They Drive by Night (1940)

US 95m, B&W
Director: Raoul Walsh; Cast: George Raft, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, Humphrey Bogart

A melodrama, They Drive by Night is practically two movies in one. Joe and Paul Fabrini are hard-nosed brothers trying to make a profit as independent transport truck drivers who are constantly trying to stay one step ahead of their creditors. While the first half of the movie describes the trucker’s rules of the road through their efforts to make a buck, the story takes a dramatic turn toward film noir  when their friend Ed, who owns a successful shipping company, is killed by his wife who has set her sights on Joe. Of note is Lupino’s performance as Lana, the femme fatale, whose deeds lead to an unexpected and most memorable courtroom scene where her plans finally unravel (Klaus Ming March 2013).