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The Killers (1946)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
28 August 1946 (USA) moreTagline:
THE MOST SUSPENSEFUL PICTURE OF ALL TIME! (re-release print ad - all caps) morePlot:
Hit men kill an unresisting victim, and investigator Reardon uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins. full summary | add synopsisPlot Keywords:
moreAwards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins moreNewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Try As You May, You Can’t Avoid ‘The Killers’ (From FilmSchoolRejects. 26 April 2009, 7:21 PM, PDT)
Terminator And Deliverance Officially Preserved
(From Cinema Blend. 30 December 2008, 9:36 PM, PST)
User Comments:
My favorite film noir picture moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Burt Lancaster | ... | 'Swede' Andersen | |
| Ava Gardner | ... | Kitty Collins | |
| Edmond O'Brien | ... | Jim Reardon | |
| Albert Dekker | ... | Big Jim Colfax | |
| Sam Levene | ... | Lt. Sam Lubinsky | |
| Vince Barnett | ... | Charleston | |
| Virginia Christine | ... | Lilly Harmon Lubinsky | |
| Charles D. Brown | ... | Packy Robinson | |
| Jack Lambert | ... | 'Dum-Dum' Clarke | |
| Donald MacBride | ... | R.S. Kenyon | |
| Charles McGraw | ... | Al | |
| William Conrad | ... | Max | |
| Phil Brown | ... | Nick Adams | |
| Queenie Smith | ... | Mary Ellen Daugherty | |
| Jeff Corey | ... | 'Blinky' Franklin |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
103 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Certification:
Australia:PG | Norway:16 | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:(Banned) (1947-1949) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:UnratedFun Stuff
Trivia:
In-joke: In the scene towards the end of the film where Edmond O'Brien arranges to meet Ava Gardner outside a nightclub, O'Brien stands on the street in front of the club, waiting for Gardner to drive up. On the wall behind him is a poster, beginning with "Sir Arthur Hilton presents..." Arthur Hilton, an Englishman, was the film's editor. moreGoofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When they're making their getaway from the robbery, the camera crew is reflected in the windshield of the truck they're hiding behind. moreQuotes:
Big Jim Colfax: If there's one thing in this world I hate, it's a double-crossing dame. moreSoundtrack:
THE MORE I KNOW OF LOVE moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Killers (1946)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| The Hitmen!!! | richsass |
| DVD | DeaCable |
| who double-crossed who? | mhutchi127-1 |
| Question about ending (Spoilers) | kathyselden |
| Mistakes? | foggybottom3 |
| little guy with a cane | lukemcgook |
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I was surprised when I looked at IMDb's list of highest rated film noir pictures, since this movie was well down the list. This review and my subsequent review for DOA are being made to try to correct this oversight. Also note that there was a re-make of this film in 1964 starring Lee Marvin and Ronald Reagan. This review is for the original film only.
This is one of the most stylistic noir pictures made. Like the FANTASTIC opening of Sunset Boulevard, this movie STARTS with the murder of a poor sap and then backtracks to let the viewer slowly understand why this occurred. Surprisingly, the part given to the murder victim in this movie is played by Burt Lancaster in his first picture--what a great first film! Other reasons I liked the film were the cast (I like ugly old Edmund O'Brien--a stand-out noir actor because he is unattractive, beefy and delivers lines like it was from an episode of Dragnet), writing (it keeps you guessing), direction and impressive cinematography.
Do yourself a favor and see it soon.