The Killers (1964)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Ernest Hemingway (story)
Gene L. Coon (writer)

Release Date:

7 July 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

There is more than one way to kill a man!

Plot:

Surprised that their contract victim didn't try to run away from them, two professional hit men try to find out who hired them and why.

Plot Keywords:

Robbery | Teacher | School For The Blind | Violence | Helicopter Shot

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Lee Marvin	...	Charlie Strom
Angie Dickinson	...	Sheila Farr
John Cassavetes	...	Johnny North
Clu Gulager	...	Lee
Claude Akins	...	Earl Sylvester
Norman Fell	...	Mickey Farmer
Ronald Reagan	...	Jack Browning
Virginia Christine	...	Miss Watson
Don Haggerty	...	Mail Truck Driver
Robert Phillips	...	George Flemming
Kathleen O'Malley	...	Miss Leslie, Secretary
Ted Jacques	...	Gym Assistant
Irvin Mosley	...	Mail Truck Guard
Jimmy Joyce	...	Sales Assistant
Davis Roberts	...	Maitre D'

Also Known As:

Ernest Hemingway's The Killers (USA) (promotional title)
Johnny North (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1964) (uncut) | Finland:(Banned) (1964) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1968) (cut) | Iceland:12 | Norway:16 (1964) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Australia:M | Spain:18 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California, USA

Company:

Revue Studios

Trivia:

According to 'Don Siegel (I)', it was the policy at Universal at the time to shoot the last scene of the film first. On that first day of filming, according to Siegel and Clu Gulager, Lee Marvin arrived late and had been drinking, but because he had no dialogue, the scenes were used as shot.

Goofs:

Continuity: While the gang is going over the heist plot in the garage, Jack stands up and slaps Sheila with his right hand across her left cheek. When she recovers from nearly falling over, she holds her right cheek. In another shot soon after, she is nursing her bruised left cheek.

Quotes:

Charlie Strom: [quietly] Sylvester, unless you want to renew your partnership with the late Johnny North, I suggest you tell us everything and anything we want to know.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: Angie Dickinson: Tinseltown's Classiest Broad" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Too Little Time

Cast Is More Intriuging Than The Story

A bunch of well-known 1960s actors dot this film, with lesser-known but familiar faces also in here. He's not in the lead, but the most famous, of course, is former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The stars of the film are the always- intense Lee Marvin, Clu Culager, John Cassevetes, Angie Dickinson, Claude Aiken and Norman Fell. I would like to have witnessed rehearsals for this film!

The story starts off very strong, then gets stupid with an annoying romance between Cassevates and Dickinson (complete with affected dialog) and then finishes very strong in the last 35 minutes. The ending is excellent. I guess you could label this a '60s version of film noir, especially since it is something of a re-make of the 1946 noir of the same name.

It seemed odd to see Reagan as the villain and makes the film less credible because it doesn't fit his image. Marvin, however, always is a convincing villain. What a great voice he had, too! In all, despite the cast and the good director (Don Siegel), this film never had the impact it could have had n audiences.