The Fast and the Furious | |
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Lobby card to The Fast and the Furious (1955)
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Directed by |
John Ireland Edward Sampson |
Produced by | Roger Corman |
Written by |
Roger Corman (story) Jean Howell Jerome Odlum |
Starring |
John Ireland Dorothy Malone |
Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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73 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $50,000 |
Box office | $250,000 |
The Fast and the Furious is a 1955 American film noir starring John Ireland and Dorothy Malone. It was the first film produced by American International Pictures production company. The 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.
Frank Webster (John Ireland) has broken out of jail, charged with a murder he did not commit. While on the run, and the subject of radio news reports, he becomes cornered in a small coffee shop by a zealous citizen. He commits battery to escape, and kidnaps 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. 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 is better to turn himself in. The film ends with his capture by police imminent.
The movie was originally known as Crashout.
The film was shot in ten days. It was picked up for distribution by a new company, American Releasing Corporation, which became American International Pictures.
The plot of the film was used again in The Chase starring Charlie Sheen and Kristy Swanson.