''Guns Don't Argue'' is a 1957 low-budget feature film about the early achievements of the FBI in defeating the most notorious criminals of the 1930s. The film involves dramatizations of the crimes and the eventual demise of various gangsters, told with a moralistic narrative.

Plot

The film takes the form of a

docudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television show, television and feature film, film, which features Drama (film and television), dramatized Historical reenactment, re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of docu ...

in which actors who are cast as FBI special agents speak to camera about the war on gangsters in the 1920s and 1930s. Using contacts with

gun moll 'A gun moll is early 1900s slang for the female companion, girlfriend or mistress of a male professional criminal or mob leader. Some gun molls were themselves gangsters and they were accomplices in criminal activities. Terminology They may also ...

s, agents hunt criminals. The film dramatizes the crime careers and final capture or deaths of

John Dillinger John Herbert Dillinger (; June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression. He commanded the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing twenty-four banks and four police stations. Dillinger was imprison ...

, the Barker Gang (

Ma Barker Kate Barker (born Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 – January 16, 1935), better known as Ma Barker (and sometimes known as Arizona Barker and Arrie Barker), was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker–Karpis Gang ...

Fred Barker Frederick George Barker (December 12, 1901 – January 16, 1935) was an American criminal who, along with Alvin Karpis, co-founded the Barker-Karpis gang, which committed numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings during the 1930s. Barker was ...

Arthur Barker Arthur Raymond "Doc" Barker (June 4, 1899 – January 13, 1939) was an American criminal, the son of Ma Barker and a member of the Barker-Karpis gang, founded by his brother Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis. Barker was typically called on for vi ...

Alvin Karpis Alvin Francis Karpis (born Albin Francis Karpavičius; August 10, 1907 – August 26, 1979) was a Canadian–American criminal of Lithuanian descent known for being a leader of the Barker–Karpis Gang in the 1930s. Nicknamed "Creepy" for his ...

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were American outlaws who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression, committing a ser ...

Homer Van Meter Homer Virgil Van Meter (December 3, 1905 – August 23, 1934) was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson. Biography Early life Van ...

, Doc Barker and Pretty-Boy Floyd.

Cast

* Jim Davis as Texas Ranger Captain Stewart/Narrator *

Lyle Talbot Lyle Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on a wide ...

as Dr. William Guellfe, plastic surgeon *

Lash LaRue Alfred "Lash" LaRue (June 15, 1917 – May 21, 1996) was a Western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. Early life and education Born Alfred LaRue in Gretna, Louisiana in 1917, he was reared in various towns throughout Louisiana, ...

as 'Doc' Barker * Richard Crane as Homer Van Meter *

Myron Healey Myron Daniel Healey (June 8, 1923 – December 21, 2005) was an American actor. He began his career in Hollywood, California during the early 1940s and eventually made hundreds of appearances in movies and on television during a career span ...

as John Dillinger *

Ann Morriss Ann Morriss (born August 5, 1919 – June 30, 1994) was an American actress and the wife of director Edwin L. Marin. Personal life Morris married to film director Edwin L. Marin in December 1940, during which she was under contract to MG ...

as Mildred Jaunce, The Lady in Red *

Sam Edwards Sam George Edwards (May 26, 1915 – July 28, 2004) was an American actor. His most famous role on television was as banker Bill Anderson on ''Little House on the Prairie''.D.S.S. Form 1 Military Draft Registration Card completed on October 16, ...

as Fred Barker *

Paul Dubov Paul Dubov (October 10, 1918 – September 20, 1979) was an American radio, film and television actor as well as screenwriter. He frequently appeared in the works of Sam Fuller. Biography Among Dubov's radio credits include the 05/02/1953 ...

as Alvin Karpis *

Baynes Barron Baynes Barron (May 29, 1917 – July 21, 1982) was an American film and television actor. Born in New York. Barron served within World War II as a sergeant in the 28th Infantry Division. Barron began his career in 1946, first appearing in the ...

as Clyde Barrow * Tamar Cooper as Bonnie Parker * Regina Gleason as Hope * Knobby Schaeffer as Adam Richetti *

Jeanne Carmen Jeanne Laverne Carmen (August 4, 1930 – December 20, 2007) was an American model, actress and trick-shot golfer. Early life Carmen was born in Paragould, Arkansas. As a child, she picked cotton before running away from home at age 13. As ...

as Paula *

Aline Towne Fern Aline Waller (née Eggen, 7 November 1919 – 2 February 1996), known as Aline Towne, was an American film and television actress, best remembered for her lead roles in 1950s Republic serials, such as '' Radar Men from the Moon''. Ea ...

as Shirley, girl with Karpis * Doug Wilson as 'Pretty Boy' Floyd * Robert Kendall as Baby Face Nelson * Jean Harvey as 'Ma' Barker *

