Edward L. Cahn (1899–1963)

Solid, hard-talking B-picture that sees career criminal Chuck Wheeler (Gerald Mohr) being released from jail and immediately going into planning on his next job – the heist of an armoured truck carrying casino cash. Info for the job has come from Wheeler’s ex-cell mate, Mike Bennett (Lee Van Cleef) and involves Mike’s beautiful but estranged wife Vi Victor (Mamie Van Doren). Planning for the job is going well, until the jealous and hot-headed Bennett breaks out of prison. There is nothing particularly new about “Guns, Girls and Gangsters” but director Edward L. Cahn keeps the unlikely story barrelling along with plenty of hard-boiled dialogue, strong-man posturing and femme fatale moves. There is a slightly ludicrous, deadly serious voiceover that explains all the plot points before coming to an unintentionally silly closing line. The cast is good – Gerald Mohr is appropriately menacing and charming in the lead role; Lee Van Cleef is a powerful tough guy and platinum blonde Mamie Van Doren sashays about to great effect in her bullet bra and out-of-bounds hips.… (meer)