My Gun Is Quick (1957)

Set in Los Angeles, a private investigator (Robert Bray) takes pity on a young prostitute (Jan Chaney) and gives her money to go back home. But when she turns up murdered the next day, he vows to find her murderer and bring him to justice. Based on the novel by Mickey Spillane and directed by Victor Saville (GREEN DOLPHIN STREET). This was the third of the three Mickey Spillane movies featuring the character of Mike Hammer released by United Artists in the 1950s following I THE JURY (1953) and KISS ME DEADLY (1955). This one almost feels like a parody of the pulp detective genre in spite of itself. I couldn't help smiling during some of Hammer's tough guy pulp dialogue ("Get off my back, chick!") and was instantly reminded of the GIRL HUNT BALLET from musical THE BAND WAGON (1953) which satirized the genre. I even waited for the tough guy narration but that didn't happen. The mystery which involves stolen jewels isn't all that interesting but I liked the film's tart B movie style. It doesn't stay with you the way KISS ME DEADLY does but as a minor diversion, I quite enjoyed it. With Whitney Blake, Pamela Duncan, Patricia Donahue, Richard Garland, Claire Carleton and Terence De Marney.