The Lady in Red

The Lady in Red Theatrical poster Country United States Directed by Lewis Teague Release Date 1979 Language English Studio New World Pictures Distributor New World Pictures Main Cast Character Actor Polly Franklin Pamela Sue Martin John Dillinger Robert Conrad Anna Sage Louise Fletcher Jake Lingle Robert Hogan Eddie Glenn Withrow Pinetop Rod Gist Pops Geissler Peter Hobbs Frognose Christopher Lloyd Patek Dick Miller Melvin Purvis Alan Vint

The Lady in Red is a film directed by Lewis Teague in 1979 that is a greatly fictionalized version of the life of Polly Hamilton, Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's last girlfriend. Dillinger is played by Robert Conrad opposite Pamela Sue Martin as "Polly Franklin", the renamed version of the real-life Hamilton. The story deviates from truth in almost every detail, especially in its misleading title; Anna Sage (as played by Louise Fletcher) was the infamous "lady in red" rather than Polly. The film has enjoyed a cult following as one of Roger Corman's many B-movie classics.

The film also stars Christopher Lloyd as a sadistic mobster named "Frognose" and Robert Forster in an uncredited role as a gunman named "Turk".

The following weapons were used in the film The Lady in Red:

Pistols

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless

Polly Franklin (Pamela Sue Martin) carries a blued Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless with brown grips during the bank robbery.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Pistol Blued - .32 ACP

Polly, disguised as a nurse, draws her Colt on the manager during the bank robbery.

Polly holds her Colt on a bank employee in the vault.

Polly holds her Colt while making the getaway with Eddie.

Polly fires her Colt into a pillow while performing a "mercy killing". Although she is shown to commit at least two killings during the film, the real Polly Hamilton was never known to be either a bank robber or a murderess.

Colt Mk IV Series 70

FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Alan Vint) uses a M1911A1 pistol to shoot and kill Dillinger outside the Biograph Theater. Based on the color of the parts and the smaller bore diameter, it appears to be a Colt Mk IV Series 70 or similarly anachronistic variant.

Colt 1911 Series 70 - .45 ACP

Purvis aims at Dillinger.

Purvis and another agent fire at Dillinger.

Purvis raises his pistol once the slide locks back.

Revolvers

Smith & Wesson Model 10

Many characters use the Smith & Wesson Model 10, including FBI agents, the Chicago police, and several bank robbers including Pops Geissler (Peter Hobbs) and Eddie (Glenn Withrow).

Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver with long barrel and Gold Medallion grips - .38 Special

A female bank robber (Mary Woronov) aims her Smith & Wesson at Polly during the opening bank robbery to convince her to hang on the running board.

An FBI agent fires at Dillinger while restraining Polly.

The barrel of an FBI agent's Smith & Wesson as he fires at Dillinger outside the Biograph Theater.

Eddie cleans out a Smith & Wesson as Polly enters the room.

Frank (Joseph X. Flaherty), a mob gunman, enters Polly's apartment.

Pops draws his dual Smith & Wessons on the bank guards in Chicago.

Pops checks the stopwatch taped to his wrist during the robbery, both revolvers still in his hands.

Colt Detective Special

Turk (Robert Forster) draws a Colt Detective Special on Polly to prove a point that his targets never know what hit them when he's assigned to kill one of them.

Colt Detective Special 1st Gen - .38 Special

Turk holds his Colt on Polly.

Colt New Service

Pinetop (Rod Gist) keeps a Colt New Service as his sidearm. Several FBI agents carry New Services as well.

Colt New Service chambered in .455 Eley.

An FBI agent opens the cylinder on his New Service to load it.

Another agent loads his New Service.

Pinetop holds his New Service on a bartender when asking about Jake Lingle (Robert Hogan).

Colt Official Police

A small town policeman fires back at a gang of bank robbers with a Colt Official Police.

Colt Official Police - 4" Barrel

The policeman fires his Official Police.

Iver Johnson Revolver

An FBI agent places a .32-caliber Iver Johnson Revolver with white grips near Dillinger's corpse after he is shot and killed in order to justify the killing. This reflects the ongoing dispute on whether or not Dillinger was armed at the time of his death; the FBI argues that when Dillinger was killed, he had a .380-caliber Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless in his pocket.

Iver Johnson Snub Nose - .32 S&W

The agent pulls out the Iver Johnson, wrapped in a handkerchief.

The gun drops near Dillinger's corpse.

Submachine guns

Thompson M1921

The ubiquitous Thompson M1921 makes many appearances throughout the film in the hands of bank robbers, policemen, and FBI agents, almost always with a drum magazine. Polly Franklin (Pamela Sue Martin) handles one after the bank robbery, handing it off to Eddie "the Kid" (Glenn Withrow) who uses it to hold off the oncoming police and FBI agents at a gas station.

Colt M1921AC Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP.

An unnamed bank robber during an early scene fires his Thompson off during a gun battle.

The same bank robber shoots at several policemen in the small town.

An FBI agent prepares to take down Dillinger by loading up a Thompson's drum magazine. It is interesting to note that, although many shots are shown of FBI agents loading long guns such as Thompsons and shotguns to prepare, only handguns are used by the agents at the Biograph Theater.

An undercover FBI agent fires his Thompson at Polly's gang.

Eddie fires his Thompson at the police and FBI agents who corner him and Polly near a gas station.

Thompson M1928A1

An FBI agent is seen with an anachronistic Thompson M1928A1 news reel that is supposedly from 1934.

M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine and early 'simplified' rear sight that would be adopted for the M1 Thompson - .45 ACP

The FBI agent aims his Thompson in the news reel footage.

Rifles

Winchester Model 70

Pops Geissler (Peter Hobbs) carries a Winchester Model 70 during the planning and getaway of the final bank robbery. An FBI agent carries one as well.

Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 - .30-06

Pops slings his Winchester rifle over his shoulder.

Pops takes aim at a couple FBI agents who confront the gang's overturned car.

An FBI agent with a Winchester Model 70 and two with shotguns fire at Eddie.

Browning Automatic Rifle

An FBI agent fires a Browning Automatic Rifle at Eddie during the film's gas station climax.

Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06

Purvis stands behind the BAR-wielding agent.

Shotguns

Winchester Model 1897

FBI agents and policemen carry Winchester Model 1897 shotguns.

Winchester Model 1897 Riot Gun - 12 gauge

An agent loads shells into his Winchester '97.

An agent loads shells into his Winchester '97.

An agent pumps a round into his Winchester '97.

Winchester Model 1912

Another policeman in the small town fires at the bank robbers with a Winchester Model 1912.

Winchester M1912 Riot Gun

The policeman fires his Winchester. Strangely, when the shot is shown to hit the bank robber's car, it makes a very small hole as though fired from a rifle.

Double Barreled Shotgun

Pinetop (Rod Gist) carries a Double Barreled Shotgun with exposed hammers and a sawed-off stock during the bank robbery.

Pinetop explains to the hostages that he normally isn't a bank robber; he is a singer.