Death Wish (1974)

Death Wish (1974)

Death Wish is the 1974 cult classic thriller based on the novel by Brian Garfield and stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, a quiet architect who becomes a vigilante, when his wife is killed and his daughter is raped by three muggers (including one played by Jeff Goldblum in his film debut). Bronson would go on to star in four more "Death Wish" films. It's also of interest that author Brian Garfield wrote a sequel novel to Death Wish, which served as the basis for the 2007 Kevin Bacon film Death Sentence.

The following weapons were used in the film Death Wish:

Colt Police Positive

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) uses a .32 caliber nickel plated Colt Police Positive revolver with a 4-inch barrel, given to him as a present by Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) during his vigilante missions. He kills ten street muggers with it.

Colt Police Positive Nickel - .38 Special.

Paul Kersey's revolver in special case.

Paul Kersey holding his revolver. You can note trigger shape in this shot.

Another nice shot of the revolver.

Paul Kersey aims (on the wall) his new revolver at the first time, just before his first vigilante mission.

Paul Kersey shoots his revolver at mugger Thomas Leroy Martin. Note the hot gases escaping the barrel-cylinder gap.

Kersey shooting another mugger in his second vigilante reid.

Kersey shooting subway mugger.

Kersey shooting an african-american mugger in the subway station. Note very little (compared to other in this film) muzzle shots in this scene.

Inspector Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) holds Kersey's empty revolver on him.

32 calibre bullets in surgeons hands removed from mugger's liver.

1842 Percussion Revolver

During his business trip in Tucson, Paul is seen target shooting with a percussion revolver, to which is briefly described by Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) as a 'percussion pistol, 1842.'

Kersey aims 1842 revolver on the target. Note the iconic stance, used by Bronson in all Death Wish movies.

Kersey aims 1842 revolver on the target.

Kersey shoots 1842 revolver. Note big yellow muzzle flash. Some of the muzzle flashes in the film also yellow and some - white.

Kersey aims 1842 revolver on the target.

Colt Single Action Army Revolver

Paul opts to try the Colt Single Action Army revolver, after impressing Jainchill by shooting the Percussion pistol dead center at the range. It's described by Jainchill as revolver used by bandit Candy Dan in 1890. They're also used by stuntmen performing in a Wild West live action show.

Colt Single Action Army w/ 5.5" barrel - .45 Long Colt

Kersey aims 1890 revolver on the target.

Close-up.

Another close-up, showing details.

Kersey shoots 1890 revolver on the target.

Revolvers seen in actors hands and holsters.

Actor playing deputy sheriff points his revolver at bandits.

Actor playing deputy sheriff shoots his revolver at bandits. There was no muzzle flash in the first shot.

But there was muzzle flash when he fires another one.

Actor playing bandit fires his revolver.

Revolvers on Jainchill's Gun Club's Shooting range wall.

Colt M1911

A mugger is seen wielding a standard Colt M1911 pistol upon Paul's vigilante mission. Unfortunately for Paul, the mugger wounds him in the leg before he can take him out.

Colt M1911.

Mugger with his Colt 1911.

Mugger shoots his Colt 1911. He misses this shot, but wounded Kersey's leg by another shot.

Smith & Wesson Model 36

During his first night of vigilantism, Paul encounters a drug addict and mugger Thomas Leroy Martin who points a nickel-plated Smith & Wesson Model 36 behind him with a warning to give him the money or 'I'll bust you up'.

Nickel Smith & Wesson Model 36 - .38 Special.

Mugger points his Smith & Wesson Model 36 on Kersey.

Mugger points his Smith & Wesson Model 36 on Kersey. Another angle of the same situation.

Mugger points his Smith & Wesson Model 36 on Kersey.

Mugger shot by Kersey.

Smith & Wesson Model 10

Used by a police officer.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 - .38 Special

Cop with his revolver. Kersey is seen in the first window, sitting.

12 Gauge sawed-off double barrelled shotgun

Used by actor, playing deputy in the western show.

12 Gauge Double Barreled Coach Shotgun

Actor playing deputy sheriff with his double-barreled shotgun.

Actor playing deputy sheriff shooting his double-barreled shotgun. Yellow muzzle flash again.

Unknown shotgun

Another unknown shotgun used by one of the actors, who plays bandit.

Actor playing bandit shooting his shotgun.

Depicted revolvers

We can also see revolver on Newsweek cover in the street commercial and drawn revolver (without any real prototype, i think).

Revolver seen on the cover of Newsweek.

Drawn revolver seen in the tv news.

See Also:

Death Wish

Death Wish 2

Death Wish 3

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown

Death Wish V: The Face of Death