''The Devil's Hairpin'' is a 1957 American
sports
Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
written and directed by
Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Lajos Weisz; October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker.
Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited ap ...
who also stars alongside
Jean Wallace
Jean Wallace (born Jean Walasek or Wallasek; October 12, 1923 – February 14, 1990) was an American television and film actress.
Early life
Wallace was born in Chicago, Illinois to John T. Walaszek and Mary A. Walaszek (''née'' Sharkey). ...
and
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
. It was filmed
Technicolor
Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades.
Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...
and
VistaVision
VistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35 mm motion picture film format that was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954.
Paramount did not use anamorphic processes such as CinemaScope but refined the ...
, and distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
. The plot revolves around about car racing.
Plot
Nick Jargin retired from auto racing undefeated. He is continually goaded by Mike Houston, a sportswriter, to come out of retirement and challenge the top racer of the day, Tony Botari, particularly after egotistically saying in an interview that Botari has no real competition now that he's out of the sport.
Nick's girlfriend is Kelly James, a health club instructor. Kelly wants to be married and have sex, and when a reluctant Nick introduces her to his mother, Mrs. Jargin wants nothing to do with him, blaming Nick for a racing accident that seriously injured her other son, Johnny.
Kelly is even urged by Nick's mother to leave him. She gives him an ultimatum, marry her or else. He declines, so she goes back to former boyfriend Danny Rhinegold, who now runs Botari's racing team.
In the 100-lap race that takes them along rural roads, Nick takes the lead, with his brother Johnny's help on the crew. Botari is nearly in an accident in the dangerous "Devil's Hairpin" turn, so Nick slows down to help Botari steer clear of it. A self-sacrificing gesture is rare for him, so after the race, Kelly accepts when Nick finally proposes to her.
Cast
*
Cornel Wilde
Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Lajos Weisz; October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker.
Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited ap ...
as Nick Jargin
*
Jean Wallace
Jean Wallace (born Jean Walasek or Wallasek; October 12, 1923 – February 14, 1990) was an American television and film actress.
Early life
Wallace was born in Chicago, Illinois to John T. Walaszek and Mary A. Walaszek (''née'' Sharkey). ...
as Kelly James
*
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
as Mrs. Jargin
*
Arthur Franz
Arthur Sofield Franz (February 29, 1920 – June 17, 2006) was an American actor whose most notable feature film role was as Lieutenant, Junior Grade H. Paynter Jr. in ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1954).
Early life
Franz was born in Perth Amboy, N ...
as Danny Rhinegold
*
Morgan Jones as Chico Martinez
* Gerald Milton as Houston
*
Paul Fix
Peter Paul Fix (March 13, 1901 – October 14, 1983) was an American film and television character actor who was best known for his work in Westerns. Fix appeared in more than 100 movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career be ...
as Doc Addams
*
Larry Pennell
Lawrence Kenneth Pennell (February 21, 1928 – August 28, 2013) was an American television and film actor, often remembered for his role as Dash Riprock in the television series ''The Beverly Hillbillies''. His career spanned half a centu ...
as Johnny Jargin
Production
Filming took place in March 1957.
[Cornel's Flick Ought to Be Speedy One
Louella Parsons:. The Washington Post and Times-Herald 13 Mar 1957: D7.]
The racing scenes were shot at
Paramount Ranch Raceway.
See also
*
List of American films of 1957
This is a list of American films released in 1957.
'' The Bridge on the River Kwai'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
A-B
C-H
I-N
O-Q
R-T
U-Z
Documentary
See also
* 1957 in the United States
References
External lin ...
References
External links
*
1957 films
American auto racing films
Films directed by Cornel Wilde
Paramount Pictures films
1950s English-language films
1950s American films
1950s sports films
Films scored by Van Cleave
English-language sports films
VistaVision films
{{sport-film-stub