Dillinger (1973 film)
| Dillinger | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Milius |
| Written by | John Milius |
| Produced by | Buzz Feitshans |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jules Brenner |
| Edited by | Fred R. Feitshans Jr. |
| Music by | Barry De Vorzon |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1 million |
| Box office | $2 million (US and Canada rentals) |
Dillinger is a 1973 American biographical gangster film written and directed by John Milius in his directorial debut, and starring Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, and Michelle Phillips, with supporting performances from Cloris Leachman, Harry Dean Stanton, and Richard Dreyfuss. The film is a dramatization of the life and criminal exploits of notorious bank robber John Dillinger (Oates).
Retired FBI Agent Clarence Hurt, one of the agents involved in the final shootout with Dillinger, was the film's technical advisor. The film includes documentary imagery and film footage from the era. It includes a verbal renouncing of gangster films written by FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover: he was scheduled to read it for the film, but died before it started production. Hoover's text is read at the film's close by voice actor Paul Frees.
The film was released by American International Pictures on June 19, 1973. It was well-received by critics and was a commercial success. It was followed by two made-for-TV spin-offs: Melvin Purvis: G-Man (1974) (teleplay written by Milius) and The Kansas City Massacre (1975), both directed by Dan Curtis and each starring Dale Robertson as Purvis.