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Highway Dragnet

  • 19541954
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 11m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
705
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Joan Bennett, Richard Conte, and Wanda Hendrix in Highway Dragnet (1954)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
Wrongly accused of killing a bar-girl he was seen with earlier, a Korean War vet flees from the police in the company of a woman photographer and her young female model.Wrongly accused of killing a bar-girl he was seen with earlier, a Korean War vet flees from the police in the company of a woman photographer and her young female model.Wrongly accused of killing a bar-girl he was seen with earlier, a Korean War vet flees from the police in the company of a woman photographer and her young female model.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
705
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Nathan Juran
  • Writers
    • Herb Meadow(screenplay)
    • Jerome Odlum(screenplay)
    • Tom Hubbard(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Richard Conte
    • Joan Bennett
    • Wanda Hendrix
Top credits
  • Director
    • Nathan Juran
  • Writers
    • Herb Meadow(screenplay)
    • Jerome Odlum(screenplay)
    • Tom Hubbard(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Richard Conte
    • Joan Bennett
    • Wanda Hendrix
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 24User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos18

    Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Richard Conte and Wanda Hendrix in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Joan Bennett and Richard Conte in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Wanda Hendrix in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Richard Conte in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Tom Hubbard and Charles Anthony Hughes in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Richard Conte and Wanda Hendrix in Highway Dragnet (1954)
    Richard Conte and Mary Beth Hughes in Highway Dragnet (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Conte
    Richard Conte
    • Jim Henryas Jim Henry
    Joan Bennett
    Joan Bennett
    • Mrs. H.G. Cummingsas Mrs. H.G. Cummings
    Wanda Hendrix
    Wanda Hendrix
    • Susan Wiltonas Susan Wilton
    Reed Hadley
    Reed Hadley
    • Lt. Joe White Eagleas Lt. Joe White Eagle
    Mary Beth Hughes
    Mary Beth Hughes
    • Terry Smithas Terry Smith
    Iris Adrian
    Iris Adrian
    • Sallyas Sally
    Harry Harvey
    Harry Harvey
    • Mr. Carsonas Mr. Carson
    Tom Hubbard
    • Sgt. Ben Barnettas Sgt. Ben Barnett
    Frank Jenks
    Frank Jenks
    • Marine in Civviesas Marine in Civvies
    Murray Alper
    Murray Alper
    • Ice Cream Truck Driveras Ice Cream Truck Driver
    Zon Murray
    Zon Murray
    • Trooper in Caféas Trooper in Café
    House Peters Jr.
    House Peters Jr.
    • Steveas Steve
    Joseph Crehan
    Joseph Crehan
    • Elderly Border Inspection Officeras Elderly Border Inspection Officer
    Charles Anthony Hughes
    • Chubby Border Inspection Officeras Chubby Border Inspection Officer
    • (as Tony Hughes)
    Bill Hale
    • Harryas Harry
    Fred Gabourie
    • Trooper Alas Trooper Al
    Johnny Duncan
    Johnny Duncan
    • Marineas Marine
    • (uncredited)
    Murray Pollack
    • Police Officeras Police Officer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Nathan Juran
    • Writers
      • Herb Meadow(screenplay)
      • Jerome Odlum(screenplay)
      • Tom Hubbard(additional dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Mrs. Cummings, a free-lance magazine photographer and a recent widow after her husband committed suicide, and her model, Susan, are on an assignment to cover resorts California and Nevada. Driving west from Las Vegas they pick up Jim Henry, a recently-discharged Marine, who is hitchhiking to the home of a friend near the Salton Sea. Meanwhile, back in Las Vegas, a blonde known casually by Jim, is found murdered. Jim becomes the object of a manhunt directed by Police-Lieut. White Eagle of the Las Vegas police. —Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
    • psychotronic film
    • male police officer
    • police
    • police officer
    • timeframe 1950s
    • 48 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • SHOCK AFTER SHOCK! (original print ad - all caps)
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Film-Noir
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The car Jim, Mrs. Cummings and Susan drive in the desert is a 1953 Dodge Coronet Sierra station wagon.
    • Goofs
      When the paper boy stops at the road block in his Ford truck, several large studio lights and a large group of movie crew members can be seen in the reflection on the side of the truck.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Jim Henry: [Jim and Susan arm-in-arm as they look out toward Jim's partially submerged house with the rising waters of the Salton Sea] You know, things may be a little tough before we get the place fixed up.

      Susan Wilton: How tough can they be with a swimming pool in every room.

      [Jim and Susan embrace]

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Directors: The Films of Roger Corman (1999)

    User reviews24

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Richard Conte flees the police
    Highway Dragnet seems like a B movie, and quite a drop in status for Joan Bennett.

    Bennett and Richard Conte are the star, along with Wanda Hendrix.

    Unjustly accused of the murder of a woman (Mary Beth Hughes) whom he met in a bar, former marine Jim Henry manages to overpower police and take off. After helping two women, Mrs. Cummings, a photographer, and her model, Susan Wilton (Bennett and Hendrix) with a car problem on the highway, Henry wangles a ride.

    He has an alibi, a old friend he was with in Vegas who is supposed to help Jim with a problem at his home the next day. And what a problem - it's underwater in the Salton Sea.

    With his photo on the front page, and cops coming from all directions, it's not long before Susan and Mrs. Cummings realize who he is - by then, it's too late. After pulling a gun, he pretends to be Cummings' assistant. And he pulls more neat tricks to escape the police. The trio end up taking a hazardous drive in the boiling hot desert.

    The movie is notable for showing the old Las Vegas and also Graflex cameras, which were fun to see.

    Susan's attraction to Jim after she realizes who he is I found rather odd.

    The really odd thing to me was the presence of Bennett, a favorite of director Fritz Lang, the star of many films and a contender for Scarlett O'Hara. Why is it that Harrison Ford at 79 is still playing leads and actresses like Bennett, Merle Oberon, and Lana Turner had to resort to low-budget films?

    When it comes to Hollywood, aging in women was fatal back then. It's better now, but I think there is a way to go.
    helpful•4
    0
    • blanche-2
    • Aug 17, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 7, 1954 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • The House in the Sea
    • Filming locations
      • Salton Sea, California, USA
    • Production company
      • William F. Broidy Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 11 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

    Related news

    Highway Dragnet (1954) – The Blu Review
    Apr 30WeAreMovieGeeks.com

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