The Fast and the Furious (1954)

The Fast and the Furious is a 1955 film starring John Ireland and Dorothy Malone. It was the first film produced by American International Pictures production company. The black-and-white B-movie was co-directed by the film's leading man, John Ireland. The story was written by Roger Corman and the screenplay by Jean Howell and Jerome Odlum. Except for the title, the film bears no relation to the 2001 film of the same name.


Frank Webster (John Ireland) has broken out of jail after serving time for a murder he didn't commit. While on the run, and the subject of radio news reports, he becomes cornered in a small coffee shop by a zealous citizen. This forces him to commit battery to escape, and to kidnap a young woman named Connie (Dorothy Malone) as he gets away. Frank drives off with Connie in her Jaguar. But she soon proves a difficult hostage, trying to escape a few times, which leads him to treat her more roughly than they both would prefer. This mutual struggle soon leads the two to fall in love with each other. Continuing to elude police, the couple slips into a cross-border sports car race, which Frank plans to take advantage of in order to escape into Mexico. But out of sympathy for Frank and a desire to be with him, Connie informs the police of the plan so he might face trial and be acquitted. And at the last moment he too decides it's better to turn himself in. The film ends with his capture by police imminent.


THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS
JOHN IRELAND  (1954)
ARC
73 MIN
USA