Oct. 28, 2025

Gun Crazy - Love, Obsession, and the Noir Revolution

Gun Crazy - Love, Obsession, and the Noir Revolution

In this episode of the Classic Film Club, we take a thrilling plunge into the world of post-war film noir with the groundbreaking classic *Gun Crazy* (1950). Join host Brian as he unpacks the electrifying story of Bart Tare, a young man whose childhood fascination with firearms spirals into a passionate yet destructive relationship with carnival sharpshooter Laurie Starr. Discover how their intense chemistry propels them into a life of crime, driven by love, obsession, and a thirst for excitement. We delve into the film's revolutionary technical achievements, including the iconic bank robbery sequence shot in a single unedited take, and explore director Joseph H. Lewis's innovative visual style that enhances the narrative's emotional depth. The episode highlights the powerful performances of Peggy Cummins and John Dall, and the hidden history of the screenplay co-written by blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, adding layers of defiance to this tale of outsiders. As we analyze *Gun Crazy*'s lasting impact on cinema, particularly its influence on later films like *Bonnie and Clyde*, we also reflect on its themes of love, obsession, and the costs of passion. Does this classic still resonate with modern audiences? Tune in to find out, and share your thoughts on whether *Gun Crazy* holds up in today's cinematic landscape.

For more, visit our website at https://bitesz.com/podcast/the-classic-film-club-revisited-re-rated and join the conversation on Spotify, YouTubeMusic, and Facebook. Don't forget to subscribe for more cinematic journeys!

WEBVTT

0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160
Brian: Hello and welcome back to the Classic Film

1
00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:04.680
Club, the podcast where we dust off the

2
00:00:04.680 --> 00:00:07.440
reels, revisit Hollywood's golden age

3
00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:10.440
and ask the big question. Do these

4
00:00:10.440 --> 00:00:13.120
classics still hold up today? I'm your host,

5
00:00:13.120 --> 00:00:15.760
Brian. And today we're diving headfirst into

6
00:00:15.760 --> 00:00:18.480
one of the most electrifying examples of post

7
00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.880
war film noir. Gun Crazy.

8
00:00:21.200 --> 00:00:24.200
Released in 1950 and starring Peggy Cummings

9
00:00:24.200 --> 00:00:24.880
and John Dall

10
00:00:34.140 --> 00:00:36.620
the 1950 film noir Gun Crazy

11
00:00:36.780 --> 00:00:39.060
stands as a groundbreaking exploration of

12
00:00:39.060 --> 00:00:41.740
obsession, love and violence in post war

13
00:00:41.740 --> 00:00:44.660
America. This influential movie tells

14
00:00:44.660 --> 00:00:47.300
the story of Bart Tare a young man whose

15
00:00:47.300 --> 00:00:49.260
fascination with firearms begins in

16
00:00:49.260 --> 00:00:52.020
childhood. Not out of violent tendencies, but

17
00:00:52.020 --> 00:00:54.580
from a pure technical interest that lands him

18
00:00:54.580 --> 00:00:56.860
in reform school after stealing a gun.

19
00:00:57.590 --> 00:00:59.750
The film establishes early that Bart isn't

20
00:00:59.750 --> 00:01:02.510
violent by nature, a point he emphasizes to

21
00:01:02.510 --> 00:01:04.790
the judge during his hearing. The narrative

22
00:01:04.790 --> 00:01:06.990
takes a dramatic turn when the adult Bart

23
00:01:06.990 --> 00:01:09.190
encounters Laurie Starr, a carnival

24
00:01:09.190 --> 00:01:11.270
sharpshooter who can hit targets while

25
00:01:11.270 --> 00:01:13.670
blindfolded. Their immediate attraction

26
00:01:13.670 --> 00:01:15.830
ignites a passionate and ultimately

27
00:01:15.830 --> 00:01:18.750
destructive relationship. Lori's thirst for

28
00:01:18.750 --> 00:01:21.110
excitement draws the initially reluctant Bart

29
00:01:21.110 --> 00:01:23.830
into a life of crime, setting them on a path

30
00:01:23.830 --> 00:01:26.410
of no return. Their chemistry is electric

31
00:01:26.410 --> 00:01:28.330
from their first meeting across the carnival

32
00:01:28.330 --> 00:01:30.850
tent marking the beginning of their dangerous

33
00:01:30.850 --> 00:01:33.610
descent. The film's technical achievements

34
00:01:33.610 --> 00:01:36.530
were revolutionary for its time, particularly

35
00:01:36.530 --> 00:01:38.930
the famous bank robbery sequence captured in

36
00:01:38.930 --> 00:01:41.850
a single unedited take from the backseat of a

37
00:01:41.850 --> 00:01:44.770
car. This scene, shot guerrilla

38
00:01:44.770 --> 00:01:46.730
style on real streets with actual

39
00:01:46.730 --> 00:01:49.610
pedestrians, exemplifies director Joseph

40
00:01:49.610 --> 00:01:52.330
H. Lewis innovative approach to filmmaking.

