Johnny Dark Movie Book

22 There were even two one - off vehicles standing in for fictional factory prototypes: the Bohman Special and the Tatum Special. The latter, powered by a hot - rodded GMC 302 inline - six, provided the majority of the sound effects for the racing scenes -- which almost makes up for the numerous instances of tires screeching on dirt that the Foley artists thought appropriate in the 1950s. Remarkably, Geoff knows where several of the movie cars are today, has a good hunch as to the location of several more, and doesn't know of any having been destroyed, junked, or otherwise lost forever. After seeing the film, you may decide you want to find and own one for yourself. The good news is that, with the exception of the one - offs, there are a few of these old kit cars in various stages of completion still around at remarkably affordable prices -- especially compared with their handbuilt European contemporaries. Even if home - brewed Yankee sports cars aren't your thing, there's still a lot to recommend Johnny Dark to the old - car enthusiast. The beginning of the film is set at the factory and test track of the fictional "Fielding Motors," for which the Willys factory in Toledo, Ohio, and the Packard Proving Grounds in Utica, Michigan, stood in. It's a great, almost documentary - like, Technicolor tour of those facilities in their prime. Appropriately, there are numerous "Fielding" sedans driven around by various characters that are easily recognizable as mildly customized Willys Aeros -- including heiress - turned - auto - stylist Liz Fielding's purportedly supercharged model. Technophiles will enjoy the scenes showcasing the fabrication of the prototype X150, which are filmed around a not - yet - completed Woodill kit, including its Willys F - head six, and Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car readers will appreciate the "airport race" scenes, which were filmed at the actual Santa Barbara Labor Day Races in 1953, and include footage of, among others, Phil Hill in his Ferrari 250 MM. Moreover, the handling of the dramatic border - to - border race scenes was entrusted to Hill, Louis Tomei, Chuck Tatum (builder of the Tatum Special) and other famous racers of the day. Finally, Johnny Dark is just an all - over enjoyable film. Sure, it's not The Caine Mutiny or Rear Window, but do not mistake this for a B - movie. This was an A - list Hollywood production for 1954, and it is well acted, enjoyably scripted and extremely well shot. It's not groundbreaking, and has been forgotten among the legion of car movies that came in its wake, but it's a great time capsule of optimistic, early 1950s America and the sports car craze that was going on at that time.