Gun Crazy

1950

1h 27m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

300

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2 Videos

46 Images

Crime

Romance

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.

Directors

Joseph H. Lewis

Writers

MacKinlay Kantor(screenplay by)

Dalton Trumbo(screenplay by)

Millard Kaufman(screenplay by)

Stars

Peggy Cummins

John Dall

Berry Kroeger

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Videos2

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Watch "I Told You I Was No Good" Clip
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Photos46

Top cast

Annie Laurie Starr

Bart Tare

Packett

Judge Willoughby

Ruby Tare Flagler

Sheriff Clyde Boston

Dave Allister

Sheriff Boston

Bart Tare (Age 7)

Bart Tare (Age 14)

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

Directors

Joseph H. Lewis

Writers

MacKinlay Kantor(screenplay by)

Dalton Trumbo(screenplay by)

Millard Kaufman(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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User reviews1

Review

Featured review

9/10

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

John Chard07 Jun, 2014