THE HITCH-HIKER (1953)

Two average Joes (Edmond O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy) on weekend R&R make the mistake of their lives when they pick up a psychotic hitch-hiker (William Talman), who takes over their car and their lives at gunpoint. In a creepy noir touch, the creep's right eye doesn't close – even when he sleeps! – so the guys never know for sure whether their abductor is watching them, which makes escape rather dicey. Family men at home, the hostages are forced to make some hard decisions on the road. All three actors are excellent, and the suspense runs high from start to finish. (Trivia note: William Talman, with both his eyes intact, later starred as District Attorney Hamilton Burger on the long-running TV series Perry Mason.)