MovieChat Forums > Gun Crazy (1950) Discussion > the gun is symbolic of...

the gun is symbolic of...

posted 18 years ago by leadbelly27
12 replies | jump to latest

This is is an overlooked gem of noir. The opening sequence is classic. And the long shot of the duo robbing the bank and getting away is masterful. Anyway, I always kind of thought that a repressed interpretation of the film could see the image of the gun as a symbol of a penis. The femme fatale is obsessed with guns, and she is the most dangerous and powerful character. A straight femminist reading of the film would contend that the power she gains from guns is seen as a threat to patriarcal hegeomony. In essence, the girl is a threat to the patriarchy because she has a gun(penis). In the sexist world of 1949, of course, she and her man have to die. Any thoughts?

[–] woowickerwacker 18 years ago

Well by that symbology, you could also say that he had a small one and as a kid wanted a big one.
Good film though.

[–] filmfanaticNorCal 16 years ago

freudian are you?

[–] tieman64 16 years ago

Joseph Lewis went to great lengths to pump up the sexuality between the two leeds. His instructions to John Dall and Peggy Cummins were:

"John, your cock's never been so hard and Peggy, you're a female dog in heat, and you want him. But don't let him have it in a hurry. Keep him waiting."

The entire film act oozes phallic symbolism and when Starr is introduced she's shot from below, emphasising her buttocks and gun belt. It really is a strange and perverse first act. Too bad the film turns into a low budget version of "Bonnie and Clyde". John's lust for gun's is abandoned too soon.

"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nvasapper 16 years ago

I think you're right on target- no pun intended!

[–] AliciaHuberman59 15 years ago

Tieman64, is that for real, Lewis giving them those "directions/motivations"? That's pretty wild, and well if he did, it worked!

[–] Martina_Helene 15 years ago

is this board a joke? OP I hope you weren't thinking you were all knowing when you came up with the idea that the gun could be symbolically interpurted as a Penis. That idea is one of the oldest in the books GOSH who doesn't know that?

GO-BAMA

[–] tieman64 15 years ago

"Tieman64, is that for real, Lewis giving them those "directions/motivations"? That's pretty wild, and well if he did, it worked!"

Yeah, that's the exact quote. That's why the first act is bristling with such a strong undercurrent of sexuality.

"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

[–] SonicMozart 15 years ago

How about this: the gun was simbolic of... a gun

[–] EllisFowler 10 years ago

How about this: the gun was simbolic of... a gun

ROTFLMAO THANK you. Sometimes a whale is just a whale.

[–] AssetsonFire 11 years ago

The car was clearly a giant vagina. The fact that they kept swapping cars means they were swingers.

~.~
I WANT THE TRUTH! http://www.imdb.com/list/ze4EduNaQ-s/

[–] 10 years ago

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