Gun Crazy
directed by Joseph E. Lewis

I've always liked older movies. Over the past few years I've been watching more noir films. This 1949 film, although it obviously was not explicit in terms of sex or violence, was nonetheless quite bold at how it used those two themes. It was something which was likely Tarantino before its time. It certainly had to have made an impression on Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde, in terms of the beret wearing female lead, the innovative camera work and the automobile being used as metaphor for danger and freedom.

Although as mentioned there's little here that would offend modern audiences in terms of sex/violence (people fall down wordlessly when they're shot, an attractive woman runs while wearing tight clothing) in some aspects this is an intensely sexy film. The leads had great chemistry together.

Bart Tare (John Dall) is an aw shucks kind of guy who, despite being unwilling to harm any living creature, has since childhood been obsessed with firearms of all kinds. Not only is he a natural marksman, he works continually to improve his aim and speed. After a stint in reform school for stealing a gun he's spent much of his adult life in the army training other soldiers to shoot. Coming home, he and his friends attend a carnival featuring skilled sharpshooter Annie Starr (Peggy Cummins), a young woman who shows off incredible gun skills to the audience and routinely defeats any challengers.

Both Annie and Bart like what they see in each other. Egged on by his friends, Bart challenges Annie to a duel of skills, and wins. THAT really turns Annie on. She convinces the carnival boss Packett (Berry Kroeger) to hire Bart. As Bart finds out though Packett and Annie have history together. And Packett at least would like to have a future with Annie.

One night Bart prevents Packett from assaulting Annie. Packett fires them both. Bart and Annie get married. The two don't have much money. Annie loves Bart because by her lights he's a real man with guts. But she has no interest in waiting around for him to build a life for her on a $40/week job that he hasn't found yet. She has ideas for quick money, robberies. Bart agrees provided no one gets hurt. But Annie doesn't have the same objections to violence that hubby does.

This was an entertaining movie that in so many ways was the filmic incarnation of the later Eagles lyrics:


The husband and wife have different pasts and different ideas about the utility of violence. They argue with each other, but they are incredibly loyal to and protective of each other, no matter what. This was really more Cummins' film than Dall's. Annie is always watching her husband's back and woe to anyone she thinks will harm Bart, even his relatives or cops. Dall and Cummins improvised much of their dialog with each other, which added to the film's naturalistic feel.