Al’s Unexpected Journey in Edgar Ulmer’s Detour

his journey without being caught.

Al and Vera both have reasons to avoid the police. To make money, Vera involves Al in cunning schemes, and Al reluctantly complies. Al is closely tied to both Haskell, whom he may have killed, and Vera. Fate interrupts the traditional Hollywood storyline by seemingly removing Al's control. The connection between Al, Vera, and destiny is explained through dialogue in a straightforward manner. Before picking up Vera on the side of the road, Al states, "No matter which way you go, fate sticks out a foot to trip you."

The statement in the beginning of the film forebodes future events and serves as a warning. Later on, during one of Al and Vera's typical quarrels, Vera cautions Al about the dangers of trying to go against fate. Detour deviates from traditional Hollywood storytelling by taking away Al's control and making fate the driving force. The film's conclusion solidifies its appeal due to its narrative techniques and well-acted characters. However, the final scene of Al being arrested while walking along the highway disrupts the satisfying resolution previously established and fails to further explore the intriguing themes presented earlier in the film.

The film mainly portrayed the cruel nature of "fate" and its arbitrariness. The filmmakers could have avoided showing Al getting arrested, instead beginning to depict another devastating occurrence for him before ending the film. It seems that the filmmakers tried to convey an ideological message with the ending, perhaps suggesting that the law never overlooks wrongdoing (unless Haskell and Vera's deaths were truly accidental).

The conclusion of the film may have been a representation of the longing for a society that is

well-organized, where there is no room for enigma or uncertainty. Nevertheless, it is evident that this ending was added unnecessarily due to the Hays Code, a censorship policy introduced in 1930. This film was made in 1945, and the first "General Principle" of the MPPC clearly states that no movie should negatively influence the moral values of its audience by portraying crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin sympathetically.

It is evident that the tacky ending may have been influenced by pressure from censors. The narrative of Detour deviates from the norms of classical Hollywood cinema in another way as well: material does not subordinate content. At first, it appears that a straightforward journey narrative will unfold, but the mysterious and illogical forces that derail Al's journey disrupt the dominant and coherent narrative structure that is idealized in classical Hollywood cinema.

Detour's creators recognized the potential of film as a medium for presenting intriguing concepts and contemplations on the nature of reality and our existence in the world, while still highlighting the possibilities of filmmaking instead of prioritizing content. The film deviates from classical Hollywood style by not concealing cinema's production methods or "Being" in certain instances, such as when Al appears to play the piano without even touching the keys. Such mistakes would typically be avoided in classical Hollywood's focus on realism. Conversely, there are scenes in which a saxophone is played.

At first, the saxophonist's music can be overlooked as just background noise in the film. However, as Al and Vera are stuck in their Hollywood apartment, Al eventually requests that the saxophonist stop playing to alleviate his irritation. Therefore, the saxophone music is portrayed as

a genuine element of Detour's narrative. Despite being categorized as a "B" movie, Detour remains highly enjoyable and skillfully fashioned.

This encourages the audience to contemplate destiny while also finding humor in it.