Desperate is a 1947 suspense film noir directed by Anthony Mann and featuring Steve Brodie, Audrey Long, Raymond Burr, Douglas Fowley, William Challee and Jason Robards.

[2] Steve Randall (Brodie) is an independent trucker who is hired by an old friend to haul some freight.

Steve wants no part of the plot and resists, but a cop is killed as they're committing the burglary, and all except one manage to get away.

Later, after kidnapping and assaulting Steve, the criminals, led by Walt Radak (Burr), threaten to mutilate Randall's wife (Long) unless Steve confesses to the murder committed by Radak's brother, captured during the theft and sentenced to death for the cop-killing.

Steve then discovers his wife is pregnant with their first child, making the stakes even higher that they get away to safety.