Dragstrip Girl (1957)

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The first must-see film of the year.

Blistering performances.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Wow, was I looking forward to this, a hot chick racing rods and dealing with the 50's male counterparts and the story surrounding that premise...but no..what we get is Drag Strip Girl races...once ..during the opening and in the poorest race ever staged on film. The rest of the story deals with a guy trying to race the local thug, then Gorshin takes the bait and pays for it by wrecking his sweet street rod. Also ,Gorshin was stuck with the supporting role, had the director been better, Frank would have been the lead instead of the wooden performance we saw from "what's his name". Listen, I am bashing the movie for what it's not, and that's kinda like being angry that Minnie Driver isn't the name of a small race car driver. This was an industrious film considering the budget, and it does deliver the goods for hard core fans of 50's culture and the "delinquent film" genre. But, it is totally misleading in it's cover art and story sell. It's like being stuck on a deserted island by yourself with nothing but a vial of Viagra.

OK i'm a big fan of most movies made by the late American international movies,fun b-movies.my favorites being invasion of the saucermen and i was a teenage werewolf.but this movie dragstrip girl is very entertaining,it tells the story about a young pretty girl(Fay Spain)who drives a hotrod.and has two guys fighting over her,poor but honest nice guy(Steve Terrell)and rich snobby nasty dishonest guy(John Ashley)who both are also drag racers.there's much melodrama and fighting.but im not giving away any more of the plot.lets just say its a very good a.i.p. b movie from the fifties.also stars pre riddler(Frank Gorshin)and a.i.p. regular Russ Bender.heres a fact terrell and gorshin were in invasion of the saucermen soon after this.like i said this movie was enjoyable.8 out of 10.

How can you not like these films they are sooo bad they are good!!!Louise (Fay Spain), Fred (John Ashley) and Jim (Steve Terrel) meet at a set of lights and instantly have a drag race - a policeman follows them to Mama's Cafe Grill, which is the local hangout for kids. Typical of these J.D. movies, the local police pop up every 20 minutes with lectures about "wild and crazy kids".Louise is a "hot rod" freak, new in town from Salt Lake City. Her parents are "cool" - her dad bought Louise her hot rod - although he is now regretting it. There has been rivalry between rich kid Fred and Jim ever since they were kids in school. Jim is hoping to win the USA Regional Sweepstakes Race and get a scholarship to college but Fred is determined to win even if he has to cheat to do it. He buys a car from his friend Rick (Tommy Ivo) and modifies it so it will leave the rest behind.While racing in a grudge match Fred's partner Rick falls out of the car and breaks his leg. Fred's lack of concern shows up his callous nature. Fred secretly takes Jim's car out for a spin and kills a pedestrian. Of course when the police investigate they think Jim is the driver. He is then disqualified from the race - but Louise, who finds a piece of Rick's plaster in Jim's car and realises the truth, takes Jim's place in the big race. It is wild and exciting stuff as Fred tries to run and Jim tackles him to the ground.This film was one of many made for the drive-in circuit. John Ashley,who also sang in these films, made many of these J.D. movies. There doesn't seem to be much information on Steve Terrel, although he featured in many of these "hot rod" films. He also starred in that campy classic "Invasion of the Saucer Men". Frank Gorshin was at the start of his long career - he plays the zany Tommy Burns.Fay Spain was the drive-in movie bad girl - she also got her big break in this film, playing a blonde siren that has the boys falling at her feet. I will always remember her in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode entitled "The Last Dark Step".Recommended.

I've seen this film about 25 times, not for the acting or writing but for the cars! Although, Frank Gorshin is hilarious in this film. The plot is simple although not 100% believable, Fay Spain plays a hot rodder who moves from Salt like City to LA or as it's known in the film, "Hotrodville". She has a drag race in her '28 Model A roadster with a triple carb flathead with Tommy Ivo's famous Buick powered T bucket in the first scene. Truth be known, not many chicks had rods in the 50's let alone drag raced them on city streets. The rest of the film is her being wooed by rich kid John Ashley and poor but honest Steve Terrel. There are some great drag racing and circle track racing scenes in this film with real 50's hot rods. Tommy Ivo is in the film as John Ashley's accomplice and there is an ironic scene where he and Ashley break into the garage and steal Ivo's car but in the film the car is owned and driven by Steve Terrel! Tommy Ivo told me that the filming of this movie killed the engine in his car because it overheated between takes because it was idling waiting for the camera to roll. The car John Ashley drives in the film is a chopped and channeled Model a roadster with a 4 carb flathead engine. Frank Gorshin and his sexy Marilyn Monroe look-a-like girlfriend drive a '27 Model T roadster with a flathead engine. I have to warn you, the beginning of the movie has one of the corniest race scenes ever!