Detour (1945) in Color — Starring Tom Neal & Ann Savage

Detour (1945) — Buy This Classic in Color

Buy Detour (1945) in color — Edgar G. Ulmer’s masterpiece of film noir, now professionally restored and colorized in stunning HD. This DRM-free instant digital download puts one of cinema’s darkest and most fatalistic stories in your hands in vivid, atmospheric color. He went searching for love — but fate forced a detour to revelry, violence, and mystery.

Plot Summary

Al Roberts (Tom Neal) is a down-on-his-luck pianist in New York, deeply in love with Sue Harvey (Claudia Drake), who has headed west to try her luck in Hollywood. Determined to follow her, Al hitchhikes across the country. In the California desert, he accepts a ride from Charles Haskell Jr. (Edmund MacDonald), a seemingly friendly gambler — but Haskell dies under mysterious circumstances during the night, and a terrified Al makes the fateful decision to assume the dead man’s identity and take his car. Fate immediately punishes his choice. Picking up the venomous hitchhiker Vera (Ann Savage) — who knew Haskell and quickly deduces Al’s deception — Al finds himself trapped in a nightmare of blackmail and escalating danger with no possible escape. Directed on a shoestring budget over just six days, Detour achieves an almost suffocating atmosphere of doom that has made it one of the most studied and celebrated examples of classic film noir. Its unrelenting pessimism and economic storytelling have influenced generations of filmmakers.

Cast & Crew

Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer for Poverty Row studio PRC, Detour has been universally recognized as a masterwork of low-budget filmmaking and a cornerstone of classic American noir.

• Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
• Tom Neal as Al Roberts
• Ann Savage as Vera
• Claudia Drake as Sue Harvey
• Edmund MacDonald as Charles Haskell Jr.
• Tim Ryan as Diner Owner Gus
• Esther Howard as Hedy
• Pat Gleason as Joe
• Don Brodie as Used Car Salesman

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Detour is a classic film that has earned its place in the canon of American cinema not despite its limitations but because of them. The razor-thin budget, the cramped sets, the relentless pessimism — all of it combines into something uniquely powerful and unforgettable. Originally filmed in black and white, this classic film has been professionally restored and colorized frame by frame, and the results are revelatory. The pallid desert highways take on the bleached, sun-scorched intensity of a man with nowhere left to run. The shadows that define film noir — the dark roadside diners, the grimy motel rooms, the oppressive night driving sequences — gain a new and grim beauty in carefully calibrated, muted tones that honor the original’s atmosphere while revealing details invisible in the black and white print.

Ann Savage’s ferocious performance as Vera is one of the great villain turns in Hollywood history, and seeing her in color sharpens every predatory edge. Tom Neal’s defeated, hollow-eyed Al Roberts becomes even more pitiable against the vivid backdrop of a sun-drenched America that wants nothing to do with him. Owning this restored and colorized version of Detour means experiencing one of cinema’s most uncompromising tales of fate and self-destruction as it was always meant to feel: inescapable, vivid, and deeply unsettling. This classic film is also available in colour for international audiences who have championed it as a defining work of American noir.

Technical Details

| Detail | Information |
|——–|————-|
| Format | HD Digital Download |
| Resolution | HD 720p |
| Original Format | Black and White |
| Colorization | Professional, frame-by-frame |
| File Format | MP4 / MKV |
| Audio | Restored original soundtrack |
| Delivery | Instant download — DRM-free |
| Price | €15.00 |
| Rating | Approved |
| Runtime | 68 minutes |
| Year | 1945 |

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is Detour considered such an important film?
Detour is widely regarded as one of the purest and most uncompromising classic movie noir productions ever made. Its fatalistic worldview, economic storytelling, and remarkable atmosphere have influenced generations of filmmakers and film scholars alike.

What if I have a problem with my purchase?
Contact our customer support within 30 days of purchase and we will be happy to help.

Is this the full original film?
Yes. This is the complete 68-minute cut of Detour (1945) with professional colorization applied. The original dialogue, music, and all performances are entirely preserved.

Is the download DRM-free?
Yes — when you buy Detour (1945) in color, you receive a fully DRM-free digital file you can watch on any device, at any time, with no restrictions.

What devices can I watch this on?
The HD download is compatible with all major devices including smart TVs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and media players.

How do I receive my download after purchase?
You will receive a secure download link via email immediately after your purchase — there is no waiting period.

Related Colorized Classics

• Double Indemnity (1944)
• The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
• Out of the Past (1947)
• Sunset Boulevard (1950) Movie in Color —
• The Asphalt Jungle (1950)