Gunn (film)

Gunn
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Blake Edwards
Produced by	Owen Crump Blake Edwards
Screenplay by	William Peter Blatty Blake Edwards
Story by	Blake Edwards
Starring	Craig Stevens Laura Devon
Music by	The Gordian Knot Henry Mancini
Cinematography	Philip Lathrop
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	28 June 1967
Running time	94 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Gunn is an American 1967 mystery film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Craig Stevens. It featured the same lead role and actor from the 1958-1961 television series Peter Gunn, and the same Henry Mancini theme. The characters of Gunn's singing girlfriend Edie Hart, club owner "Mother" and friendly Police Lieutenant Jacoby were played by different actors. It was followed 20 years later by a TV remake starring Peter Strauss.

A gangster named Scarlotti once saved private detective Peter Gunn's life, but now Scarlotti's been killed and Fusco intends to take over the town's crime syndicate.

Gunn is determined to find out who the killer is, and soon he and Lt. Jacoby are convinced that Fusco himself must be behind it. Fusco denies it and gives a deadline to Gunn, to solve the murder or end up dead himself.

William Friedkin recalled that he met Blake Edwards in September 1966. Edwards told him he was considering a return of the Peter Gunn television show but would begin by making a Peter Gunn feature film. Edwards told Friedkin that Charles Bludhorn, the new head of Paramount thought Lola Albright "too old" to resume her former role and instead wanted an Austrian actress who Edwards rejected. Edwards wanted Friedkin to direct the film but Friedkin thought William Peter Blatty's script was awful, explaining the script was like some of the old television episodes cobbled together rather than something new and exciting. Edwards directed the film himself. Blatty was impressed by Friedkin's honesty and asked him to direct The Exorcist (1973). Edwards' film was originally titled—but then only advertised as—Gunn...Number One!; no sequels followed.

Although the complete television series is available on DVD, the film version of Gunn remains unreleased on home video in any format.