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James
Coburn, Virginia Madsen, Barbara Bain, Alexandra Holden,
Ryan Locke |

Directed by: Alan Jacobs
Written by: Alan Jacobs
Produced by: Brent Morris, Elyse Eisenberg |

US:
00/tba/02 UK: 00/tba/02 |

Penny Tillman (Virginia Madsen) travels home to Vermont to spend the holidays with her parents, Martin (James Coburn) and Anne (Barbara Bain). Their warm reunion is cut tragically short when a last-minute errand ends in Penny's senseless death, and the holiday cheer is abruptly silenced by the sorrow of burying a loved one. Devastated, Martin retreats into a shell that Anne is unable to penetrate. In letters to his dead daughter, Martin reflects on a childhood fascination with his grandfather's gun. Still unable to make sense of what has happened, Martin decides to take action. Using the serial number of the .357 Magnum that killed his daughter, Martin traces his grief to its point of origin. Starting with the factory where the gun was made, he begins the arduous process of tracking the gun's progress from owner to owner, a journey that takes him across America, from legitimate gun shops to the black market. While traveling to each city along the gun's trajectory, Martin is visited by memories of his service in World War II, a harrowing experience that haunts him to this day. As Martin's physical journey leads him closer to the truth, he begins to face the personal demons driving him in his search for answers. He speaks to the previous owners of the gun, finding common themes of loss, fear, passion, betrayal and regret in their stories. When he traces the gun to the world of pawnshops and nightclubs in Las Vegas, Martin must confront its final owner. He must also confront the painful truth about his daughter's death and learn the meaning of redemption in order for the healing to begin. |
Following
his death aged 74 on November 18, this is James Coburn's
final movie. And what a way to go. By all accounts American
Gun is a rivetting, sensational final flick... a real
gem. In fact, there was even Oscar buzz before James's
death. Given the sentimentality and age demographic
of the Academy I fully hope and expect serious consideration
for this year's nominations in Best Actor category. |
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James
Coburn gives an outstanding performance in the explosive
American Gun
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