They Drive by Night
Warner Bros. | Release Date: August 3, 1940 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
73
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Slant MagazineNick Schager
They Drive by Night never coalesces into a coherent whole, but as far as sturdy ’40s Hollywood melodramas go, it’s a pretty sweet two-for-one movie deal. Read full review
80
BBCAlmar Haflidason
The shady world of wildcat truck driving is the background for this B-movie, which finally gave Bogart a part to relish rather than playing a stooge due for a bullet. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
From A.I. Bezzerides' "The Long Haul," with George Raft and Bogie as tough trucking brothers and Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino as the good woman and the bad.[06 Oct 2006, p.C8]
70
Chicago ReaderDave Kehr
Walsh may not have been directly responsible for the structure (the second half is a remake of an earlier Warners melodrama, Bordertown), but his personal response to the material puts it across. Read full review
70
The New YorkerRichard Brody
The pugnacity of Walsh’s comic direction infuses turbulently free enterprise with tragedy. Read full review
70
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)
Fast moving and actionful melodrama of long-haul trucking biz, They Drive clicks with plenty of entertainment content. Read full review
70
The New York TimesBosley Crowther
For fanciers of hard-boiled cinema, They Drive By Night still offers an entertaining ride. Read full review
70
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)
The first half has pace, and the wisecracking wit is often laid on thick and fast by Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay's script, particularly in a scene with Ann Sheridan as a roadside café waitress. All the performances are good. Read full review
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