The Killers (1946) / Z-View
The Killers (1946)
Director: Robert Siodmak
Screenplay: Anthony Veiller from a story by Ernest Hemingway
Stars: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien and William Conrad.
The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie based on Hemingway’s The Killers.”
Tagline: “One Moment with Her…And He Gambled His LUCK…LOVE…and His LIFE!”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Two hit men show up in a small town to kill a gas station attendant known as “Swede” [Lancaster]. When warned the hitmen are in town, Swede thanks the man but refuses to run. He lays back down and waits for their arrival, a totally defeated man.
The hit men arrive. Kill him and leave.
Insurance investigator Reardon [O’Brien] gets the case and slowly begins to unravel the mystery of why hit men were sent to kill a small town nobody. What follows is a story of mobsters, big time robberies, double-crosses and in the middle of it all a beautiful woman.
The opening scene – of the hitmen at the diner is a favorite and sets the tone for a classic movie!
Rating: 4 of 5 stars.