.png)
My Gun Is Quick is a Mike Hammer adventure that defies expectations and stands strong despite numerous challenges. Originating from the mind of Mickey Spillane, the film navigates the inherent issues of its creator's style, its largely unknown cast and crew, and the general dismissiveness of its existence. However, like the curate's egg, parts of it are quite good.
The story begins with an exhausted Mike Hammer (Robert Bray) stumbling into a diner after a 52-hour stakeout. He flirts with a young hooker and, feeling sorry for her, gives her bus fare back to Nebraska. When she is found dead the next morning, Hammer takes it personally. A baroque ring she wore turns out to be from an Italian treasure stolen during the war.
Seeking to avenge her death, Hammer delves into the underbelly of Los Angeles, hunting down the missing loot and the murderers.
This is not the same Los Angeles where previous gumshoes like Dick Powell, Humphrey Bogart, and Robert Montgomery operated. It is the late-Eisenhower era L.A., marked by freeways, oil derricks, and strip clubs. The city's landscape is changing, with the Mexican presence becoming increasingly prominent.
Even the wealthy live in '50s-moderne showplaces filled with spindly blonde furniture and plate glass walls. Yet, Hammer's quest remains the familiar one of multiple murders, duplicity, and dangerous femmes fatales..png)
.png)
The movie wisely presents Hammer 'as is,' not shying away from his easy violence, racism, and misogyny. He frequently uses slurs like 'greaseball' and barks orders at his secretary Velda. However, the film keeps its distance and does not glamorize him, though it does acknowledge his primitive 'code.'
Despite being a gritty, low-budget film with a no-name cast, My Gun Is Quick proves to be a surprisingly good watch. Robert Bray's portrayal of Hammer is direct and human, without being overly handsome or larger-than-life. This Mike Hammer is believable and relatable.
.png)
The film opens with Hammer meeting a young lady who dreams of making it big in Hollywood but is forced into prostitution. After a brief conversation, Hammer gives her money to return home to the Midwest. Later, he learns of her death, supposedly a hit-and-run. Hammer knows better and spends the rest of the film tracking down her killers, uncovering a connection to an old jewel robbery.
The soundtrack, composed by John Towner Williams, then 25 years old and later famous for Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Schindler's List, among others, adds a unique element to the film. While the score may seem overbearing to some, it fits the film's crass and brassy style.
The plot of My Gun Is Quick is convoluted, possibly to distract from the thin characterizations. Despite this, the story is excellent, and the film is a good example of film noir. Shot in black and white by Harry Neumann, the movie has a retro look, complemented by a jazzy, percussive score by Marlin Skiles. One distinctive passage features Hammer looking down at a chaotic scene through an upstairs window, filmed entirely without dialogue, with only the sounds of wind, surf, and muted bongo drums.
.png)
My Gun Is Quick presents a curious case in the world of film noir, navigating through shouting actors, posed scenes, and a plot rife with impossible coincidences. Despite these drawbacks, the film holds a certain charm, not least because of its vintage location footage of 1950s Los Angeles. Starring the relatively unknown Robert Bray as private detective Mike Hammer, the movie revolves around Hammer's investigation into the murder of a prostitute he had tried to help.
.png)
The story begins with Hammer encountering a young prostitute named Red in a greasy diner. After giving her bus fare to return to Nebraska, he learns of her murder the next morning. This tragic event leads him into a complex web involving international criminals and a missing piece of jewelry from an Italian treasure stolen during the war. Hammer's quest takes him through the underbelly of Los Angeles, from strip clubs to the luxurious homes of the wealthy, each step revealing more about the murder and the stolen jewels.
.png)
.png) |
| Great sandwiches of film noir with My Gun Is Quick (1957) |
Which blasted forward into the full conscious of the lobby-going popcorners who studiously balanced the mook factor with the beaten dame factor with the car chase and thrill of death factor, before reading up on the poster tags which ran advertorialy as follows that very day in '57:
IT RIPS - DEEP AS THE CLAW OF A KILLER! IT STRIPS - DOWN TO THE RAW THRILLS THAT ONLY SPILLANE COULD DISH OUT! (original poster - all caps)A Band New Blast Of That Mickey Spillane Brand Of Terror...Teasing...And Trigger-Hot Action (original poster)Million-Dollar DAMES...A Million-Buck HEIST!...A Million Volt SHOCKER! (original poster)The High Society Dame Who Played It Lowdown And Dirty! - The Secretary Who "Worked" After Hours! - The Stripper Who Knew How To Tease! - The Blonde Who Left Her Bedroom Door Open! (original poster)"What'll It Be, Mike Honey - Me and a Million in Hot Diamonds...Or A Cheap Funeral!"
The film’s strengths lie in its gritty portrayal of Hammer, who is unabashedly violent, racist, and misogynistic. The movie does not glamorize his character but shows him as a product of his harsh environment. Bray’s performance, while not charismatic, brings a certain authenticity to Hammer, making him a believable, if not entirely likable, figure.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
The film’s most striking feature is its visual presentation. Shot in black and white by Harry Neumann, the cinematography captures the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, especially in a tense junkyard scene that ultimately falls flat. The soundtrack, composed by John Towner Williams, adds to the film's atmosphere with its jazzy, percussive score, though some may find it overbearing.
.png)
Despite its flaws, My Gun Is Quick provides a fascinating glimpse into 1950s Los Angeles, with scenes of freeways, oil derricks, and the city's sprawling landscape. This nostalgic element, combined with Hammer’s relentless pursuit of justice, makes the film an interesting, albeit flawed, piece of noir cinema..png)
.png)
The film concludes with a climactic confrontation on the docks at Long Beach, where Hammer finally recovers the stolen jewels. The actors, mostly unknowns, deliver serviceable performances, with Bray standing out for his size and imposing presence. Though the plot is convoluted and the character development thin, My Gun Is Quick holds a certain appeal for fans of the genre. The cinematography and soundtrack create an evocative portrayal of 1950s Los Angeles, providing a fitting backdrop for Hammer’s dark and gritty adventure.
.png)
Though not as celebrated as other film noirs, My Gun Is Quick deserves attention for its gritty realism and tough, realistic portrayal of a private eye navigating a rapidly changing city. Despite its flaws, it is a relatively forgotten gem of the genre that is worth seeing.
.png)
My Gun Is Quick (1957)
Alternate Title:Mickey Spillane's My Gun Is Quick
Release Date:August 1957
Production Date:14 Mar--8 Apr 1957 at Allied Artists Studio
Parklane Pictures, Inc.30 July 1957LP8994
SoundWestrex Recording System
Widescreen/ratio1.85:1
Duration(in mins):88 or 91
.png)
