Directed by:
Joseph H. LewisCinematography:
Russell HarlanComposer:
Victor YoungCast:
Peggy Cummins, John Dall, Berry Kroeger, Morris Carnovsky, Anabel Shaw, Harry Lewis, Nedrick Young, Trevor Bardette, Mickey Little, Russ Tamblyn, Don Beddoe (more)VOD (1)
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When gun fancier Bart Tare sees Annie Laurie Starr's sideshow sharpshooting act, he's a dead-bang goner. He and she go together, as Bart ultimately says, 'like guns and ammunition'. The two become bank robbers on the run, eluding roadblocks and roaring into movie history as one of the benchmark film-noir works. Joseph H. Lewis directs this ferocious thriller, selected for the National Film Registry and often cited as a forerunner to Bonnie and Clyde. Peggy Cummins and John Dall star, meeting in a sexually charged carny shooting contest and soon driven by impulses of violence and arousal they don't fully understand. They're young, foolish, doomed - and point blank in Gun Crazy's unforgiving sights. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Penn's take on Bonnie and Clyde is looked down on, but otherwise it's a quality noir that would make hirnlego very happy, because the woman is the origin of all evil: o) What sets this likeable low-budget piece apart from the work of the time are the innovative elements used – in particular, the camera view from the backseat of a car, capturing the bank robberies live, absolutely blew me away, a previously unused idea that will do your taste buds good.
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If it were filmed today, perhaps it would be even better in the sense that it could be grittier, which wouldn't harm the film at all. On the other hand, it's already quite gritty at times for its era, which adds to its power. Moreover, the actress in the main role is simply captivating, both in her acting and her appearance. A film that clearly can't end well. It's just a shame that there are too many variations on Bonnie and Clyde.
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