Under the Gun (1950)

Posted by Ken Z

Bert Galvin (Richard Conte) takes what he wants. The opening scene of "Under the Gun" (Universal, 1950) shows us Galvin stretched out in the back of a long, black Cadillac convertible being piloted by his two torpedoes. "Don't tell me we have to go see that dame again tonight?" one of them asks.
That dame is nightclub singer Ruth Williams (a dark-haired Audrey Totter), who treats us to a fine rendition of Billie Holiday's "I Cried For You" (not sure if Totter is really singing).

Galvin has had his eye on Ruth, and convinces her to join him on a roadtrip back to NYC, where Galvin wants to make her a star. Ruth is wary, but Galvin closes the deal by telling her: "I like your looks. I like the way you sing. You don't have to worry about any passes from me - if I make one - it'll be on the level." We begin to learn that Galvin is a smooth talker - and quite manipulative.

Driving through the Deep South, they stop at a resort that Galvin frequents. Problem is, he killed someone there and the younger brother has kept quiet about it. But now he is bent on revenge. Galvin is tipped off though, and coolly guns down the would be assassin.

He's tried for murder, and it all comes down to Ruth's testimony. She cracks on the stand under grilling from the DA: "It was murder - a cold blooded murder!"

Galving is sentenced to 20 years hard labor at a deep-south prison work camp. There's no parole, ever. The tough local sheriff understands just how dangerous Galvin is. Played by John McIntire with intelligence and grace, he tells Galvin: "It's not often we get a notorious New Yorker down here."
Galvin replies: "You won't keep me here for 20 years."

Galvin hatches an escape plan. He stuffs a wad of bills into the pocket of the "shooter," the guard with the high powered rifle who supervises the road crews. Just as Galvin's about to jump off a bridge to a waiting escape boat below, a southern-drawl-talking Sam Jaffe (playing Sam Gower) warns him: "Don't do it - you've just bought yourself a funeral - the shooter gets a pardon for shooting you dead."

And therein lies the irony and terror of "Under the Gun." A convict can volunteer to become the sole armed guard (the shooter), and can win his freedom by killing an escaping fellow convict.

The way for Galvin is now clear. He "befriends" an older convict and confides he's hidden 30 thousand in a hollowed bedpost in a New Orleans hotel. That convict is killed in a misguided escape, and that "shooter" is soon to become a free man. Glavin fills the empty "shooter" slot, and the movie kicks into high gear.

Galvin pays to dig up info on Gower, who just a few months prior, had literally saved his life.
He learns that Gower's family is in a bad way - his wife is sick, and his kids are hungry.
He offers Gower a deal: his wife will receive $25,000, and once this is confirmed to Gower, the clock starts ticking, and Gower has 30 days to try and escape. If Galvin should gun him down, Galvin will be freed. Should Gower somehow outsmart Galvin, HE will be free and Galvin will continue to serve out his term.

This is just a fantastic plot twist, and the director Ted Tazzlaff, plays it to the hilt. I won't divulge the ending, but IMO it became a little too Hollywood-by-the-numbers.

The most Noir element of "Under the Gun" for me is Richard Conte's character. Smart and sophisticated, without a lick of feeling, Conte is wickedly cool. The Galvin character actually is pretty similar to Conte's Don Barzini in "Godfather I"

Audrey Totter doesn't really have a chance to steal this film. She's very good with the limited screen time she has. But this is Conte's film. He's in nearly every scene. It's not the typical ensemble prison drama. Sam Jaffe really shines here too. I'm so used to his "Asphalt Jungle" character, -I kept waiting for him to speak with a soft German accent.

"Under the Gun" is available from Dark Marc. The quality of the DVD is marginal at best. The images are pretty degraded, and it's hard to pick up the nuances of the lighting and cinematography. Still, it is a powerful and disturbing film, and one that stuck with me long after the lights came back up. A gloriously dark ride.