The Killing (1956)
Genre:
Crime / Drama / Thriller / Film-Noir (more)
Tagline: ...In All Its Fury and Violence (more)
Plot Summary: After getting out of prison, Johnny Clay masterminds a complex race-track heist, but his scheme is complicated...
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User Comments:
Kubrick's first classic, and still one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.
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User Rating:
 
8.2/10 (8,598 votes)
top 250: #139
Also Known As:
Bed of Fear (USA) (working title)
Clean Break (USA) (working title)
Day of Violence (USA) (working title)
Runtime:
85 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Finland:(Banned) (1956) / West Germany:18 (original rating) / Canada:G (Quebec) / Spain:T / Finland:K-15 (2003) / Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) / Finland:K-16 (1960) (cut) / Argentina:13 / Australia:PG / Ireland:12 / Sweden:15 / UK:PG / USA:Approved (PCA #17836) (original rating) / West Germany:12
Trivia:
Director Stanley Kubrick formed a production company with James B. Harris, Harris-Kubrick Pictures, before making this film. Kubrick and Harris bought the rights to the Lionel White pulp novel "The Snatch" for $10,000, but found out that the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA) Code would not allow movies to be made about the kidnapping of children, the premise of White's potboiler. White subsequently swapped the rights to his novel "Clean Break" for "The Snatch" to get them out of the predicament. United Artists had considered buying "Clean Break" as a vehicle for Frank Sinatra. "The Snatch" later was made into The Night of the Following Day (1968) in the more permissive 1960s, when the MPPDA Code had been superseded by the ratings system.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Mike leaves for the bus station, for the flower box, the street outside his apartment is wet. When he arrives a few minutes later at the bus station, the street in front of it is dry.
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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...
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Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.
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User Comments:
30 out of 45 people found the following comment useful:-
Kubrick's first classic, and still one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made., 14 January 2003
Author:
Infofreak from Perth, Australia
'The Killing' has been overshadowed by Stanley Kubrick's subsequent better
known and better made movie masterpieces. Films like 'Dr. Strangelove',
'2001' and 'A Clockwork Orange' are much more flamboyant and intellectually
exciting than this early hard boiled crime thriller, but for my money it is
still one of his most entertaining movies, and in its own modest way just as
brilliant as his more talked about films. 'The Killing' is still one of the
greatest crime thrillers ever made, and one which influenced many film
makers working in this genre, not the least of which Quentin Tarantino, who
obviously worships this picture, and used its innovative structure as major
inspiration for 'Pulp Fiction'. Kubrick wrote 'The Killing's script as well
as directing, but made the smart move of asking "the Dime Store Dostoevski"
Jim Thompson, author of pulp classics like 'The Killer Inside Me' and 'The
Getaway' to supply the fresh and memorable dialogue. Sterling Hayden, who
later achieved screen immmortality as General Jack D. Ripper in 'Dr
Strangelove', is perfect as ambitious small time crook Johnny Clay. He is
surrounded by an almost flawless supporting cast. I qualified that because I
wasn't totally convinced by Coleen Gray who plays Johnny's girlfriend.
However she only really has one scene, and the rest of the cast more than
makes up for her. Especially memorable are the mis-matched husband and wife
played by Elisha Cook, Jr ('The House On Haunted Hill') and the sultry Marie
Windsor (noir classic 'Narrow Margin'). Their scenes together are simply
terrific. Also noteworthy are the two scenes featuring legendary crazy
Timothy Carey ('The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie'). Carey was one of the most
extraordinary performers to set foot in front of a movie character, and is
unforgettable. Kubrick obviously thought highly of him as he subsequently
cast him in his anti-war classic 'Paths Of Glory', a move which antagonised
the movie's star Kirk Douglas. Even if 'The Killing' didn't feature such a
strong performance from Sterling Hayden it would be worth watching just to
catch Cook, Windsor and Carey. On top of that you have some other great
actors such as Vince Edwards, an innovative script, hip dialogue and some
brilliant directorial touches. This exciting heist movie can't be
recommended highly enough, it's a real treat for film buffs. A brilliant
film that still packs a punch after almost fifty years, something I doubt
you will be saying about many movies currently showing in today's theatres.
'The Killing' is a super cool suspense movie and not to be
missed!
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