I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)

After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide, but can't go through with it, so he hires a contract killer in a seedy bar to ... See full summary »

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writers:

Aki Kaurismäki (story), Aki Kaurismäki (screenplay)

Stars:

Jean-Pierre Léaud, Margi Clarke, Kenneth Colley

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Henri Boulanger
Margi Clarke	...	Margaret
Kenneth Colley	...	Harry the Killer
T.R. Bowen	...	Department Head (as Trevor Bowen)
Imogen Claire	...	Secretary (as Immogen Clare) (as Imogen Clare)
Angela Walsh	...	Landlady
Cyril Epstein	...	Taxi Driver
Nicky Tesco	...	Pete
Charles Cork	...	Al
Michael O'Hagan	...	Harry the Killer's Boss
Tex Axile	...	Barkeeper
Walter Sparrow	...	Hotel Porter
Tony Rohr	...	Frank the Doctor
Joe Strummer	...	Guitar Player / Singer
Peter Graves	...	Jeweller

Storyline

After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide, but can't go through with it, so he hires a contract killer in a seedy bar to murder him at some unspecified time in the future. But almost immediately he meets and falls in love with Margaret, a flower-seller, which makes Henri realise that his life has some meaning after all. But when he goes back to the bar to cancel the contract, he finds it has been demolished - and there's no way he can get in touch with the killer...

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Plot Keywords:

loneliness | loner | contract to have oneself murdered | telephone book | 1980s | 

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Taglines:

Lej aldrig yrkesmördare i rivningskåkar! [Never hire a professional killer in a condemned building!]

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Finland Sweden Germany France UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 1990 (Finland)

Also Known As:

I Hired a Contract Killer

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Villealfa Filmproductions, Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI), Finnkino

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is dedicated to the memory of Michael Powell.

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Quotes

Margaret: You are crazy, Henri.
Henri Boulanger: I can't help it.

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Connections

Referenced in Emmett's Mark (2002)

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Soundtracks

Ned Your Love So Bad
Joe Strummer and the Astro Physicians

User Reviews

The suspension is perfectly 'Hitchcokic'& the use of music is great. Lay back, watch and enjoy.

Do you like classics? Do you have a thing for Hitchcock, or lets say, Jean Pierre Melville? Do you wanna see how does that translate into a more modern progressive movie? Well! here is what you do: You go straight to a club and you purchase 'I Hired a Contract Killer'! It sticks with you; the futility, the humor, and the suspense. This is a picture that no matter what, you gonna remember for ever. The futility is so rich, that itself becomes the core meaning to everything. And the situation gets so baffled that emptiness becomes a survival. The suspension is perfectly 'Hitchcokic'& the use of music is great. It is among the pictures that secures you; makes you sure that still cinema exists; A cinema that tells you a story, a breathtaking one - and damn, Kourismaki is a great story teller; a noble one. One of the few left from the true heritage of motion picture industry and art. Lay back, watch and enjoy. This is pure cinema. As you might have guessed, I fully recommend it!