CrimeMystery

The Killers

- There's more than one way to kill a man!

A hit man and his partner try to find out why their latest victim, a former race-car driver, did not try to get away.

Release Date : 1964-07-07

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Revue StudiosUniversal Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Johnny North

Cast

Character Name : Charlie Strom

Original Name : Lee Marvin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheila Farr

Original Name : Angie Dickinson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Johnny North

Original Name : John Cassavetes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lee

Original Name : Clu Gulager

Gender : Male

Character Name : Earl Sylvester

Original Name : Claude Akins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mickey Farmer

Original Name : Norman Fell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack Browning

Original Name : Ronald Reagan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Watson

Original Name : Virginia Christine

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mail Truck Driver

Original Name : Don Haggerty

Gender : Male

Character Name : George

Original Name : Robert Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist

Original Name : Kathleen O'Malley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gym Assistant

Original Name : Ted Jacques

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mail Truck Guard

Original Name : Irvin Mosley Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Salesman

Original Name : Jimmy Joyce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maître D'

Original Name : Davis Roberts

Gender : Male

Character Name : Race Marshal

Original Name : Hall Brock

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elderly Man

Original Name : Burt Mustin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Instructor

Original Name : Peter Hobbs

Gender : Male

Character Name : Steward

Original Name : Tyler McVey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Postal Clerk

Original Name : Seymour Cassel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hotel Clerk

Original Name : Scott Hale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Cosmo Sardo

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The only man who isn't afraid of dying is dead already. The Killers is directed by Don Siegel and adapted to screenplay by Gene L. Coon from the short story written by Ernest Hemmingway. It stars Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Clu Gulager, John Cassavetes, Ronald Reagan and Claude Akins. Music is by John Williams and cinematography by Richard L. Rawlings. Hit men Charlie (Marvin) and Lee (Gulager) enter a school for the blind and gun down motor mechanic teacher Johnny North (Cassavetes). He doesn't resist. Why? This question bothers Charlie and he sets about finding out... It's difficult when reading the name The Killers to not think of the 1946 film made by Robert Siodmak, a film that is revered as one of the quintessential movies of film noir. But Don Siegel's film, a re-jigging of the plot, is well worthy of consideration as quintessential neo-noir. Originally slated to be the first made for TV movie as part of a new era for movies on television, the film was pulled by NBC for being too violent. With the film also featuring a murder by sniper scene, the recent assassination of John F. Kennedy by sniper ensured The Killers was temporarily on unsafe ground. With Ronald Reagan making his last appearance on film before moving into politics, unusually playing a villain no less, the 64 version of The Killers has a bit of history. It's a film about double-crossing, murder and fateful yearnings, featuring amoral characters in a wonderfully constructed story that is told in flashbacks! Photographed in bright, almost garish, colours, it's very much the polar opposite to Siodmak's version, well visually at least, but it is very effective and striking, almost enhancing the lurid nature of Coon's screenplay. It's an aggressive film where the violence packs a punch, and the ending has a considerable black heart. The cast are mostly effective. Marvin and Gulager's hit-man pairing are deliberately off kilter in terms of personality, and it's these two that propel the movie forward (well backwards really). Cassavetes makes interesting work as live wire dupe Johnny, Akins does good as a pal watching on helplessly as Johnny loses his life footings and Dickinson sizzles as she fatalises the femme. Weak link is Reagan, who looks ill at ease playing a tough villain type. It's no surprise to learn later on down the line that he wasn't very fond of the role. Good quality neo-noir crafted by a man who knew how to do the real deal back in the day. 7.5/10