Warning Shot (1967)

A police sergeant kills a man who pulls a gun on him during a stakeout. But the dead suspect is a respected doctor with no criminal record and the man's gun cannot be found, and the ... See full summary »

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Writers:

Whit Masterson (novel), Mann Rubin (screenplay)

Stars:

David Janssen, Ed Begley, Keenan Wynn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Janssen	...	Sgt. Tom Valens
Ed Begley	...	Capt. Roy Klodin
Keenan Wynn	...	Sgt. Ed Musso
Sam Wanamaker	...	Frank Sanderman
Lillian Gish	...	Alice Willows
Stefanie Powers	...	Liz Thayer
Eleanor Parker	...	Mrs. Doris Ruston
George Grizzard	...	Walt Cody
George Sanders	...	Calvin York
Steve Allen	...	Perry Knowland
Carroll O'Connor	...	Paul Jerez
Joan Collins	...	Joanie Valens
Walter Pidgeon	...	Orville Ames
Vito Scotti	...	Designer
David Garfield	...	Police Surgeon (as John Garfield Jr.)

Storyline

A police sergeant kills a man who pulls a gun on him during a stakeout. But the dead suspect is a respected doctor with no criminal record and the man's gun cannot be found, and the sergeant is charged with manslaughter. The sergeant works to clear his name and determine where the gun went and why the doctor was there at all.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | based on novel

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Taglines:

What's a little bullet between friends?

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Genres:

Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Todesschuß

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bob Banner Associates, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally made for television, but released to theaters instead.

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Quotes

Sgt. Ed Musso: You're under arrest, Tom. The big one. Murder. The killing of Liz Thayer.
Sgt. Tom Valens: [slumping onto a chair in shock] Oh, no. When? How?
Sgt. Ed Musso: The custodian found her in Rustin's office. The place had been torn apart. She'd been choked and badly beaten. She was seen entering the office at 4:30, you were seen leaving around 5:00.
Sgt. Tom Valens: I went to see her, but the door was locked, I couldn't get in.
Sgt. Ed Musso: The custodian said he saw you with your hand on the knob like you'd closed the door. Tom, we found your fingerprints all ...
[...]

User Reviews

Investigation for Vindication

Warning Shot features a grimly determined David Janssen trying to find out why a respected doctor pulled a gun on him and he was forced to fire and kill him. Janssen is a cop and he's got District Attorney Sam Wanamaker just itching to put him away.

Janssen and partner Keenan Wynn were on stakeout looking for a serial rapist and they were both anxious enough on that assignment. Now suspended Janssen has to rely on his own instincts in pursuing his own\ investigation for vindication.

Besides those already mentioned Warning Shot has a galaxy of film names of many generations going all the way back to Lillian Gish down to Joan Collins playing Janssen's estranged wife. As the film progresses these folks move in and out with some memorable and some perfunctory cameos.

Janssen who carries the film handles the burden well. I have to say that Warning Shot does not carry all that much suspense in that the real villain of the piece is obvious from when we first the character. Still it belongs on a list of fine made for television films