Gun Crazy (1991)

good back-story, and good acting

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Classic 'Flim Noir' One of the most distinguished works of art to emerge from the B movie swamp. Art it is with most of the films dialog was performed via improvisation. There is the famous bank robbery scene that is shot in one continuous take from the back seat of the getaway car. Repeat 'one take' improvised acting genius . A well meaning crack shot husband is pressured by his beautiful marksman wife to go on an interstate robbery spree, where he finds out just how depraved and deadly she really is. 'Gun Crazy' is a Quintessential film-noir .

A man obsessed with guns falls in love with a reckless carnival sharp-shooter, but her ambitions draw him to the dark side.Moralizing tale of a crime spree, with good performances but an uninspired story. The male character's background is shown in a prologue and we can pretty much piece his motivations together, but the female character is a mystery who only once lets slip a tidbit from her past so we can form an idea of how she got this way. The depravity is contained, not just because we're encouraged to take the view of the law enforcers, but also because the relationship is shown in cute close-ups without a hint of savagery. The tension does mount as the net tightens, but I got a bit tired toward the end of what is a short run time.Most interesting element is the POV camera during a long take that tells the story of a heist - all from a fixed point behind the driver of the getaway car, with the only flaw an unconvincing run-in with a cop.Music is emotional but not too intrusive for a 1950s production. Direction and photography had their moments.Overall: well told story, but too tame.

In this "white-trash-meets-white-trash" picture, I found its most shocking (and, at the same time, most unintentionally hilarious) scene of all was when (as a 12-year-old, gun-crazy, delinquent) Bart Tare guns down (are you ready for this?) a cute, baby chick. I mean, you really have to see this scene (in all of its preposterous over-dramatization) to know what I'm talking about here. But, believe me, it's a hoot! One of Gun Crazy's biggest problems was that, every step of the way, the viewer could clearly see exactly where its story was going. So, that, in turn, rendered its climatic, final showdown as being nothing but a complete and total let-down.Another thing that didn't impress me much about Gun Crazy was its two light-weight, lead actors, Peggy Cummins and John Dall. Yeah. OK. The element of sleaziness was definitely there - But, on the whole, any genuine, gun-lusting chemistry between this trashy dynamic duo clearly missed the mark, in the long run.

Joseph H. Lewis directed this memorable film that stars John Dall as Bart Tare, who is portrayed as a gun-loving child in trouble with the law, who grows into an expert marksman, just out of the army, who meets Annie Laurie Starr(played by Peggy Cummins) in her sharpshooting act in a carnival. They instantly fall in love, though his dire financial situation inspires her to prod him into an escalating series of robberies, that make them wanted criminals on a multi-state crime spree. Annie is excited by the violence, though Bart isn't, which will eventually lead to the final pursuit as the authorities close in... Exciting and well-acted film with interesting role-reversal, though of course the inevitable outcome is the same...