41
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.480
Lewis, nicknamed Wagon Wheel Joe for his

42
00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:58.400
distinctive visual style, made creative use

43
00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:00.400
of unusual camera angles and frames,

44
00:02:00.720 --> 00:02:02.880
including shooting through wagon spokes,

45
00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:05.720
fences and reflections to enhance the

46
00:02:05.720 --> 00:02:08.439
film's artistic impact. The casting

47
00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:10.480
proved crucial to the film's enduring appeal.

48
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.320
Peggy Cummings, at just 25 and born in Wales,

49
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:17.080
brought both sweetness and danger to the role

50
00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:19.710
of Laurie Star. Having already starred

51
00:02:19.710 --> 00:02:22.310
opposite Tyrone Power in the late George

52
00:02:22.310 --> 00:02:25.230
Apley and Forever Amber, Cummings

53
00:02:25.230 --> 00:02:26.790
delivered a performance that feels

54
00:02:26.790 --> 00:02:29.790
startlingly modern. John Dahl's portrayal

55
00:02:29.790 --> 00:02:32.710
of Bart provided a compelling contrast. His

56
00:02:32.710 --> 00:02:35.310
classical training and natural vulnerability

57
00:02:35.710 --> 00:02:37.910
created a character torn between moral

58
00:02:37.910 --> 00:02:40.870
conscience and overwhelming love. Dall was

59
00:02:40.870 --> 00:02:43.430
known for his role in Hitchcock's Rope, where

60
00:02:43.430 --> 00:02:45.470
he demonstrated his ability to portray

61
00:02:45.470 --> 00:02:48.280
complex, troubled characters. An interesting

62
00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:51.280
historical. The screenplay was secretly

63
00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:53.600
co written by Dalton Trumbo, one of the

64
00:02:53.600 --> 00:02:56.600
blacklisted Hollywood 10 due to McCarthy

65
00:02:56.600 --> 00:02:59.000
era censorship. Another writer, Millard

66
00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:00.960
Kaufman, was credited instead.

67
00:03:01.440 --> 00:03:03.640
Trumbo's contribution wasn't officially

68
00:03:03.640 --> 00:03:05.920
acknowledged until decades later, adding

69
00:03:05.920 --> 00:03:08.040
another layer of defiance to this story about

70
00:03:08.040 --> 00:03:10.960
outsiders. While Gun Crazy didn't achieve

71
00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:13.720
immediate commercial success upon its 1950

72
00:03:13.720 --> 00:03:16.070
release, with critics divided between

73
00:03:16.070 --> 00:03:19.030
dismissing it as pulp and recognizing its

74
00:03:19.030 --> 00:03:21.510
innovative qualities, it gained significant

75
00:03:21.750 --> 00:03:24.590
recognition during the 1960s. The

76
00:03:24.590 --> 00:03:26.830
film's influence can be clearly seen in later

77
00:03:26.830 --> 00:03:29.430
works, particularly 1967's

78
00:03:29.430 --> 00:03:32.070
Bonnie and Clyde, with directors Arthur

79
00:03:32.070 --> 00:03:34.950
Penn and Robert Benton directly citing it

80
00:03:34.950 --> 00:03:37.710
as an influence. The production's low budget

81
00:03:37.710 --> 00:03:39.990
actually contributed to its authentic feel.

82
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:42.720
Many scenes were filmed without permits,

83
00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:45.240
using real locations and genuine public

84
00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:47.960
reactions. Director Lewis famously

85
00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:50.120
instructed his leads to perform as if they

86
00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:52.000
were the only two people left in the world,

87
00:03:52.480 --> 00:03:55.080
creating an intense intimacy that permeates

88
00:03:55.080 --> 00:03:57.440
the entire film. This approach

89
00:03:57.600 --> 00:04:00.520
resulted in a documentary like realism that

90
00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.280
was ahead of its time. Originally titled

91
00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.680
Deadly as the Female, the movie was later

92
00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:08.650
renamed Gun Crazy. Though it premiered under

93
00:04:08.650 --> 00:04:11.130
its original title in some cities, today,

94
00:04:11.130 --> 00:04:13.290
it's preserved in the US National Film

95
00:04:13.290 --> 00:04:16.170
Registry. Recognized for its cultural and

96
00:04:16.170 --> 00:04:18.810
artistic significance. The film's enduring

97
00:04:18.810 --> 00:04:21.410
power lies not just in its action sequences

98
00:04:21.570 --> 00:04:24.210
or crime narrative, but in its intimate

99
00:04:24.210 --> 00:04:26.930
portrayal of destructive love and addiction.

