I watched this last night, as an ‘afficianado’ of forties and fifties films for many years and owning countless books on the subject this film had somehow passed me by. It was Patrick Allen’s first film and he did well in it, Robert Mitchum was the original choice to play the part that Victor Mature had, but Mature was already in Britain filming, plus he had driven trucks for his father’s company before becoming an actor so got the part.
The author of the book that the film is based on spent a lot of time travelling the roads studying drivers, cafes and clearing houses etc to research it.
Victor Mature was a far better actor than folk gave him credit for, he made some good thrillers in the 40’s and was brilliant as ‘Doc’ Holliday in Gunfight at the OK Coral, but he rarely had good press reviews. He described himself as a golfer who acted to fund his pastime, he brought a lot of property and was very wealthy. He famously tried to join an exclusive Country Club in the USA but they rejected him as they didn’t accept actors. He wrote back: “Hell, I’m no actor and I have over 60 film reviews to prove it”, brilliant!
One piece of irony: the actress who played his wife suffered a brain hemorage at the age of 34 and died, in the film her son suffered one as well after his fall which briefly reunited the family. 
A lot of loose ends though, her brother’s body, was it found? Likewise Patrick Allen’s character? What was the driver actually arrested for, just being part of a theft/deception?
Pete.