Handgun (film): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmymdy dates|date=NovemberOctober 20222023}}

| image = Handgun (film).jpg

| released = {{Film date|df=y|1983|05|12|ref1=}}

'''''Handgun''''' (also known as ''Deep in the Heart'') is a 1983 American vigilante film starring [[Karen Young (actress)|Karen Young]], Clayton Day, and Suzie Humphreys. It was written and directed by [[Tony Garnett]].

AShortly youngafter historymoving teacher into Dallas, a young woman is raped at gunpoint. Her anger drives her to seek revenge, and she becomes a hunter on a vengeance mission.<ref>{{cite web|title=Handgun (1983) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085418/?ref_=vp_back |website=imdb.com |date= |accessdate=25 August 25, 2020}}</ref>

Garnett had recently moved to the United States from the UK and wanted to make a film about gun violence there. He got a development deal from [[The Ladd Company]], then went to [[Dallas]] to research and write the film. He succeeded in raising the $3 million budget from [[EMI Films]].<ref name="cinema"/><ref>'HANDGUNHandgun' TITLEtitle COULDcould MISFIREmisfire Mills, Nancy. Los Angeles Times 31 October 31, 1982: s23.</ref> Garnett found Karen Young in LondonNew York City, and the actors who played her parents in Boston. The rest of the cast were from Dallas. He used techniques he had developed in British drama, rehearsing and improvising with the actors for several months.<ref name="cinema"/> "I didn't come here to make pat judgements about American culture," said Garnett. "I came to try to understand."<ref>Point of a gun Bygrave, Mike. The Observer 8 May 8, 1983: 32.</ref> Filming took place in the summer of 1981 in Dallas.<ref>Slow on the draw Tony Garnett tells. The Guardian 9 December 9, 1982: 13.</ref>

Garnett said EMI were "hands off" until the final edit, but that changed once they saw the film. "The problem was that I had made a slow, thoughtful, and I hope considered character study, and they were expecting a commercial hit—an action movie with some sexy rape scenes. I hadn’t delivered. Some of the distributors were disappointed as they considered the rape scenes a turn- off and not sexy! I had to cut elements from the film that I now regret."<ref name="cinema">{{cite web |url=http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/9491-EXCLUSIVE-INTERVIEW-WITH-TONY-GARNETT,-DIRECTOR-OF-HANDGUN-1984.html |website= Cinema Retro |title= Interview with Cinema Retro |date=2016}}</ref>