"The Sniper" was made by Stanley Kramer's Production Company and directed by veteran Edward Dmytryk . It is considered by many as being ahead of it's time in dealing with the subject of a sex oriented serial killer. When I see the word "sex" used in this context, I usually picture a violent rapist. No so here.
Eddie Miller (Arthur Franz) has a history of physically abusing women and has spent a prison term for his crimes. He also keeps a high powered rifle in his bureau drawer. We are not told if he has used the weapon before. It seems that Eddie, living alone in a drab room, has a hatred of women dating back to his unloving abusive mother. Eddie works for a dry cleaner and one day has a delivery to bar singer Jean Darr (Marie Windsor).
Jean is nice to him to the point of offering him a beer while she changes out of a dress she wants cleaned. Jean makes the mistake of telling Eddie that she is planning a holiday with her boyfriend. Becoming angry, Eddie returns to his room and gets his rifle (a carbine actually) out and tails Jean to her work place. He waits for her to come out and calmly shoots the woman dead.
Back in his room, Eddie has guilt feelings and purposely burns his hand on a hot plate to prevent him from using the rifle again. Eddie's case is being covered by Lt. Frank Kalka (Adolph Menjou - sans mustache) and Sgt. Joe Ferris (Gerald Mohr). They 'round up the usual suspects" and parade them in a line-up. Police psychiatrist Dr. James Kent (Richard Kiley) cautions the police that they will not catch the killer using this method.
Eddie kills yet again and as he is honing in on another victim he is spotted by a worker climbing a smoke stack. He is shot for his trouble. Eddie flees back to his room. Kalka and Ferris discover that Eddie had a burned hand which is noticed by his co-workers as being suspicious. They close in on Eddie and.....................................................................
Arthur Franz gives the performance of his career as the troubled Eddie. He had a long and varied career as a second tier leading man and character actor. Kramer used him again in "The Caine Mutiny" (1954). Menjou looks undressed and old without his trademark mustache. Veteran film noire femme fate Windsor is alluring as always. Watch for the future Mrs. Stanley Kramer Karen Sharpe in an early role as a drug store cashier. Also in the cast are Frank Faylen as Police Inspector Anderson, Carl Benton Reid as a concerned citizen as well as, George Chesebro, Harry Cheshire, Byron Foulger, Charles Lane, Rory Mallinson, Jay Novello and George Stern (NOT Wally Cox) in smaller roles.
Dark and dreary but innovative.
Eddie Miller (Arthur Franz) has a history of physically abusing women and has spent a prison term for his crimes. He also keeps a high powered rifle in his bureau drawer. We are not told if he has used the weapon before. It seems that Eddie, living alone in a drab room, has a hatred of women dating back to his unloving abusive mother. Eddie works for a dry cleaner and one day has a delivery to bar singer Jean Darr (Marie Windsor).
Jean is nice to him to the point of offering him a beer while she changes out of a dress she wants cleaned. Jean makes the mistake of telling Eddie that she is planning a holiday with her boyfriend. Becoming angry, Eddie returns to his room and gets his rifle (a carbine actually) out and tails Jean to her work place. He waits for her to come out and calmly shoots the woman dead.
Back in his room, Eddie has guilt feelings and purposely burns his hand on a hot plate to prevent him from using the rifle again. Eddie's case is being covered by Lt. Frank Kalka (Adolph Menjou - sans mustache) and Sgt. Joe Ferris (Gerald Mohr). They 'round up the usual suspects" and parade them in a line-up. Police psychiatrist Dr. James Kent (Richard Kiley) cautions the police that they will not catch the killer using this method.
Eddie kills yet again and as he is honing in on another victim he is spotted by a worker climbing a smoke stack. He is shot for his trouble. Eddie flees back to his room. Kalka and Ferris discover that Eddie had a burned hand which is noticed by his co-workers as being suspicious. They close in on Eddie and.....................................................................
Arthur Franz gives the performance of his career as the troubled Eddie. He had a long and varied career as a second tier leading man and character actor. Kramer used him again in "The Caine Mutiny" (1954). Menjou looks undressed and old without his trademark mustache. Veteran film noire femme fate Windsor is alluring as always. Watch for the future Mrs. Stanley Kramer Karen Sharpe in an early role as a drug store cashier. Also in the cast are Frank Faylen as Police Inspector Anderson, Carl Benton Reid as a concerned citizen as well as, George Chesebro, Harry Cheshire, Byron Foulger, Charles Lane, Rory Mallinson, Jay Novello and George Stern (NOT Wally Cox) in smaller roles.
Dark and dreary but innovative.