Ralph Moody Ralph Moody may refer to: * Ralph Moody (racing driver) (1917–2004), American racing driver and team owner *Ralph Moody (actor) Ralph Moody (November 5, 1886 – September 6, 1971 ) was an American actor with over 50 movie and over 100 televi ...

as Arthur 'Pa' Barker * Coulter Irwin as FBI Agent Ross Baxter *

Jeanne Bates Jeanne Bates (May 21, 1918 – November 28, 2007) was an American radio, film and television actress. After performing in radio drama, radio serials, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1942 which began her career in films both ...

as Mrs. Ross Baxter * Sydney Mason as Lieutenant Bill Baxter * Bill Baldwin Sr as Special Agent Fenton/Narrator * Captain Frank Hamer as Texas Ranger *

Sam Flint Sam Flint (born Samuel A. Ethridge; October 19, 1882 – October 17, 1980) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films, and is perhaps most familiar to today's audiences from Charlie Chan mysteries, adventure serials (notably ...

as FBI Chief *

Florence Lake Florence Lake Owens (born Florence Silverlake; November 27, 1904 – April 11, 1980) was an American actress best known as the leading lady in most of the Edgar Kennedy comedy shorts. Early life Florence Lake (née Silverlake) was born on ...

as Bessie, the landlady * Russ Whitney as Verne Miller * Helen Van Tuyl as Texas Lady Governor *

Hank Patterson Elmer Calvin "Hank" Patterson (October 9, 1888 – August 23, 1975) was an American actor and musician. He is known foremost for playing two recurring characters on three television series - stableman Hank Miller on ''Gunsmoke'' and farmer Fred ...

as Scully Wass (Farmer) *

Robert Bice Robert Bice (March 14, 1914 – January 8, 1968) was an American television and film actor. Biography Bice was born on March 14, 1914, in Dallas, Texas. He died on January 8, 1968, in Los Angeles, California. Bice was buried in Eternal Vall ...

as FBI Agent Tyler *

Percy Helton Percy Alfred Helton (January 31, 1894 – September 11, 1971) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was one of the most familiar faces and voices in Hollywood of the 1950s. Career Helton was born in Manhattan. He began ac ...

as pool room proprietor * Scott Douglas as FBI Agent Clifton *

William Boyett William Boyett (January 3, 1927 – December 29, 2004) was an American actor best known for his roles in law enforcement dramas on television from the 1950s through the 1990s. Early years Boyett was born in Akron, Ohio, the son of Harry Lee and ...

as FBI Agent on pier *

Ray Boyle Raymond Cornelius Boyle (June 28, 1923 – January 6, 2022), also known as Ray Boyle and Dirk London, was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for playing Wyatt Earp's brother Morgan Earp in the American western telev ...

as Raymond Hamilton * Texas Joe Foster as Tony Milento * Joseph J. Greene as Arthur Troser * Darlene Fields as Connie, Dillinger's girl * Dick Foote as prison trusty *

Billy Griffith Stewart Cathie Griffith, (16 June 1914 – 7 April 1993), known as Billy Griffith, was an English cricketer and cricket administrator. He played in three Test matches for England in 1948 and 1949. He played first-class cricket for Cambridg ...

as Bucher * Robert Vanselow as John Hamilton * Glenn Holden as Dillinger's jail guard * Harold 'Tommy" Hart as garage man *

Smoki Whitfield Smoki Whitfield (born Robert Whitfield, and sometimes credited as Jordan Whitfield; August 3, 1918 - November 11, 1967) was an African American actor, comedian, and musician. Biography Smoki was born in Pittsburgh to John and Effie (Walker) Wh ...

as the bootblack

Production

''Guns Don't Argue'' consists of footage compiled from three episodes of the 1952 television series ''

Gangbusters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936 and was broadcast for more 21 years through November 27, 1957. H ...

'', which was based on the ''Gang Busters'' radio program. The franchise was the source of the ''

Gang Busters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936 and was broadcast for more 21 years through November 27, 1957. H ...

serial film A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

in 1942 starring

Kent Taylor Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1906 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more pr ...

and ''

'' in 1955, which was also composed of excerpts from the television series. The film is a revisionist docudrama, portraying the war on gangsters from the 1920s and 1930s from an FBI point of view. Most notable is the portrayal of the deaths of

and

. The scenes show each firing the first shot and having ample time to surrender, when in fact they were shot in ambushes by police and federal agents. Another inaccuracy is the misidentification of FBI agent Raymond J. Caffrey, who was killed in the Kansas City massacre of 1933, and the false assertion that it had been his first day with the FBI.

Reception

In a contemporary review, ''The'' ''Springfield Union'' called the film's depiction of crime a "better-than-average job" but noted that the acting occasionally elicited unintended laughter from some audience members. The film is greatly admired by

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...

, who has said: "It's an amazing film. It's to be studied, because it shows you how to make a film on a low budget."Woods, Paul, ''Scorsese: a journey through the American psyche'', Plexus, 2005, p.91.

References

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External links