They Drive by Night

"No picture in 1940 will have bigger thrills!"

Aug 3 1940 Approved 1h 35m
Crime, Drama, Film-Noir

Joe and Paul Fabrini are Wildcat, or independent, truck drivers who have their own small one-truck business. The Fabrini boys constantly battle distributors, rivals and loan collectors, while trying to make a success of their transport company.

Plot

Brothers Paul and Joe Fabrini run a trucking business in California mainly shipping fruit from farms to the markets in Los Angeles. They struggle to make ends meet in the face of corrupt businessmen and intense competition. They are forced into driving long hours, and one night pick up waitress Cassie Hartley who's just quit her job at a truck stop. The three of them witness the death of a mutual acquaintance when he falls asleep at the wheel. This has a profound effect on Paul and Joe and they become determined to find a way to make the business pay so they can quit.

Written by

Jerry Wald, Richard Macaulay, A.I. Bezzerides

Directed by

Raoul Walsh

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
9,588
Average Rating
7.2 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA