"Drive A Crooked Road" With JK :)

Howdy!

A bunch of memorabilia from Jack Kelly's 1954 feature film Drive A Crooked Road has trickled into the Kellection lately, including some original stills and this noir-ish French-Canadian lobby card:

"Fate Is At The Turn"

So, let's take a spin down this suspenseful Road:

JK portrays "Harold Baker", who is in cahoots with "Steve Norris" (Kevin McCarthy). Norris and Baker want to rob a bank in Palm Springs, but to do so, they need someone to help them make a fast getaway. So, they hang out at the local raceway in search of a speedy driver.

Steve asks Harold if the winner of one of the races would be a suitable candidate. Harold nixes that driver because he's a solid citizen. But, Harold tells him that the second place finisher, Eddie Shannon (Mickey Rooney), is the "right type"--because not only does he race cars, he's a master mechanic and an unhappy loner. 

Steve comments on Eddie's lack of height: "A little guy, isn't he?"

Harold shoots back, "So was Napoleon". 

Other grease monkeys at the upscale auto repair shop where Eddie works call him "Shorty" and tease him for his seeming lack of interest in "dames". 

The latter changes when a beautiful woman named "Barbara Matthews" (Dianne Foster) drives into the shop and specifically asks for Eddie, saying he was recommended as a mechanic who could fix her car's stalling problem. 

Eddie repairs Barbara's vehicle, but she calls the next day and says it won't start again. After Eddie drives to her apartment and fixes the car once more, Barbara goes to the beach. A smitten Eddie later decides to go to the beach as well, where he finds Barbara...with Steve. 

Steve beats a hasty retreat. Barbara assures Eddie that Steve is just an old friend with a house at the beach. 

After Eddie and Barbara get to know each other, they attend a party at Steve's house.  

While Steve picks Eddie's brain about cars, Barbara dances with Harold, who derisively asks her how she's doing with the "little speed king".

Eddie takes Barbara back to her apartment and they sweetly say good night (or good morning). But, after Eddie leaves, Steve shows up. 

Barbara is, of course, only stringing Eddie along to draw him into Steve's and Harold's web. She's beginning to have regrets, though...

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ABOUT JK IN DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD IN THE NEXT TDS! :)