There are differences between this film noir and other film noir's. These differences are because The Hitch Hiker was the only film noir directed by a female. Usually these types of films are directed by males and have the males views displayed throughout the movie but Lupino's process was much different. She was able to use the male characters and add feminine features into these characters to switch the gender roles.
She was able to direct a film with some feminine characteristics with only all male characters. At this time masculinity wasn't the question or problem but the way women were viewed in there roles. Lupino's style of a slow paced film helped emphasize the characteristics and development throughout the film rather then focusing on the action of the killer. In other film noir, the female is feeling helpless and not in control because the man is always the leader. In this case, Lupino was able to make the men feeling helpless and not in control with a life or death situation. Their helpless feeling went along with the characters trouble of being trapped with a killer with no definite idea of what he is going to do with them. The slow paced build up went hand in hand with with the victims trouble of being trapped and built up to a slow suspenseful conclusion.
Overall Lupino created a successful film that viewed the roles of the characters in a different way. Her take on reversing the roles of the men by adding some feminine characteristics along with a slow paced action, helped the viewers follow the characteristic changes rather then the action. This allowed her to change the characters from a positive sane pair to an emotionally distraught duo stuck with a killer, much like how many women were portrayed in films at this time.
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