The Killing (1956)

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stanley Kubrick (screenplay)
Jim Thompson (dialogue)
(more)

Release Date:

6 June 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

These 5 Men Had a $2,000,000 Secret Until One of them told this Woman!

Plot:

Crooks plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.

Plot Keywords:

Airport | Racetrack | Robbery | Ex Convict | Suitcase

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Sterling Hayden	...	Johnny Clay
Coleen Gray	...	Fay
Vince Edwards	...	Val Cannon
Jay C. Flippen	...	Marvin Unger
Ted de Corsia	...	Policeman Randy Kennan (as Ted DeCorsia)
Marie Windsor	...	Sherry Peatty
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	George Peatty (as Elisha Cook)
Joe Sawyer	...	Mike O'Reilly
James Edwards	...	Track Parking Attendant
Timothy Carey	...	Nikki Arcane
Kola Kwariani	...	Maurice Oboukhoff
Jay Adler	...	Leo the Loanshark
Tito Vuolo	...	Joe Piano
Dorothy Adams	...	Mrs. Ruthie O'Reilly
Herbert Ellis	...	2nd American Airlines Clerk
James Griffith	...	Mr. Grimes, Airline Supervisor
Cecil Elliott	...	Lady with Small Dog
Joe Turkel	...	Tiny (as Joseph Turkel)
Steve Mitchell	...	Brown, American Airlines Clerk
Mary Carroll	...	Woman Asking Kennan for Help
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	American Airlines Clerk (as William Benedict)
Charles Cane	...	Plainclothesman at Airport (as Charles R. Cane)
Robert Williams	...	Plainclothesman at Airport (as Robert B. Williams)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rodney Dangerfield	...	Onlooker (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
John George	...	Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
Art Gilmore	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Track Guard Slugged by Johnny (uncredited)
Harry Hines	...	Chess Player (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
Hal J. Moore	...	Race Track P.A. Announcer (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Richard Reeves	...	Bill, Track Employee in Locker Room (uncredited)
Frank Richards	...	Track Employee in Locker Room (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kubrick

Writing credits
Stanley Kubrick		(screenplay)
Jim Thompson		(dialogue)
Lionel White		(novel "Clean Break")

Produced by
James B. Harris	....	producer
Alexander Singer	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Gerald Fried

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Betty Steinberg

Art Direction by
Ruth Sobotka

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Makeup Department
Robert Littlefield	....	makeup artist
Lillian Shore	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Clarence Eurist	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Milton Carter	....	assistant director
Paul Feiner	....	second assistant director
Howard Joslin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	assistant set decorator (as Carl Brainard)
Christopher Ebsen	....	chief carpenter
Bud Pine	....	construction supervisor
Robert L. Stephen	....	chief painter
Ray Zambel	....	property master

Sound Department
Rex Lipton	....	sound effects editor
Earl Snyder	....	sound

Special Effects by
Dave Koehler	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Louis DeWitt	....	photographic effects
Jack Rabin	....	photographic effects

Stunts
Fred Gabourie	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Sol Gorss	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Wally Rose	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Eddie Saenz	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Don Turner	....	stunts (unconfirmed)
Bob Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lou Cortese	....	best boy
Paul Eagler	....	process camera operator
Carl Gibson	....	head grip
Robert Hosler	....	second assistant camera
Bobby Jones	....	gaffer
Richard Towers	....	camera operator (as Dick Tower)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beaumelle	....	costumes: Miss Windsor
Rudy Harrington	....	wardrobe: women
Jack Masters	....	wardrobe
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Gerald Fried	....	conductor
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	music editor (as Gilbert Marchant)

Transportation Department
Dave Lesser	....	transportation

Other crew
Mary Gibsone	....	script supervisor
Joyce Hartman	....	assistant to director
Marguerite Olson	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Harris-Kubrick Productions (as Harris-Kubrick Pictures Corporation) (as Harris-Kubrick also)

Distributors

• United Artists (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Art Free (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Nova Film (1957) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1957) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Cinemagia (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Studio S (2011) (Sweden) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Ireland:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17836) (original rating) | West Germany:12 | Finland:(Banned) (1956) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Finland:K-15 (2003) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1960) (cut) | Spain:T | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Norway:16 | Canada:14A (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Italy:16+ | USA:Not Rated | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1956)

Filming Locations:

USA

Company:

Harris-Kubrick Productions

Trivia:

As Johnny leaves the store after buying a suitcase, advertised on the wall just beyond his car is a burlesque show featuring Lenny Bruce.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nikki tries to drive away after shooting the horse, he supposedly sustains a flat tire from running over the horse shoe discarded by the parking attendant. The tire is already flat before he starts the car.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:At exactly 3:45 on that Saturday afternoon in the last week of September, Marvin Unger was, perhaps, the only one among the hundred thousand people at the track who felt no thrill at the running of the fifth race. He was totally disinterested in horse racing and held a lifelong contempt for gambling...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sex Is Crazy (1981)

A movie with average plot, fair acting, but superb direction

Stanley Kubrick is truly one of the most gifted directors of all time. He wasn't afraid to be boring(2001: a Space Odyssey) or critically bashed(The Shining) or risque and disturbing(A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut). He simply did his job: to provide a well made film with strong theme and meaning. The Killing is definitely not Kubrick's best work. It seems to me that Stan wasn't famous enough and too little known to make The Killing the way that he wanted to. It was though, still pretty entertaining. It has one of my favorite attributes that most movies don't even steer close to: a non-linear plot. A non-linear plot is when scenes are put in non-chronilogical order, i.e. Pulp Fiction, Out of Sight, Fight Club, etc. It makes the audience pay more attention and makes the plot seem more interesting and intricate. In this movie, the plot wasn't way out of order, but it was enough to be conidered non-linear.

Another cool part of the movie was the heist itself. It was very well planned and executed and obviously took time to think up. The depressing climax and ending lean a lot towards the work of Hitchcock. In fact, if this film had been in some parts been by Hitchcock, it would not have been too much of a surprise.

If you're in to classic, black and white crime dramas, then this movie is for you.