Tue 13 Apr 2010
A Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: GUNN (1967).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[13] Comments
GUNN. Paramount, 1967. Craig Stevens (Peter Gunn), Laura Devon (Edie), Edward Asner, Albert Paulsen, Sherry Jackson, Helen Traubel (Mother), Regis Toomey. Story-screenplay-director: Blake Edwards.
Gunn is an elegantly tasteless thing, from the TV series Peter Gunn, with Craig Stevens tossing off bemused sophistication like a blonde wiggling out of a nightie. As written and directed by Blake Edwards (a variable commodity, but rather effective here) the film offers dry wit delivered with deadpan dexterity, stylish violence (including torture by racquetball) and a fine, kinky, savage wrap-up.
It also offers Sherry Jackson popping up nude in Gunn’s apartment like the cinematic equivalent of a cheap paperback. Thinking it over, I have to say her motivation for this isn’t really convincing, but as I recall seeing it at the movies, it didn’t bother me a bit. I should also put in good words for Ed Asner, who inherits the Lt. Jacoby role and plays it quite well, and a minor actress named Marion Marshall as “Daisy Jane,” a tricky part which she brings off neatly.
April 13th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
This is a movie that seems to be all but forgotten, and I don’t understand why. Only three people have left comments on IMDB, for example, and there’s never been a commercial release for it, so far as I can tell.
(There was a VHS release of the 1989 Peter Strauss TV remake that I thought was fairly bad at the time, but I think that was simply because Strauss wasn’t Craig Stevens, and Barbara Williams certainly wasn’t Lola Albright.)
I don’t remember where or when I saw the movie that Dan reviewed, but I’m sure I did, or maybe it was only the issue of PLAYBOY that I’m remembering, but either way, Sherry Jackson’s famous scene didn’t bother me either.
— Steve
April 13th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Sherry Jackson’s scene ‘bothered’ me, but not in the sense others were describing.
This is a better film than it gets credit for an the closest we will ever get to an adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s VENGEANCE IS MINE — a reminder that before he did PETER GUNN, Edwards did a pilot with Brian Keith as Mike Hammer …
My favorite scene is with Gunn and the tough in the bar, a great example of camera angle making all the difference in your interpretation of what you are seeing.
The Strauss film isn’t bad, it just isn’t Gunn.
April 13th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
The Sherry Jackson scene did stir up a little controversy at the time because she was an ex child star from Danny Thomas MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY series. Although that’s a bit different than being bothered by its relation to the plot.
April 13th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Ah. I’d forgotten about that. It always helps to have the proper perspective.
As for the Peter Strauss remake, also a Blake Edwards production, I went to look at the comments left on IMDB, and almost everyone agreed with you, that it wasn’t bad at all. Many even enjoyed it.
I’d have to see it again before saying my opinion had changed, but right now all I’m conceding is that I could have been wrong.
April 14th, 2010 at 12:34 am
A film I quite enjoyed when I saw it as a sneak preview back in the days when *sneak preview” features weren’t advertised in the paper beforehand.
The audience in Westwood CA loved it that night, and I ended up surprised that it wasn’t more successful in release. Maybe most of the people who saw it and had fond memories of the TV show were turned off by the more sensationalized elements of the feature and spread the word about GUNN.
I bought DVDs of this, and Blake Edwards’ other successful thriller EXPERIMENT IN TERROR, in the collector’s market within the last year but haven’t yet rewatched them.
I also purchased similar complete sets of the PETER GUNN and MR. LUCKY television series. (The MR. LUCKY DVD set’s quality leaves a lot to be desired. Ross Martin’s supporting performance still shines through though).
I admit I am much more of a Blake Edwards’ admirer than a lot of other people. I own at least 9-10 of his better films and films like BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, SOLDIER IN THE RAIN, OPERATION PETTICOAT, VICTOR-VICTORIA, and even THE GREAT RACE all bring me considerable pleasure.
Overall Edwards’ body of work reminds me of that of a lesser Stanley Donen, whom I also think is far better than his critical reputation would lead one to believe.
April 14th, 2010 at 12:43 am
I mean that Blake Edwards is like a less talented Stanley Donen; not that Donen is less talented than Edwards. My enjoyment of Edwards only goes so far.
I forgot to mention “10” (one of Edwards’ very best films); and S.O.B., which I think finally triumphs in spite of the very unfortunate vanity mis-casting of Edwards’ wife Julie Andrews.
April 14th, 2010 at 12:50 am
Haven’t seen this film, although I’ve wanted to ever since I got hooked on DVDs of the TV series. The most interesting thing about the feature version to me is the co-writing credit for EXORCIST novelist William Peter Blatty.
April 14th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Vince, I sure missed that when I was getting Dan’s review ready to post and adding the screen credits. About Blatty, I mean. You have to click on “See more” before you discover it, and I’m with you: Very Interesting.
— Steve
April 14th, 2010 at 2:15 am
I agree about Edwards. At his best he was very good, and even lesser films like DARLING LILI have their moments. There are a few stinkers, but then even the great John Ford did SEVEN WOMEN. You just have to give most directors a few stinkers in the mix.
As for PETER GUNN, having got his start creating RICHARD DIAMOND on radio for Dick Powell Edwards just naturally had a good tec series in him. GUNN the movie is very good, but came too late, well into the Bond craze. Ironic because most critics credit Gunn as the transition for American audiences from the Mike Hammer style hero to the James Bond style. In 1967 Gunn just seemed out of step, a fond memory, no longer hot or cool.
Re William Peter Blatty, he did quite a few screenplays, notably JOHN GOLDFARB PLEASE COME HOME based on his novel. His book TWINKLE, TWINKLE KILLER KANE was also a film with Stacy Keach as THE NINTH CONFIGURATION also with a Blatty script.
Re MR. LUCKY, there’s a pretty good novel based on the series from Dell by Marvin Albert as Al Conroy, and of course the PETER GUNN novel was by Peter Chambers creator Henry Kane — a natural for it.
June 11th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
[…] movie Gunn was reviewed here on this blog by Dan Stumpf about a month ago. […]
November 12th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Anyone know how to see the unedited version of this movie Gunn?
The one on Netflix is the edited version.
Is it even possible?
November 12th, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Mike
You might try a site such as eBay or iOffer.com. There are a couple of iOffer sellers with copies for sale, but whether they are edited or not, you’d have to ask, and then they might not even know.
— Steve
February 20th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Better Late Than Never Dept.:
How everything ties together here:
Marion Marshall, who played *SPOILER WARNING* in this picture, was at one time married to Stanley Donen.
Subsequent to that marriage, Marion Marshall became Robert Wagner’s wife, in between Natalie Wood’s terms.
(Which makes her Benjamin Harrison?)