Gun Crazy (1950)

January 20, 1950 (US) • Crime, Romance, Drama • 87m

Overview

Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns, he meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they embark on a crime spree for cash.

Director

Joseph H. Lewis

Writers

MacKinlay Kantor, Dalton Trumbo, Millard Kaufman, MacKinlay Kantor

Top Billed

Peggy Cummins

Keywords

gun carnival film noir sharpshooter payroll robbery based on short story gun violence crime spree gun shooting gun culture gun enthusiast fugitive lovers

Where to watch

Free / Included

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Peggy Cummins

Annie Laurie Starr

John Dall

Bart Tare

Berry Kroeger

Packett

Morris Carnovsky

Judge Willoughby

Anabel Shaw

Ruby Tare Flagler

Harry Lewis

Sheriff Clyde Boston

Nedrick Young

Dave Allister

Trevor Bardette

Sheriff Boston

Mickey Little

Bart Tare (Age 7)

Russ Tamblyn

Bart Tare (Age 14)

Paul Frison

Clyde Boston (Age 14)

David Bair

Dave Allister (Child)

Stanley Prager

Bluey-Bluey

Virginia Farmer

Miss Wynn

Anne O'Neal

Miss Augustine Sifert

Frances Irvin

Danceland Singer

Robert Osterloh

Hampton Policeman

Shimen Ruskin

Cab Driver

Harry Hayden

Mr. Mallenberg

John Alban

Office Worker (uncredited)

Tony Barr

Proprietor / Diner Cook (uncredited)

Don Beddoe

Chicago Man (uncredited)

Joseph Crehan

Plant Foreman (uncredited)

Eddie Dunn

State Policeman on Phone (uncredited)

Dick Elliott

Man Fleeing Robbed Market (uncredited)

Ross Elliott

Detective (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum

Cashier (uncredited)

Kay Garrett

Carnival Patron (uncredited)

Pat Gleason

Carnival Barker (uncredited)

James Gonzalez

Dance Hall Patron (uncredited)

Arthur Hecht

Ira Flagler (uncredited)

Carl M. Leviness

Office Worker (uncredited)

George Lynn

Holdup Victim (uncredited)

Ernesto Molinari

Dance Hall Patron (uncredited)

William J. O'Brien

Customer at Sharpshooting Act (uncredited)

Monty O'Grady

Dance Hall Patron (uncredited)

Jeffrey Sayre

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Ray Teal

California Border Inspector (uncredited)

Dale Van Sickel

Meat Plant Guard (uncredited)

Crew

Joseph H. Lewis

Director

MacKinlay Kantor

Screenplay

Dalton Trumbo

Screenplay

Millard Kaufman

Screenplay

Frank King

Producer

Maurice King

Producer

Russell Harlan

Director of Photography

Harry Gerstad

Editor

Victor Young

Original Music Composer

Gordon Wiles

Production Design

Raymond Boltz Jr.

Set Decoration

Stuart Frye

Music Editor

MacKinlay Kantor

Story

Tom Lambert

Sound Engineer

Herman King

Technical Advisor

Carla Hadley

Hairstylist

Lew Morphy

Stand In

Dale Van Sickel

Stunts

Lloyd Garnell

Gaffer

Eddie Jones

Still Photographer

Harry Lewis

Grip

Al J. Jennings

Technical Advisor

Norma Koch

Costume Design

Allen K. Wood

Production Manager

Frank Heath

Assistant Director

Sidney Cutner

Orchestrator

Leo Shuken

Orchestrator

Jack Herzberg

Continuity

Arthur Gardner

Producer's Assistant

Madeleine Robinson

Dialogue Coach

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 9/10

June 7, 2014

The Real Sex Pistols.

Bart Tare (John Dall) had a fascination with guns from an early age, even getting sent to a reform school at the age of 14 for yet another gun related incident. Back home now as an adult, after a stint in the army, he falls for a sharp-shooting carnival girl called Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins) and promptly joins the act. But after a fall out with the boss, the pair hit the road and turn to a life of crime - with Annie particularly showing a thirst for gun-play.

No doubt inspired by real life outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, "Deadly Is the Female" (AKA: Gun Crazy) is as good a "doomed lovers on the lam" picture that has ever been made. It may be a "B" movie in terms of production, but no doubt about it, this film is stylish, crafty and also very sexy. Directed by the unsung Joseph H. Lewis ("My Name Is Julia Ross/The Big Combo"), it's based on a story written by MacKinlay Kantor that was reworked by Millard Kaufman (AKA: the then blacklisted "Dalton Trumbo"), into one that links sex and violence whilst simultaneously casting an eye over gun worship and its place in the American way of life. Dall & Cummings looked on the surface an odd pairing, but under Lewis' direction they go together like gun and holster (ahem). He is well spoken, almost elegantly fragile with his musings, yet underneath there is still this twitchy gun fanatic. She is savvy, almost virginal in sexuality, but ultimately she's a wild cat who's practically un-tamable.

The work of Lewis here should not be understated, check out the quite sublime continuous one take bank robbery. While marvel throughout at his long takes, use of angles, deep focus and jerking camera movements - all of which dovetail with our protagonists as they go on their nihilistic journey. But perhaps his master-stoke was with his preparation tactics for his two leads?. Sending them out with permission to improvise, he fired them up with sexual pep talks, and the result, in spite of the inevitable "code" restrictions, is a near masterpiece, a true genre highlight, and a film that continues to influence as much as it still entertains. 9/10

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Gun Crazy (1950)

MacKinlay Kantor, Dalton Trumbo, Millard Kaufman, MacKinlay Kantor

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

John Chard

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