THE KILLERS is an excellent film noir, , perhaps only bettered by OUT OF THE PAST (1947). To give too much of the plot away would be to spoil the experience for new viewers- I was able to watch it without virtually any prior knowledge of the plot and the film really knocked me for six.
One thing that enormously impressed me about THE KILLERS is how seamlessly and seemingly effortlessly director Robert Siodmak manages to pull off the intricately layered plot, which consists of many (13 in total, I think) flashbacks. The film, like CITIZEN KANE, is told from multiple points of view but Siodmak turns the noir atmosphere up to fever pitch by jumbling the order of the flashbacks. Just as we are lead to believe one thing, another possibility comes out at us. So very noir.
Burt Lancaster made his starring debut in this film and its a very strong performance of a weak character. In the famous opening 12 minutes, two hit men (including a mean Charles McGraw) enter Brentwood, California and gun down Lancaster's character, the "Swede". He doesn't even resist, telling his co-worker "I did something wrong...once". This serves to be the mystery of the film, as we gradually piece together the Swede's life and how he came to such a miserable end. Of course, like most noirs, it has something to do with a beautiful yet deadly femme fatale, played by a scorching Ava Gardner. Kitty Collins has to be one of the sexiest, yet dangerous, women on film. I'll let you uncover why- her final scene is unforgettable.
Lancaster and Gardner, though featuring on most of the publicity posters, do not have as many scenes as the real leading man, dogged insurance man Rearden, Edmomd O'Brien. Rearden gets to live the film noir life when he begins investigating the Swede's death, and you can sense as he is getting sucked further and further into a web of deceit he is enjoying it more and more. Albert Dekker, Sam Levene and Vince Barnett also provide great support. This is a film where every role feels perfectly cast, and there is a never a false moment in it.
Siodmak is a director I have not seen much of, yet I will look out for his work in the future. THE KILLERS still feels very fresh and contemporary, and Siodmak directs in a taut, economical style, making sure every flashback serves its purpose whilst still entertaining the audience. The plot was derived from a short story by Ernest Hemingway, but writer Anthony Veiller really deserves the most praise here, as the film is actually an extrapolation on Hemingway's hit men premise. The screenplay contains many great noir lines and the cinematography is appropriately dark and ominously lit.
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