I will make this short and sweet; please view this commentary of one of my all-time favorite film noirs, Detour (1945) presented by A.O. Scott of The New York Times:
My father recommended this film to me several years ago, just as I was cutting my teeth in the genre. As with any B-movie, the production values (or lack thereof) may deter some people who are not used to the genre’s conventions. But in my mind’s eye that makes it even more of an exciting cinematic venture.
Note that this film is in the public domain and can easily be found online.
Let me know what you think.