The Killers (1946)

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writers:

Anthony Veiller (screenplay)
Ernest Hemingway (story)
(more)

Release Date:

12 December 1946 (Australia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

THE MOST SUSPENSEFUL PICTURE OF ALL TIME! (re-release print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Hit men kill an unresisting victim, and investigator Reardon uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Small Town | Insurance | Robbery | Gas Station

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Ole 'Swede' Andreson
Ava Gardner	...	Kitty Collins
Edmond O'Brien	...	Jim Riordan
Albert Dekker	...	Big Jim Colfax
Sam Levene	...	Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky
Vince Barnett	...	Charleston
Virginia Christine	...	Lilly Harmon Lubinsky
Jack Lambert	...	'Dum-Dum' Clarke
Charles D. Brown	...	Packy Robinson - Ole's Manager
Donald MacBride	...	R.S. Kenyon
Charles McGraw	...	Al
William Conrad	...	Max
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams	...	Hood with Cane (uncredited)
Audley Anderson	...	Assistant Paymaster (uncredited)
George Anderson	...	Jail Ward Doctor (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
John Berkes	...	Mr. Plunther - Coroner (uncredited)
Harry Brown	...	Paymaster (uncredited)
Phil Brown	...	Nick Adams (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Police Driver (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Onlooker at Green Cat (uncredited)
Jeff Corey	...	'Blinky' Franklin (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Restaurant Chef (uncredited)
Noel Cravat	...	Lou Tingle - Piano Player (uncredited)
Rex Dale	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Neal Dodd	...	Minister (uncredited)
Mike Donovan	...	Timekeeper (uncredited)
Howard Freeman	...	Brentwood Police Chief (uncredited)
Michael Hale	...	Pete (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	George (uncredited)
Mark Hellinger	...	Man Drinking at Bar (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Disgruntled Diner Customer (uncredited)
Geoffrey Ingham	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Passerby Outside Theatre / Green Cat Bar Patron (uncredited)
Paul Kruger	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Perc Launders	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Nolan Leary	...	Waiter at the Green Cat (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	Ma Hirsch (uncredited)
Jack Lomas	...	Fight Spectator (uncredited)
Therese Lyon	...	Mrs. Grimes (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Restaurant Customer (uncredited)
Charles Middleton	...	Farmer (uncredited)
John Miljan	...	Jake the Rake (uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Garry Owen	...	Joe Smalley - Ole's Trainer (uncredited)
Beatrice Roberts	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Wally Rose	...	Bartender (uncredited)
William Ruhl	...	Fran - Motorman in Diner (uncredited)
Wallace Scott	...	Charlie (uncredited)
John Sheehan	...	Fight Arena Doctor (uncredited)
Queenie Smith	...	Mary Ellen 'Queenie' Daugherty (uncredited)
Ann Staunton	...	Stella (uncredited)
John Trebach	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Bill Walker	...	Sam (uncredited)
Milton Wallace	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Gabrielle Windsor	...	Ginny Bryson (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Siodmak

Writing credits
Anthony Veiller		(screenplay)
Ernest Hemingway		(story)
Richard Brooks		uncredited
John Huston		uncredited

Produced by
Mark Hellinger	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Elwood Bredell		(director of photography) (as Woody Bredell)

Film Editing by
Arthur Hilton

Art Direction by
Martin Obzina
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Edward R. Robinson		(as E.R. Robinson)

Makeup Department
Carmen Dirigo	....	hair stylist
Jack P. Pierce	....	director of makeup

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melville Shyer	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	director of sound
William Hedgcock	....	technician

Special Effects by
David S. Horsley	....	special photography (as D.S. Horsley)

Stunts
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vera West	....	gown supervision
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jules Buck	....	assistant to the producer
Harry B. Friedman	....	publicist (uncredited)
Mark Hellinger	....	presenter (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mark Hellinger Productions (presents) (as Mark Hellinger Productions, Inc.)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1946) (USA) (theatrical) (original release) (as Universal International)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (1990) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Pictures (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal (1947) (France) (theatrical) (as Universal Films S.A.)
• Väinän Filmi (1949) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• TV3 (1992) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (199?) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (2009) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

"Ernest Hemingway's The Killers" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Norway:16 | West Germany:16 (nf) | UK:PG (DVD rating) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:(Banned) (1947) | Finland:K-16 (1949) | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #11844)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Mark Hellinger Productions

Trivia:

"The Hedda Hopper Show - This Is Hollywood" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on April 19, 1947 with Edmond O'Brien and Burt Lancaster reprising their film roles.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the jail house scene, Charleston (Vince Barnett) tells The Swede (Burt Lancaster) of his love for the stars. As he looks out the window, he says that he says he sees Orion and a prominent star, Betelgeuse. He says that Orion is the "Great Bear" and that Betelgeuse is the "brightest star in the sky." Orion is actually The Hunter. Ursa Major (containing the Big Dipper) is the Great Bear. Betelgeuse, while quite bright, is actually the 9th brightest star.

Quotes:

Jim Reardon:She took a powder. The dough went with her.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick (1989)

Soundtrack:

With Plenty of Money and You

Has aged unbelievably well.

Maybe I've just seen too many old movies, but for me, other than the period fedoras and suits, nothing about this movie would really give away that it's almost 60 years old.

The plot is solid and keeps you guessing until the end, with many twists and turns along the way, and is told asynchronously (perhaps necessary for today's audiences, which may be why it holds up so well). The acting is great, quite realistic, and for the most part avoids the maudlin sentiment and overacting that characterizes some older films.

The Killers is an incredibly enjoyable crime film, perhaps the perfect crime film. I haven't seen the remake, so I can't comment on that, but I hold this film in high regard.