The Killing

The Killing

By

  • Genre: Crime, Thriller
  • Release Date: 1956-06-06
  • Runtime: 85 minutes
  • : 7.7
  • Production Company: United Artists
  • Production Country: United States of America
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7.7/10
7.7
From 1,500 Ratings

Description

Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.

Trailer

Reviews

  • CinemaSerf

    7
    By CinemaSerf
    Though it's Sterling Hayden who takes top billing here, it's actually Marie Windsor who steals the show as "Sherry". She is the rather money-grabbing, bullying, wife of "George" (Elisha Cook Jr). Now he works in the cashier's office at the local racetrack where "Mike" (Joe Sawyer) works behind the bar. These two are to be lynch pins in a daring plan to rob the place of two million dollars as it's feature race brings in the punters. Ex-con "Johnny" (Hayden) is the brains behind the scheme that also includes a bent cop "Randy" (Ted de Corsia), marksman "Nikki" (Timothy Carey) and financier "Unger" (the familiar face of Jay C. Flippen). Meticulous planning is required, diversions are created and it all looks set fair. Except, that is, for the blabbermouth "George" who tells his wife - in a bid to retain her love for him (and money) - who proceeds to tell her lover "Val" (Vince Edwards) and so a bit of double-play is soon on the cards too. It's constructed almost like a jigsaw puzzle, this film. We do a little bit of work on one aspect of the story, then move timelines and/or locations to another, or to another character before it all gradually comes together delivering a really effective eighty minutes of crime drama. Although I thought the ending just a little bit of a let down, there are strong performances across this tautly directed and effectively scored story. There's quite a lively bit of action from strongman Kola Kwariani in here too that's quite entertaining. Well worth a watch.

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