Joseph H. Lewis' Gun Crazy is a stylish example of the doomed-lovers-on-the-run
subgenre inspired by real-life outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
The film is essentially a story of a boy named Bart Tare (Russ Tamblyn) who loves
guns for sport but refuses to harm any living being with them. After stealing one
from a local store, he is caught and sent to a reformatory.
The story continues four reformatory years plus one army hitch later when an adult
Bart (John Dall) is discharged. He and some friends go to a cheap carnival where he
sees and immediately falls for a trick shot artist, Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins).
He beats her in a shooting contest but is offered a job in the act rather than the
prize he was supposed to win. Bart is unaware of her dark past, which includes hints
of prostitution and the murder of a man in St. Louis. After a showdown with the jealous
carnival owner they run off together and get married. When their money runs out, Bart
wants to get a job but Annie Laurie's mind runs in a different direction, armed robbery. Reluctantly, Bart gives in and they set off on a spree of low paying stickups. By this
time, Bart is increasingly aware that Annie Laurie has homicidal tendencies that he is
barely able to keep under control. They plan a big-time robbery during which she kills
two people without his knowledge.
The rest of the movie deals with their flight from justice and ultimate payment for
their crimes. In all, it is a classic scenario of "Bad Girl" leads a "Good Boy" into evil.
They renamed it "Deadly Is The Female" in 1950 for its release in England, reason being
that co-star Peggy Cummins was British and emphasizing the female star would be better box-office.
Source
subgenre inspired by real-life outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
The film is essentially a story of a boy named Bart Tare (Russ Tamblyn) who loves
guns for sport but refuses to harm any living being with them. After stealing one
from a local store, he is caught and sent to a reformatory.
The story continues four reformatory years plus one army hitch later when an adult
Bart (John Dall) is discharged. He and some friends go to a cheap carnival where he
sees and immediately falls for a trick shot artist, Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins).
He beats her in a shooting contest but is offered a job in the act rather than the
prize he was supposed to win. Bart is unaware of her dark past, which includes hints
of prostitution and the murder of a man in St. Louis. After a showdown with the jealous
carnival owner they run off together and get married. When their money runs out, Bart
wants to get a job but Annie Laurie's mind runs in a different direction, armed robbery. Reluctantly, Bart gives in and they set off on a spree of low paying stickups. By this
time, Bart is increasingly aware that Annie Laurie has homicidal tendencies that he is
barely able to keep under control. They plan a big-time robbery during which she kills
two people without his knowledge.
The rest of the movie deals with their flight from justice and ultimate payment for
their crimes. In all, it is a classic scenario of "Bad Girl" leads a "Good Boy" into evil.
They renamed it "Deadly Is The Female" in 1950 for its release in England, reason being
that co-star Peggy Cummins was British and emphasizing the female star would be better box-office.
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment