Rent The Gun Runners (1958)

Taut - The Gun Runners review by sb

FILM & REVIEW Cracking little Siegel movie which is a variation on Hemingways To Have and Have not. Murphy plays Sam who runs fishing trips out of Key West but who has creditors closing in on his boat. His last client was busted for bouncing cheques so he is really down on his luck when he is hired by Hannagin (Albert) to run him and his ice blonde girlfriend (Hall) to Havana for the night. This is against the rules as Cuba is involved in a revolutionary civil war and it soon become apparent that the trip is so Hannagin can set up a gun smuggling deal. He buys the lease on Sams boat forcing him into a second far more dangerous trip - as he intends to rip off his customers as well leaving Sam in danger of not only losing his livelihood but his life as well. Murphy (who was a real life WWII hero) plays the solid American role very well but it’s Albert as the calculating villain who really stands out. Good support from Sloane as Sam’s mate old soak and Hall (an ex Miss Sweden) brings an exotic element to the proceedings. At 82 minutes there is rather to so much time spend on a soapy domestic thread with his Sam’s wife (Owens) but that aside it’s an effective taut thriller - 4/5