As in CITIZEN KANE (1941), itself a noir classic, THE KILLERS begins with the death of the protagonist and, through a series of flashbacks, reveals the events the led to it. All the familiar noir elements are here - the characters, including an ill-fated ex-boxer named “Swede” (Burt Lancaster), a two-timing femme fatale named Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner), and an wily insurance investigator named Reardon (Edmond O’Brien) who unravels the mystery of Swede’s death; the plot points, including a robbery and double-crosses; and the music by film noir composer Miklos Rozsa. Based on a novel by Ernest Hemmingway, THE KILLERS is a must-see for noir aficionados.THE KILLERS (1946)
Tough guys, tough dames, tough talk, tough breaks
As in CITIZEN KANE (1941), itself a noir classic, THE KILLERS begins with the death of the protagonist and, through a series of flashbacks, reveals the events the led to it. All the familiar noir elements are here - the characters, including an ill-fated ex-boxer named “Swede” (Burt Lancaster), a two-timing femme fatale named Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner), and an wily insurance investigator named Reardon (Edmond O’Brien) who unravels the mystery of Swede’s death; the plot points, including a robbery and double-crosses; and the music by film noir composer Miklos Rozsa. Based on a novel by Ernest Hemmingway, THE KILLERS is a must-see for noir aficionados.