Too much of everything

Too many fans seem to be blown away

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Favorite Movie Quote: (The sniper's anonymous note sent to the police) - "Stop me - Find me and stop me - I'm going to do it again!" Released in 1952 - The Sniper stars actor Arthur Franz as Eddy Miller, the title character. Franz gives a sensitive & insightful performance as this sadly troubled man who out of a deep-rooted hatred towards women begins to stalk them down in the San Francisco area, randomly annihilating them, using a powerful M-1, carbine rifle.The Sniper is a very intense Suspense/Thriller that (even though the Eddie Miller character is deemed a dangerous killer) has you actually caring about this unstable, young man who can't seem to control the overwhelming urges he has to use his rifle in the murder of several women.This fine production, which treats its serial-killer with insight and compassion, is one of the earliest studies of a murderous psychopath who kills randomly and without apparent motive, making it almost impossible for the police to track him down.Filmed in stark b&w, The Sniper proves itself to be a really first-rate picture from the 1950s. It was masterfully directed by Edward Dmytryk, who is also credited for directing such other top-notch films as - Murder My Sweet, Crossfire, Raintree Country, and The Caine Mutiny.

A stark and upsetting film about a serial sniper driven to shoot women because of suggested but never explicitly explained interactions with female figures in his past. There's something ahead of its time about this film, partially because of its frank mingling of violence and sexuality, but also because of the way it depicts what happens to a human body when it's gunned down. In other movies from the same time period, if someone were to get shot, they would freeze and pose dramatically for the camera before slowly crumpling to the floor in a bloodless swoon. In this film, shot bodies get thrown into walls and drop like lead. It's disturbing because it looks very real.Also notable is this film's plea to its audience to have sympathy with its tortured killer, and the suggestion that murderers might be sick rather than evil. The end shot in particular left me chilled and heartbroken at the same time.The story won screen writing couple Edward and Edna Anhalt their second Oscar nomination, though that year's winner was "The Greatest Show on Earth." Grade: A

A serial killer stalks brunettes in San Francisco. It is a rare film of the period in that it is told mostly from the perspective of the killer. Why he kills is explained within the first few minutes with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. His mama was mean to him when he was a child. The reason for his hatred of women is further magnified in exaggerated vignettes where women are mean to him. Typical of producer Kramer, the film is rather preachy in espousing its views on crime and punishment. The gritty San Francisco locales are good, but not enough to overcome the contrived plot. The acting is uneven, with Menjou and Kiley (his second film) coming off best.

Sniper, The (1952) *** (out of 4) Edward Dmytryk directed this thriller about a psychotic maniac (Arthur Franz) who gets his kicks by killing women with a high powered rifle. This film wasn't a lost classic like I was hoping for but it's still a solid little movie that works best by breaking various codes, which were in place during the time of its release. The violence in the film is pretty graphic and there's no editing to take away the effect of the gunshots. Instead, the director shows this violence the way it would be seen in real life, minus the blood, to great effect. Another added bonus is that it's made clear that this guy is having sexual problems, which is leading to the murders. A serial killer had been featured in earlier films but the sexual thing was certainly something new. Franz is very good in his role as are supporting players Charles Lane, Richard Kiley, Adolphe Menjou and Marie Windsor. I think at times the film is a little too low key for its own good as it never really gets overly exciting but it still remains a solid little picture.