Stolen identity and blackmail abound in Edgar G. Ulmer’s quintessential noir classic, DETOUR.

A fast-talker loner club performer, a mysterious death, and a black-mailing dame…you can’t get more film noir than that. The best of genre, “King of the B’s” director Edgar G. Ulmer takes us cross country from New York to Los Angeles along with nightclub pianist as Al Roberts hitchhikes to visit his girlfriend. But after the driver he’s with suddenly dies, Roberts takes on his identity in order to avoid suspicion with the police. From that point, he only plunges deeper trouble with the law and the ladies.

Part of Nitehawk’s A REASONABLE LENGTH August brunch series.