100
00:04:27.490 --> 00:04:30.410
Not to crime itself, but to the intensity

101
00:04:30.410 --> 00:04:33.090
of human connection. At its core,

102
00:04:33.550 --> 00:04:36.270
Gun Crazy transcends its noir

103
00:04:36.270 --> 00:04:38.910
origins to become a study of obsession

104
00:04:38.990 --> 00:04:41.990
and the prices we pay for passion. The

105
00:04:41.990 --> 00:04:44.470
film's technical innovations, combined with

106
00:04:44.470 --> 00:04:46.510
its psychological depth and raw energy,

107
00:04:46.910 --> 00:04:49.150
continue to influence filmmakers and

108
00:04:49.229 --> 00:04:51.950
captivate audiences, cementing its place

109
00:04:51.950 --> 00:04:54.790
in cinema history as more than just another

110
00:04:54.790 --> 00:04:57.670
crime thriller. Its exploration of the

111
00:04:57.670 --> 00:05:00.270
relationship between love and obsession and

112
00:05:00.270 --> 00:05:02.950
destruction remains relevant and compelling

113
00:05:02.950 --> 00:05:05.430
for modern viewers, making it a significant

114
00:05:05.590 --> 00:05:08.110
piece of American cinema that continues to

115
00:05:08.110 --> 00:05:10.910
resonate decades after its release. It feels

116
00:05:10.910 --> 00:05:12.630
like you're intruding on something private,

117
00:05:13.190 --> 00:05:16.190
dangerous, and all too human. Let's drop

118
00:05:16.190 --> 00:05:18.630
a few bits of trivia perfect for your next

119
00:05:18.630 --> 00:05:21.390
movie night. Flex. The film's original title

120
00:05:21.390 --> 00:05:23.990
was Deadly as the Female. It premiered under

121
00:05:23.990 --> 00:05:25.750
that name in some cities before being

122
00:05:25.750 --> 00:05:28.670
retitled Gun Crazy. The production was

123
00:05:28.670 --> 00:05:31.110
so low budget that some of the robbery scenes

124
00:05:31.110 --> 00:05:33.750
were shot without permits, using real streets

125
00:05:33.750 --> 00:05:36.390
and unsuspecting townspeople. Director

126
00:05:36.390 --> 00:05:39.310
Joseph H. Lewis told Cummings and Dall to act

127
00:05:39.310 --> 00:05:41.390
like they were the only two people left in

128
00:05:41.390 --> 00:05:43.950
the world. That intimacy defines the

129
00:05:43.950 --> 00:05:46.710
entire film. And that legendary one

130
00:05:46.710 --> 00:05:49.550
take bank robbery sequence. It was filmed

131
00:05:49.550 --> 00:05:51.910
guerrilla style from a real car,

132
00:05:52.230 --> 00:05:55.070
on real streets, using real reactions.

133
00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:58.270
No reshoots, no staged extras, just

134
00:05:58.270 --> 00:06:01.270
pure adrenaline. So does Gun

135
00:06:01.270 --> 00:06:04.080
Crazy still hold up for me? Absolutely. it's

136
00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:06.720
pulpy and stylish, but also deeply

137
00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:08.800
emotional and surprisingly modern.

138
00:06:09.520 --> 00:06:11.840
Underneath the gun smoke, it's really about

139
00:06:11.840 --> 00:06:14.560
addiction. Not to crime, but

140
00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:17.560
to love. Two people who can't escape

141
00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:20.550
each other or themselves. But

142
00:06:20.550 --> 00:06:23.350
what about you? Have you seen Gun Crazy?

143
00:06:23.590 --> 00:06:26.150
Does it still pack a punch in 2025?

144
00:06:26.550 --> 00:06:29.030
Or does it feel like a relic of another age?

145
00:06:29.430 --> 00:06:32.110
Give it a watch, then rate it out of 10 and

146
00:06:32.110 --> 00:06:33.710
drop your thoughts and rating in the

147
00:06:33.710 --> 00:06:35.990
comments. You'll find us on Spotify,

148
00:06:36.070 --> 00:06:38.670
YouTubeMusic and Facebook. Just search the

149
00:06:38.670 --> 00:06:41.110
Classic Film Club. And if you're enjoying

150
00:06:41.110 --> 00:06:43.590
these journeys through cinema's past, make

151
00:06:43.590 --> 00:06:46.560
sure to follow or subscribe so you never miss

152
00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.520
an episode. Next time, we'll tackle

153
00:06:49.520 --> 00:06:52.430
another noir gem. one that asks whether

154
00:06:52.430 --> 00:06:55.310
redemption ever really exists. Until

155
00:06:55.310 --> 00:06:58.190
then, I'm Brian. Your classic

156
00:06:58.190 --> 00:07:00.990
film Tragic. And this has been the Classic

157
00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:01.670
Film Club.