''Girl On The Run'' is a 1953 ultra-low budget independent production, the plot of which drops a standard crime melodrama into the noirish, tawdry world of a carnival burlesque show. According to filmographer Michael Pitts, "Released by Astor Pictures late in 1953, ''Girl on the Run'' was filmed as ''The Hidden Woman''. A Rose Tree Production, it opens and closes with scenes of a hysterically laughing mechanical clown and all its action takes place during one night at a tatty carnival." The most notable cast member of ''Girl On The Run'' has one of the smallest roles:

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

, seen in the background of two scenes during his first known film role. It also loosely inspired the hit 1971 Indian film ''

Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Camel train, a convoy using camels as pack animals *Convoy, a group of veh ...

'', directed by Nasir Hussain and starring Asha Parekh.

Plot

Newspaper reporter Bill Martin is assigned to investigate a crime ring working out of a carnival. Martin's boss is killed and Martin is framed for the murder, while the victim's girlfriend Janet goes undercover as a burlesque dancer for Lil's carny revue while running from the gangster behind the scheme.

Cast

* Richard Coogan as Bill Martin * Rosemary Pettit as Janet * Frank Albertson as Hank *

Harry Bannister Harry Bannister (September 29, 1889 – February 26, 1961) was an American stage, film and television actor, and theater producer and director. Biography Born in Holland, Michigan, Bannister began acting in movies and on Broadway in the 1920s ...

as Clay Reeves * Edith King as Lil * Charles Bolender as Blake

Production

Arthur J. Berkhard, co-writer and co-director of this film, had a background in theatre, having staged 14 Broadway productions beginning with the hit play ''Another Language'', written by Rose Franken, in 1932.Brunelle, Kathleen. ''Cape Cod's Highfield and Tanglewood: A Tale of Two Cottages''. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2012.
/ref> ''Girl on the Run'' would be his only film directorial credit.

References

External links

* *http://www.allmovie.com/movie/girl-on-the-run-v132363 *http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=51121 1953 films American crime drama films 1953 crime drama films Astor Pictures films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-crime-drama-film-stub