The First Films of Samuel Fuller

Description

Known for his wide-ranging oeuvre, fierce independence, and controversial subject matter, director Samuel Fuller is a true maverick filmmaker. Presented here are three early films that showcase his hard-hitting style. The B western I SHOT JESSE JAMES, Fuller's feature debut, is based on the life of Robert Ford, a friend to the famed bandit who later shot him in the back. BARON OF ARIZONA tells the story of con-artist James A. Reaves, an obscure but notorious figure who, in the mid-1800s, forged documents to seize the entire Arizona territory. THE STEEL HELMET, a blunt look at the grim realities of war, follows a wounded American soldier who joins a platoon trapped inside a Buddhist temple. It took Fuller only three weeks to script and shoot the film—the first about the Korean War—and its candid portrayal of racism and war crimes landed him in hot water with the FBI.