George Raft and Humphrey Bogart share a driving ambition in legendary director Raoul Walsh’s classic They Drive by Night, a feisty tale of brothers trying to make it as independent truckers. Ann Sheridan plays a truck-stop waitress dishing both the daily special and the patter, and Ida Lupino is a headstrong executive mixing business and romance with murder. With Bogart again riding shotgun en-route to leading-man stardom (which he would achieve the following year) and Raft at the wheel in one of his finest performances, this sterling example of Warner Bros. social-conscience filmmaking proved a study vehicle for both. It proved even more fortuitous for Miss Lupino: her courtroom breakdown scene made her an “overnight” sensation that landed her a contract with the studio.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents They Drive by Night for the first time on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer sourced from a lovely 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative which gives this long-requested title the life it deserves. The team at Warner Archive provides a remarkably natural and consistent transfer that continues to define them as one of the best in the business for vintage restorations.

This black-and-white feature shot by Arthur Edeson is presented with the perfect layer of natural film grain throughout. You will be astounded by the depth on display within the shadows especially, no doubt enhanced by the absence of black crush. The frame showcases a tremendous amount of texture within the outfits and the production design which gives the picture more dimension. Print damage is never an issue with this transfer after the careful cleanup, while at the same time retaining its organic filmic qualities. This transfer will be appreciated by all who have the pleasure of viewing it.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that translates this material beautifully. The score from Adolph Deutsch is one of the immediate aspects you will appreciate, as it holds up well with only minor dissonance in the upper registers. Otherwise, there does not appear to be any serious damage to the track outside of some fleeting age-related wear and tear such as light hissing. Dialogue comes through clearly along with the sound effects and the score. There are a couple of bustling sequences which are a bit more prominent in the speakers. While there are some minor limitations, this one sounds very good overall. There are optional English SDH subtitles available on the disc.

Special Features

Lux Radio Theater Broadcast: A nearly 45-minute radio broadcast version is provided of this story featuring George Raft, Lana Turner, and Lucille Ball.

Divided Highway – The Story of They Drive By Night: An 11-minute archival featurette is provided which gives an overview of the legacy of the film including its development, the background of the performers, how it fits into their careers, and more.

Swingtime In The Movies: A 19-minute live-action short film is provided that takes place on a film set and involves a director trying to execute his creative vision.

Original Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

They Drive by Night is a strong drama that finds George Raft playing against type of Bogart taking more of a backseat to what we usually expect from the legend. The movie takes its time to build up to its ultimate conflict, but it uses that time to get you invested in the characters. The women in the film steal the show, especially the beguiling Ann Sheridan who transcends the “sassy waitress” trope after her introduction. This is one deserving of a bigger spotlight, and hopefully this new release will secure that for them. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a wonderful A/V presentation and some nice special features. If you are a fan of the performers or melodramas from this period, add this to your collection. Recommended

They Drive by Night can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.