triple the risk.

The place storing the stuff has to move because a military rocket experiment went horribly wrong and crashed into the town causing death and destruction. Keith also has to pick five other men willing to make the risk. One is picked for him, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. who is a scientist and knows how to handle the fuel.

The other four are Sean Garrison, Perry Lopez, Arthur Batanides and Dick Foran. Foran's portrayal is a poignant one. A former Marine who was mandatory retired he can't get used to it. He just drinks all day and bores the young Marines at the bar that Keith finds him. Foran's scenes with wife Ann Doran are truly touching.

The Violent Road is a nice no frills B picture from Warner Brothers, the kind that used to fill the second bill on a program. Now that stuff would be found on television and shortly Keith and Zimbalist would be seen there often.

Add to Watchlist

Reviews

8 user | 4 critic

View production, box office, & company info

ad feedback

What TV Shows Are Sundance Stars Binge-Watching?

The IMDb Studio at Sundance (2015-)The IMDb Studio at Sundance (2015-)The IMDb Studio at Sundance (2015-) From "You" to "Rick and Morty," stars at Sundance 2020 share the TV shows and movies they've recently binge-watched.

Watch now »

Related Items

Search for "Violent Road" on Amazon.com

Share this Rating

Title: Violent Road (1958) Violent Road (1958) on IMDb 6.2/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Show HTML View more styles

User Polls poll image Movies About Trucks poll image Vive le Remake! poll image Favourite Criterion Collection title in the IMDb Top 250. poll image IMDb Top 250 Foreign Language Film (Non Animated) poll image 50s Psychological Thrillers poll image The Best French Movies of the 20th Century

See more polls »

Photos

Robert B. Williams in Violent Road (1958) Brian Keith and Joanna Barnes in Violent Road (1958) Violent Road (1958) Add Image

 See all 4 photos »

. Learn more More Like This

The Purple Gang

Cash on Demand

Merrill's Marauders

Shadow on the Wall

The Couch

The Tattooed Stranger

The People Against O'Hara

Race Street

Thieves' Highway

Between Two Worlds

Violent Playground

13 West Street

◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

The Purple Gang

Add to Watchlist

Crime | Drama

6.3/10

The story of the infamous Purple Gang, a ring of bootleggers, hijackers and killers in 1920s' Detroit.

Director: Frank McDonald

Stars: Barry Sullivan, Robert Blake, Elaine Edwards

Cash on Demand

Merrill's Marauders

Shadow on the Wall

The Couch

The Tattooed Stranger

The People Against O'Hara

Race Street

Thieves' Highway

Between Two Worlds

Violent Playground

13 West Street

. Edit Cast

Complete credited cast: Brian Keith Brian Keith ... Mitch Barton Dick Foran Dick Foran ... Frank 'Sarge' Miller Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. ... George Lawrence Merry Anders Merry Anders ... Carrie - The Girl in the Convertible Sean Garrison Sean Garrison ... Ken Farley Joanna Barnes Joanna Barnes ... Peg Lawrence Perry Lopez Perry Lopez ... Manuelo Arthur Batanides Arthur Batanides ... Ben Ed Prentiss Ed Prentiss ... Mr. Nelson Ann Doran Ann Doran ... Edith Miller John Dennis John Dennis ... Pat Farley

See full cast »

View production, box office, & company info

. Edit Storyline

The Cyclone Rocket Company is a military contractor building missiles for the U.S. Air Force. The company also produces the highly volatile rocket fuel used in the missiles. During a test, a missile explodes. For safety reasons, the government decides to move the company from its current location, nearby an army base and small town, to a new remote location. However, the plant's dangerous chemicals must be moved by truck to the new location via secondary unpaved roads bypassing all inhabited areas, towns and communities. Moreover, the move must be completed fast and the plant must be operational in three days, in order to maintain its government contract. Three trucks are selected to transport the dangerous rocket fuels. Short on drivers for such a dangerous assignment, the company hires a motley crew of desperate men to drive the trucks through rough terrain to the new location. Each truck has a driver and a helper. Each man is promised five thousand dollars as payment upon ... Written by nufs68 
Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines: ... to ride the load he rode you had to be more than a man! See more »

Genres: Adventure | Drama

Certificate: Unrated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide: Add content advisory for parents » . Edit Details

Country: USA

Language: English

Release Date: 10 May 1958 (USA) See more »

Also Known As: Hell's Highway See more »

Filming Locations: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co: Aubrey Schenck Productions See more »

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime: 86 min

Sound Mix: Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color: Black and White

Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 See full technical specs » . Edit Did You Know?

Trivia The rocket launch at the beginning of the movie is a Viking rocket. According to "The Viking Rocket Story" by Rosen, a static test, where the rocket engine is fired but the rocket remains on the pad, went bad when the Viking rocket left the launch pad completely out of control. Housing for the families of the workers were close enough to be within range. Luckily the rocket landed in the desert and did not hurt anyone. See more »

Goofs When Frank tightened the cap to prevent the corrosive liquid from leaking out, he uses his bare hand which leads to severe burning, rather than simply using his shirt or scarf for protection. Or, better yet, he could have used a wrench from the tool box his mechanic was using at the time. See more »

Quotes Mitch Barton: If we run out of oil, we'll spit in the engine. See more »

Connections Version of The Wages of Fear (1953) See more »

Soundtracks Breezing Along With The Breeze

by Haven Gillespie, Seymour Simons (as Seymour B. Simons) and Richard A. Whiting (ASCAP) 
Marlong Music Corp./Remick Music Corp. 
Sung by Sean Garrison

See more » .

Frequently Asked Questions This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

Section heading[]

Write the second section of your page here.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
-==Section heading==
+==plot==
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 Stars: Brian Keith, Dick Foran, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. | See full cast & crew »
+The Violent Road casts Brian Keith taking on a really hazardous trip, transporting three components of rocket fuel, any one of them could reek havoc of some kind if it is jarred. Making it worse Keith has to travel over an abandoned road with little traffic that is rocky. It's like traveling with nitroglycerin with triple the risk.
+The place storing the stuff has to move because a military rocket experiment went horribly wrong and crashed into the town causing death and destruction. Keith also has to pick five other men willing to make the risk. One is picked for him, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. who is a scientist and knows how to handle the fuel.
+The other four are Sean Garrison, Perry Lopez, Arthur Batanides and Dick Foran. Foran's portrayal is a poignant one. A former Marine who was mandatory retired he can't get used to it. He just drinks all day and bores the young Marines at the bar that Keith finds him. Foran's scenes with wife Ann Doran are truly touching.
+The Violent Road is a nice no frills B picture from Warner Brothers, the kind that used to fill the second bill on a program. Now that stuff would be found on television and shortly Keith and Zimbalist would be seen there often.
@@ Line 1,150: / Line 1,156: @@
 Frequently Asked Questions
 This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
 ==Section heading==