The Gun Runners
The Gun Runners is a 1958 American film noir crime film directed by Donald Siegel. It's the third adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's 1937 novel To Have and Have Not, and stars Audie Murphy. Everett Sloane plays the part of the alcoholic sidekick originally played by Walter Brennan in the film's first adaptation, although Sloane's interpretation is less overtly comic. Eddie Albert delivers a bravura performance as a charismatic villain; other cast members include Jack Elam and Richard Jaeckel. Gita Hall, "Miss Stockholm of 1953", made her Hollywood film debut as Albert's girlfriend Eva.
The earlier remake, titled The [Breaking Point |The Breaking Point], was directed by Michael Curtiz and starred John Garfield.
Don Siegel, writing about the film in his memoirs, reflected, "There’s an old adage; never make a sea picture with a C budget."
Plot
Sam Martin runs a charter boat with his alcoholic first mate, Harvey. He is forced by financial necessity to run guns for the Cuban Revolution but his employer seeks to maximise his profit.Cast
- Audie Murphy as Sam Martin
- Eddie Albert as Hanagan
- Patricia [Owens |Patricia Owens] as Lucy Martin
- Everett Sloane as Harvey
- Richard Jaeckel as Buzurki
- Paul Birch as Sy Philips
- Jack Elam as Arnold
- John Qualen as Pop
- Edward Colmans as Juan
- Steven Peck as Pepito
- Carl Rogers as Carlos Contreras
- Gita Hall as Eva
- Robert Phillips as Outlaw
Production
This was the first feature from the fledgling Seven Arts Productions. Director Don Siegel was unhappy with having to use Audie Murphy in the lead role. However Siegel wrote Murphy "was always polite and quiet with me, never any trouble."
The film was shot in Newport Beach, California,