Gun Crazy

(Joseph H. Lewis, US 1950, 87 min., 35mm)

Bart Tare (John Dall), gun-obsessed even as a youth, has recently returned from WWII. His life takes a sudden turn when he meets up with carnival sharpshooter Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummings), a disturbed woman with a lust for crime. The spree they embark on is darkly manic, tinged with a kind of sexual energy rarely seen in the Code era. Director Joseph H. Lewis never rose above the dismissive label of “B-Movie director,” but he was able to do a lot with his small budget, giving the film an innovative feel even as it has many of the trappings of noir—especially the remarkable, one-take bank heist scene. An undeniable influence on both the French New Wave and New Hollywood.

Presented by Stacey Doyle, project archivist, Moving Image Department.