Gunn

Plot

When a gangster named Julio Scarlotti is murdered on his yacht, private eye Peter Gunn investigates because Scarlotti once saved the suave gumshoe's life. After Mother's nightclub is bombed, Gunn and his law enforcement buddy, Lieutenant Charles Jacoby, begin to tighten the screws on ambitious hood, Fusco, who aspires to become the city's new kingpin. But eventually the investigation leads to a shock ending for the debonair P.I.

Cast

Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn

Laura Devon as Edie Hart, lounge singer and Peter's girlfriend

Edward Asner as Lieutenant Charles Jacoby, a police detective and friend of Gunn

Albert Paulsen as Fusco, underworld kingpin

Sherry Jackson as Samantha

Helen Traubel as Mother, owner of the nightclub, Mother's

Jerry Douglas as Dave Corwin

J. Pat O'Malley as Tinker, an informant

Regis Toomey as The Bishop, an informant

George Murdock as Archie

Lincoln Demyan as Julio Scarlotti

Chanin Hale as Mistress

Charles Dierkop as Laszlo Joyce

Alan Oppenheimer as Whiteside

Wayne Heffley as Sergeant Ashford

Carol Wayne as Ernestine

Dick Crockett as Leo Gracey

Marion Marshall as Daisy Jane

Production

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 of Edie Hart and instead wanted an Austrian actress whom Edwards rejected. Laura Devon was then cast in the role. The character of Mother, played first by Hope Emerson and then by Minerva Urecal on the series, was played by Helen Traubel in the film as both Emerson and Urecal had died. The role of Lieutenant Charles Jacoby, originally played by Herschel Bernardi, was recast for the film with Ed Asner.

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. Julie Andrews mentions in her book, Home Work, that her husband Edwards, had collaborated with William Peter Blatty in writing several films, including Gunn.

As for Friedkin's comment that the script was like some of the old television episodes cobbled together, the film borrows heavily from the series pilot - season 1 episode 1, "The Kill" (mobster's death by fake Coast Guard vs fake police, burial, romantic interlude, meeting at racquetball court, bombing at Mother's) - and lifts sequences from three other episodes: season 2 episode 12, "The Briefcase" (girl in Gunn's apartment); season 2 episode 22, "Hollywood Calling" (chase through the boatyard); and season 3 episode 34, "Death Is a Four Letter Word" (talking to an informant).

In a 2016 interview, Sherry Jackson told how she was hired for the movie. "A friend took me to lunch in the noisy Paramount commissary while I was wearing the costume from the Star Trek episode, "What Are Little Girls Made Of?". I'm terribly near-sighted and when we walked in, it got quieter and quieter, so I asked what was happening. Turns out, they were all looking at me. All the seats were full, so we got a table in the director's room where Blake Edwards happened to be sitting. My friend told me he began pointing to me and giving hand signals to Craig Stevens in another part of the room and yelling to him 'Sam! Sam!' That turned out to be a character in Edwards' next film, Gunn, and I was offered the part." Herbert F. Solow, Paramount executive, recalled that the friend who led Jackson into the commissary was Star Trek actor William Shatner.

Music

Director Blake Edwards said, "As I entered the first scoring session of our new Gunn film, I was delighted to see that the band contained most of the familiar faces that had done the original TV show...Hank (Henry Mancini) and I had discussed the music for the Gunn film thoroughly, and he confessed to me that this was to be one of his most difficult assignments. The six years that had passed since the TV Peter Gunn went off the air had seen sweeping changes, not only in jazz, but in all phases of the pop music spectrum...As the score unfolded, everyone on that scoring stage agreed that Hank had done what was needed -- he had brought Peter Gunn up to date without sacrificing the feel and excitement of the original. I think you will agree." The only songs in the film that originated from the original series are "Peter Gunn" and "Dreamsville".

In 1967, RCA Victor released, Gunn ...Number One!, Music from the Motion Picture Score composed and conducted by Henry Mancini. It was recorded at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World studios in Hollywood, California. The soundtrack CD, Gunn ...Number One!, was released by RCA/BMG Music Spain, S.A. in 1999.

Listed on the credits, the featured soloists are: Pete Candoli, trumpet; Dick Nash, trombone; Plas Johnson, Selmer varitone electric sax; Vincent DeRosa, French horn; Ted Nash, alto and baritone sax, flute; Bud Shank, baritone sax; Bob Bain, guitar; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Shelly Manne, drums; and Larry Bunker, vibes.

Soundtrack

Below are the soundtrack song titles, durations, and credited soloists:

"Peter Gunn" – 2:05 — Plas Johnson

"A Quiet Happening" – 3:05 —Ted Nash, Bud Shank, Ray Brown

"Dreamsville" – 3:46 — Larry Bunker, Vincent DeRosa

"Sky Watch" – 3:22 — Bunker, Jimmy Rowles, Pete Candoli, Nash

"A Bluish Bag" – 2:53

"Theme for Sam" – 3:10 — Rowles

"The Monkey Farm" – 2:23 — Bob Bain, Nash, Johnson

"A Lovely Sound" – 3:32 — Dick Nash

"I Like the Look" – 2:39 — Brown, Shelly Manne

"Silver Tears" – 3:31 — Bunker, Bain

"Sweet!" – 3:06 — Bunker, Candoli, Nash

"Night Owl" – 3:47 — Nash

"Bye Bye" – 2:08 — Manne