The Sniper (1952 film)
| The Sniper | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Edward Dmytryk |
| Produced by | Stanley Kramer |
| Screenplay by | Harry Brown |
| Story by |
Edna Anhalt Edward Anhalt |
| Starring |
Adolphe Menjou Arthur Franz Gerald Mohr Marie Windsor Richard Kiley |
| Music by | George Antheil |
| Cinematography | Burnett Guffey |
| Edited by | Aaron Stell |
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Production
company |
Stanley Kramer Productions
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| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Sniper is a 1952 film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk, written by Harry Brown, and based on a story by Edna and Edward Anhalt. The film features Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Marie Windsor, among others.
The film marks Dmytryk's return to directing after he had first been named to the Hollywood blacklist and had a jail term for contempt of Congress. He chose to testify in April 1951, and named fellow members of leftist organizations from his brief time with the Communist Party. Afterward, he went into political exile in England for a time. Producer Stanley Kramer was the first to hire him again as a director. He was "required to direct Adolphe Menjou, one of the most virulent Red-baiters of the HUAC hearings."
Eddie Miller (Arthur Franz), a San Francisco delivery man, struggles with his hatred of women. He's especially bothered by seeing women with their lovers. Miller knows he is disturbed and, out of despair, burns himself by pressing his right hand to an electric stove. The doctor treating him in an emergency room suspects he might need psychological help, but gets too busy to follow through.
Miller begins a killing spree as a sniper by shooting women from far distances with an M1 carbine. Trying to be caught, he writes an anonymous letter to the police begging them to stop him. As the killings continue, a psychologist has the keys (early criminal profiling techniques) to finding the killer. The film is unusual in that its ending is completely non-violent, despite its genre and expectations raised throughout.
Producer Stanley Kramer was the first to hire Dmytryk as a director after his encounters with the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and testifying in 1951. For first refusing to testify, Dmytryk was named as one of the "Hollywood Ten", barred from work in the film industry, and jailed for contempt of Congress. In April 1951, Dmytryk changed his mind and testified, both about his brief time with the Communist Party and naming fellow members of leftist organizations. Afterward, he went into a short political exile in England.
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Wikipedia