The thought of an introduction bores me. Let's just do this.
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Old School Movie Review
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“Gun Crazy” will be on Turner Classic Movies at midnight on Friday night.
"Gun Crazy" (1950)
"We go together, Annie," Bart Tare tells his gun-toting sweetheart. "Maybe like guns and ammunition go together."
The two sharp-shooters meet when Bart (John Dall) goes to see Annie Laurie Starr's (Peggy Cummins) act at the carnival, where she stars as a lovely expert marksman. They go head-to-head in a shoot-out, he wins and they fall in love. After touring together for awhile, Bart and Laurie ditch the show, run away together and get hitched. Unfortunately for Bart, settling down wasn't going to satisfy his little lady and what is more romantic than going on a couples' crime spree? "I want action!" Laurie demands, and the duo puts their shooting skills with a series of robberies.
Their roles in "Gun Crazy" were widely considered to be Dall's and Cummins' best. Peggy Cummins perfectly plays the femme fatale, with innocence on the surface and just a hint of insanity behind her eyes, which would be lost on her undiscerning prey. Also known as "Deadly is the Female," Bart never stood a chance with a woman like Laurie.
Although it was a flop at the time of its release, "Gun Crazy" has become a cult favorite, loved both by critics and fans, and is considered a film noir classic. Unlike some film noirs, which get bogged down in too many necessary details and overly complicated schemes, "Gun Crazy" keeps the focus on the slightly deranged lovers right where it should be. There are several interesting uses of perspective, especially in the chase sequences that are filmed as if you're seeing it through the couple's eyes, that takes the movie from good to great. It's a film nerd's delight.
Fun fact: The screenplay was written by Dalton Trombo, one of "The Hollywood 10" blacklisted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities; Millard Kaufman's name was used as a front for Trumbo. The real screenwriter wasn't made known until years later.
"Gun Crazy" will be on Turner Classic Movies at midnight on Oct. 2 (Friday night, for all intents and purposes). It's also part of a Friday night feature on TCM on "Lovers on the Run," including "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) with Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty at 8 p.m., "Badlands" (1973) with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek at 10 p.m., "They Live By Night" (1949) at 1:30 a.m. and Martin Scorscese's "Boxcar Bertha" (1972) at 3:15 a.m.
WHAT'S NEW
The fall premiere bonanza is essentially over, but here are a few new offerings coming up in the coming week:
If you think you're right for the show, send only your e-mail address to Joe@TheMarriageRef.TV and you will be given instructions on how to apply.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
It's SUNY Fredonia Homecoming Weekend and the theme is Hollywood. I love talking to Fredonia State alums about the good old days, when the drinking age was 18 and there was a bar on campus called the Sundowner. Here is a handful of the weekend's events for alumni and students to mark on their calendars:
For the complete schedule of Homecoming events, visit www.fredonia.edu.
Other events this weekend:
It's getting to be that time of year again so send your Halloween events my way.
April Diodato is the OBSERVER Lifestyles editor. Give her the dish on what's happening at adiodato@observertoday.com
