JOHNNY DARK (1954)

This Universal Picture's release is a fast-paced film about a talented, young and ambitious automobile engineer, Tony Curtis with a private investigator's name, working for an independent manufacturer.  Curtis An outstanding poster illustration tells all you need to know about this movie. The eighty-five-minute film was directed by George Sherman and produced by William Alland. The actors have nothing to apologize for but it was soon shelved in the minds of moviegoers in light of Curtis' rising career. Yet this film is far more fun to watch than a similar racing-themed release the following year, The Racers, a soap opera with cars starring Kirk Douglas.

Of course, there is a love interest. Petite Piper Laurie, also on a career upswing, plays an up-and-coming automotive designer, making it the only real ground-breaking aspect of the film. Don Taylor plays Curtis' best friend, fellow driver, and competitor of Laurie's affection. Taylor wreaks the race car prototype and Curtis thinks he was showing off. Curtis has to eat crow when it is discovered there was an engineering malfunction in the brakes which Curtis had been warned about. But the two competitor's relationship is never the same. Much of the first reel includes the mundane happenings of engine testing with no dialogue. The stodgy automotive founder, Sidney Blackmer, wants no part of any sports car in his lineup, demanding the company stick with cars that seat six, the standard American family. But his long-time engineer, Paul Kelly, believes in Curtis' idea, which sets up an inconsequential rift between them. Blackmer softens his stance, finding a place for a sporty model in the company’s roster, after Curtis places in the top three of a long-distance rally race. 

In hindsight, perhaps the most interesting aspect today is the vintage racing sequences in period sports cars captured by cinematographer Carl Guthrie. Of note is Curtis's vehicle of choice (and the film's promotional car) is the Woodill Wildfire (above), an American-made sports car to compete alongside the Europeans. A climactic Canada to California rally race is nicely filmed from the air amid spectacular scenery. A mounted camera on the front of a filming car, weaving fast through mountain roads, is a dizzying experience. Beyond that, it is standard fare for the period with Curtis and Taylor “speeding” in their studio prop cars ahead of projected back screen competition. I imagine this was a must-see for teen fans of Curtis and Laurie with many licensed drivers leaving the theater wanting to get their hands on a Jaguar XK120.

Note: Don Taylor had a versatile career in acting but most have forgotten him due to his supporting roles. He gained more fame as a director for some of the most popular television series of the Sixties. His skills led him to direct several major films from the Seventies to the Eighties. His second marriage in 1964 was to English actress, Hazel Court, of British horror film fame. They remained together until his death did them part.