Victor Mature & Diana Dors in "The Long Haul" (1957)

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Upon receiving his military discharge from a U.S. Army Transport Company in Germany, trucker Harry Miller (Victor Mature) looks forward to returning stateside. However, when Harry's British wife Connie (Gene Anderson) asks if they can spend a few months in her hometown of Liverpool before leaving Europe, Harry reluctantly complies.
In Liverpool, Harry goes to work driving for a trucking company owned by Connie's uncle, George H. Mills (Wensley Pithey). Harry's first assignment is to follow veteran driver Casey (Liam Redmond) on a run to Glasgow. Along the way, Casey pulls in to a truck stop where Harry watches as Casey furtively confers with two well-dressed men, stealing the cargo from Casey's truck and tries to stop them. After breaking up the fight, Casey returns a roll of cash to the men and tells Harry to continue on to Glasgow.
Upon delivering his shipment, Harry reports to the dispatch office of the J. Easy Hauling Company. The two men from the truck stop arrive and have a word with the dispatcher, and Harry is denied an assignment. Furious, Harry complains to the trucking company's owner, villain Joe Easy (Patrick Allen). Joe orders his thugs to get rid of Harry, and so they beat him up and throw him into the alley, where he is found by Joe's girl friend Lynn (Diana Dors). Lynn patches up Harry, after which he returns home to Connie and his young son Butch (Michael Wade).
Soon after, George asks Harry to take over Casey's delivery of a shipment of Scotch to Glasgow. Lynn begs Harry for a ride. A teeming rainstorm forces them to take shelter at a roadside café. There Lynn explains that she is only with Joe for purposes of self-preservation and confides that she is worried about her brother Frank (Peter Reynolds), who works as Joe's bookkeeper. The next morning, a remorseful Harry hears someone drive off in his truck and accuses Lynn of setting him up for the hijacking.
Joe accuses Harry of keeping Lynn. Harry denies it, then makes up with Lynn, who is working there as a taxi dancer at the Congo Club.
Joe offers Harry a percentage of the cut to steal a valuable truckload of fur pelts, and passage on a ship to Boston in return for driving the truck. Lynn warns Harry not to get involved with Joe, then begs him to meet her at the park that afternoon.
At the park, Lynn meets Harry. Butch falls off a swing and Harry hurriedly takes him home. Connie accuses Harry of betraying them. As the two argue, Connie blurts out that Butch is not Harry's son.
Harry informs Lynn that he has left his wife. Harry feels guilty about leaving Connie and Butch destitute, and decides to deliver some money to them. Lynn convinces him to let her make the delivery because the police will probably be watching the building. When Lynn rings the doorbell, she finds the doctor (John Welsh) telling Connie to call an ambulance because Butch has suffered a brain hemorrhage from his fall off the swing. Lynn hands the money to Connie, then returns to Harry. Harry insists on returning home and arrives just as the ambulance attendants are carrying Butch out on a stretcher. As the police surround Harry, Connie sobs on his shoulder, then joins Butch in the ambulance. Lynn watches as the police lead Harry away, then instructs the cab driver to take her to the Congo Club.
A 1957 British Black & White drama film written & directed by Ken Hughes, produced by Maxwell Setton, based on Mervyn Mills' 1956 novel of the same name, cinematography by Basil Emmott, starring Victor Mature, Diana Dors, Patrick Allen, Gene Anderson, Peter Reynolds, Liam Redmond, John Welsh, Meier Tzelniker, Michael Wade, Dervis Ward, Murray Kash, Jameson Clark, John Harvey, Roland Brand, Stanley Rose, Barry Raymond, Norman Rossington, Arthur Mullard, Sam Kydd, and Madge Brindley. Screen debut appearance of Susan Campbell.
Based on Mervyn Mills' first novel, which stemmed from his journeys through early post-war Britain on a moped, before the advent of the motorways, on the Great North Road, observing the lives of the long-distance lorry drivers, their roadside cafes and the people, often women, who frequented them. The book was turned down by 12 publishers, then accepted by the 13th, and even then Mills had to fight for his artistic integrity with the director and general editor Lovat Dickson to retain the more colourful passages.
The truck mainly used in this film is a 1955 Leyland Octopus. When first seen at the U.S. Army base in Germany, Harry is driving a Rio M35. Easy's car is a 1956 Ford Zephyr MKII 2-door convertible.
Just prior to embarking on the final run, Easy hands Harry a map with the route marked. The map is an Esso road map of Great Britain which were issued complimentary to haulage firms at the time, although motorists could also purchase them.
A decent little unsavory thriller, well photographed. The story is familiar, but it's handled with cold, professional skill. The performers are perfectly cast in this completely satisfying British B-noir.