{"id":37584,"date":"2016-09-21T10:15:14","date_gmt":"2016-09-21T17:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37584"},"modified":"2021-02-04T17:01:41","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T00:01:41","slug":"killers-the-1946","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37584","title":{"rendered":"Killers, The (1946)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I did something wrong once.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"232\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-37585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster-128x99.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster-768x595.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster-1024x793.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-1946-Poster.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen two hit-men (William Conrad and Charles McGraw) kill a former boxer (Burt Lancaster) known as &#8220;The Swede&#8221;, an insurance agent (Edmond O&#8217;Brien) slowly unravels a complex tale of Lancaster&#8217;s obsessive love for a beautiful singer (Ava Gardner), as well as his involvement in a heist organized by crime boss &#8220;Big Jim&#8221; (Albert Dekker).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ava Gardner Films<\/li>\n<li>Burt Lancaster Films<\/li>\n<li>Edmond O&#8217;Brien Films<\/li>\n<li>Femmes Fatales<\/li>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Heists<\/li>\n<li>Hit Men<\/li>\n<li>Obsessive Love<\/li>\n<li>Robert Siodmak Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this elaboration on Ernest Hemingway&#8217;s &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Killers_(Hemingway_short_story)\">concise but powerful short story<\/a> about a couple of hitmen rubbing out an ex-boxer in his hotel room&#8221; features &#8220;sharp dialogue, strong, atmospheric direction by Robert Siodmak, and an excellent cast&#8221;, but he argues that &#8220;the storyline that was chosen is fairly conventional&#8221; and &#8220;has dated&#8221;. However, the reverse-chronology flashback structure is uniquely effective: despite &#8220;knowing from the start that [Lancaster&#8217;s] character is dead&#8221;, we remain curious to learn how he arrived in his hopeless situation. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster3-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary writes that Lancaster is &#8220;somewhat stiff but okay in his movie debut&#8221;, though I actually find him perfectly suited for his cipher-role as a duped <em>noir<\/em> chump who we learn about exclusively through the memories of those who knew him &#8212; including his policeman-friend (Sam Levene), his former girlfriend (Virginia Christine), and a crook named Dum Dum (Jack Lambert).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lambert.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lambert.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lambert.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lambert-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lambert-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Gardner is sexy and charismatic, but primarily a <em>noir<\/em> icon rather than a fully-fledged character &#8212; at least until her &#8220;final, loopy moments on the screen&#8221; when she shows evidence of &#8220;strong dramatic acting&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68725\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner3-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>O&#8217;Brien is really the film&#8217;s primary protagonist: despite being given multiple gentle warnings by his boss (Donald MacBridge) to stop wasting time on the case, he persists out of sheer determination, ensuring we learn the truth about the Swede! <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68727\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-OBrien2-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, it&#8217;s Elwood Bredell&#8217;s atmospherically <em>noir<\/em>-ish cinematography that remains the film&#8217;s true stand-out, with many visually memorable scenes &#8212; including the highly tense opening sequence in the diner. The <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37224\">1964 remake by Don Siegel<\/a> is also worthy viewing; both films are enjoyable in different ways. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Burt Lancaster as &#8220;The Swede&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Lancaster-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine supporting performances<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner-OBrien.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner-OBrien.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner-OBrien.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner-OBrien-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Gardner-OBrien-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>The tension-filled opening sequence<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Opening2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Opening2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Opening2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Opening2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Opening2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Siodmak&#8217;s direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Direction-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Elwood Bredell&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-37598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography3.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography3-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Killers-Cinematography3-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Anthony Veiller&#8217;s well-crafted screenplay<\/li>\n<li>Miklos Rozsa&#8217;s score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a <em>noir<\/em> classic. Selected in 2008 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0038669\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tcm.com\/this-month\/article\/88449%7C0\/The-Killers.html\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s715kill.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.qnetwork.com\/index.php?page=review&#038;id=3321\">Q Network Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/killers.html\">FilmSite Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I did something wrong once.&#8221; Synopsis: When two hit-men (William Conrad and Charles McGraw) kill a former boxer (Burt Lancaster) known as &#8220;The Swede&#8221;, an insurance agent (Edmond O&#8217;Brien) slowly unravels a complex tale of Lancaster&#8217;s obsessive love for a beautiful singer (Ava Gardner), as well as his involvement in a heist organized by crime boss &#8220;Big Jim&#8221; (Albert Dekker). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Ava Gardner Films Burt Lancaster Films Edmond O&#8217;Brien Films Femmes Fatales Flashback Films Heists Hit&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37584\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37584"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68728,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584\/revisions\/68728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}