THE KILLERS (1946--black-and-white): Director Robert Siodmak asserts his command of film noir in his depiction of the mysterious and sordid demise of aging boxer Ole "The Swede" Andersen (Burt Lancaster, in his screen debut), as unfolded by dogged insurance investigator Jim Reardon (Edmond O'Brien). As he plunges deeper and deeper into the case, Reardon uncovers a complex tale of treachery and crime, all linked to the gorgeous femme fatale Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner). Built round eleven flashbacks and boasting one of the greatest opening sequences in film history, The Killers may be the definitive film noir--a masterpiece of amoral expression.

THE KILLERS (1964--color): Two hired killers (Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager) muscle their way into a school for the blind and terrorize the secretary until she reveals the whereabouts of race car driver Johnny North (John Cassavetes). When the gunmen track Johnny down, he wordlessly accepts his fate with the [passivity of a man already dead. Why? This gnawing question leads the hit men deep into a twisted underworld of violence and betrayal under the bright California sun, populated by a unsavory cast of characters including the vicious white collar gangster Browning (Ronald Reagan, in his last movie role) and the beautiful Sheila Farr (Angie Dickinson). With The Killers, hard-nosed director Don Siegel deviates radically from Hemingway's short story and the 1946 film of the same name, fashioning a tale of amorality and white-knuckled suspense uniquely his own.
 
"[46] Elaborate tale of cross and double-cross, stunningly executed."  Halliwell's Film Guide
"[64] Plenty of excessively modern violence."  The New York Times
"[64] ...suspenseful presentation...commendable performances."  New York Daily News
"[46] Seldom does a melodrama maintain the high tension that distinguishes this one."  Variety
"[64] Lean, very lean, hard, very hard, and in high style!"  New York Post
 


Editor's Note

Ernest Hemingway's short story THE KILLERS was turned into two memorable films noir at the beginning and the end of the high period of the genre. This collection features both films. The original 1946, directed by Robert Siodmak, version stars Burt Lancaster as "the Swede," an aging boxer who is brought in on for an underground job. The 1964 Don Siegel version stars Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager as a pari of gunmen scouring a seedy underworld. See individual titles for further details.