Hired Killer (1966) Tecnica di un omicidio (original title)

Director:

Franco Prosperi

Writer:

Franco Prosperi (story)

Release Date:

25 March 1966 (Italy)

Genre:

Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

He had money to burn... Women to kiss... And men to kill!

Plot:

Hit-man Clint Harris has one more job to do before he can retire. The corporation which hires him demands...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Impostor | Drug Addict | Paris France | Plastic Surgery

Cast

Robert Webber	...	Clint Harris
Franco Nero	...	Tony Lo Bello (as Frank Nero)
José Luis de Vilallonga	...	Dr. Goldstein / Frank Secchy
Cec Linder	...	Gastel
Theodora Bergery	...	Lucy
Earl Hammond	...	Frank
Michel Bardinet	...	Barry
Giovanni Di Benedetto	...	Andrea Ferri (as John Hawkwood)
Jeanne Valérie	...	Mary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giovanni Cianfriglia	...	(uncredited)
Valentino Macchi	...	Photographic Lab Assistant (uncredited)
Jacques Stany	...	Target Practice Instructor (uncredited)

Directed by
Franco Prosperi

Writing credits
Franco Prosperi		(story and screenplay) (as Frank Shannon)

Produced by
Felice Testa Gay	....	producer (as F.T. Gay)

Original Music by
Robby Poitevin

Cinematography by
Erico Menczer		(as Eric Menczer)

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei		(as Mark Sirandrews)

Production Design by
Ugo Pericoli		(as Hugo Nahier)

Set Decoration by
Henry Fraser

Makeup Department
Anthony Loew	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Dan Lesser	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Darcey	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Oliver N. Bloom	....	sound (as Oliver Bloom)

Camera and Electrical Department
Silvio Fraschetti	....	camera operator (as Phil Holster)

Music Department
Robby Poitevin	....	conductor

Other crew
Hella Life	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Cinegai S.p.A. (as Cinegai)
• Rome Paris Films (as Rome Paris Film)

Distributors

• Unidis (1966) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Imagica Corp. (2002) (Japan) (DVD)
• Nueva Films S.A.
• Paramount Pictures (1967) (USA) (dubbed)

Other Companies

• Cinecittà  sound post-production
• Cooperativa Doppiaggio Cinematografico (CDC) (I) (II)  dubbing

Also Known As:

"Tecnica di un omicidio" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

100 min | USA:95 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Cinegai S.p.A.

Needs to be on DVD

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Mondo pioneer Franco Prosperi proved himself a more than capable director of narrative cinema with this intriguing suspense feature. Robert Webber stars as Clint Harris, a morose, high-paid New York hit-man sent on assignment to Paris to locate and eliminate the mysterious Frank Secchy, who's making a move on Manhattan's criminal underworld and was also responsible for the murder of Clint's brother. Compelled by his boss (Cec Linder, the original Felix Leiter from Goldfinger) to take along deadweight sidekick Tony Lo Bello (a very young looking Franco Nero), Clint runs into trouble with a heroin-addicted woman who holds the key to Secchy's whereabouts. There's lots of shooting, some great Big Apple location footage for the first couple of reels, a fine score by Robby Poiteven, a twist ending, and even a night club scene where Take A Heart, the great freakbeat anthem by The Sorrows, plays out in its entirety. The film is decent in a washed-out, pan and scan print, so I imagine it would look great on disc. Here's hoping.