An insurance man (Edmond O'Brien) becomes intrigued with the case, and against the wishes of his superior, he begins an investigation. Just who was the Swede? Why did two professional hit men hunt him down? And why did the Swede accept his death as inevitable?

Director Robert Siodmak never loses a beat in this excellent film noir. The plot moves seamlessly back and forth in time as the investigation into the Swede's past continues. This structure gives the film a very modern feel. Burt Lancaster is in his element here as the Swede--a professional boxer who is forced to start earning money a different way when his right hand is broken. I always find that Burt Lancaster has a sort of blustery presence which may or may not work--depending on the role he assumes. In "The Killers", Lancaster is believable as the boxer who falls for Kitty Collins (the sultry Ava Gardner). As the Swede, Lancaster is a little naïve and gullible, and this role works very well for him. Plus Lancaster is murdered in the opening sequence, and the rest of the film is spent on unraveling the mystery behind the murder. The segmented delivery of the film ameliorates Lancaster's screen presence. I found myself swept along with the investigation, and I certainly didn't guess the ending. This gripping film kept me intrigued from the very beginning, and I recommend it wholeheartedly--displacedhuman

Star(s)-making vehicle (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Bleak and darkly disturbing noir about a double-cross that really turns out to be a triple-cross in disguise. This is the film that made both Burt Lancaster (in his screen debut) and Ava Gardner stars and it's easy to see why by their sincere, solid performances. Ruggedly handsome Lancaster stars as Ole "Swede" Anderson, former boxer turned criminal; gorgeous Gardner smolders opposite him as Kitty Collins, the duplicitous and manipulative vixen who gets under Swede's skin--with deadly consequences for him. Up to this point Gardner was wasted for years by MGM, her "home" studio, plodding thanklessly in bit parts and one-dimensional leads. It took a loan-out to Universal and a meaty, multi-dimensional part to finally make Gardner the star she deserved to be, and also revealed that there was acting ability behind one of history's most ravishing women--the scene of her in a black uni-halter satin dress and long gloves is the stuff of male fantasies! (and probably a lot of women's, too!). Edmund O'Brien justifiably won an academy award for his portrayal of a principled, meticulous insurance investigator. "The Killers" tells the tale of Swede's involvement with crime kingpin "Big Jim" Colfax (Albert Dekker of "Dr. Cyclops" fame) and his merry gang in a masterminded payroll office heist. Kitty, who is Colfax's moll, deliberately misinforms Swede of the others' plan to cut him out of his share and convinces him instead to beat the other's at their own game and take off with the loot and with her. Of course the lovestruck Swede agrees only to wind up the patsy when Kitty slips out with the dough and rejoins lover Colfax--leaving Swede holding the bag. Wonderfully gritty B&W photography which serves perfectly to emphasize the doom and gloom of the situation, tight, briskly paced direction, stark realism, and the previously mentioned performances make this excellent viewing!

Siodmak Scores (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Adapted from an Earnest Hemingway short story, The Killers is an exceptional noir classic, showcased by Burt Lancaster's screen debut and Ava Gardner's stealthy performance as a seductress. The film opens with two ominous hitmen driving into a small town who stop at the local diner. The title implies that the film centers on these two characters but the two hired guns only set up the realistic tone that pervades the film. At the diner, the henchmen interrogate, taunt, and intimidate the proprietor, a customer, and the cook. The opening sequence is tinged with deadpan dialogue, harsh lighting, and a foreboding warning that death is imminent. Charles McGraw and William Conrad play the torpedeos to the hilt. "Talk to me, bright boy, what do you think's going to happen? I'll tell you. We're going to kill a Swede. Do you know a big Swede named Ole Andreson?" (Lancaster). When a customer (Phil Brown) tries to warn the Swede of the impending doom, the Swede lying in bed can only lament that running will not solve his problem. Shortly after, the hitmen burst into the dingy boardinghouse room and blast away. The film then becomes a narrative flashback interspersed with an insurance agent's quest to unravel the circumstances of the Swede's demise. It seems that something far more dangerous than bullets killed the Swede years before- the unrequited love for a manipulative vixen named Kitty (Gardner). The film is brilliantly directed by Robert Siodmak who assumed direction from a disgruntled John Huston. Siodmak uses his European influence as he paints a canvass of dark moods and brushes in a desperate stroke of male vulnerability. The Swede may have been a tough boxer, but he is no match for the cunning Kitty. Edmond O'Brien turns in a credible performance as the insurance investigator who pieces together the events, places, and people that ultimately led to the Swede's death. All of Siodmak's ventures into the realm of noir were excellent (Cry of the City, Criss Cross, The Phantom Lady), but The Killers ranks as his crowning jewel.

Lancaster's Screen Debut is Memorable (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Adapted from an Earnest Hemingway short story, The Killers is an exceptional noir classic showcased by Burt Lancaster's screen debut and Ava Gardner's stealthy performance as a seductress. The film opens with two ominous hitmen driving into a small town and stopping at the local diner. The title implies that the film centers on these two characters, but the two hired guns only set up the realistic tone that pervades the remainder of the film. At the diner the henchmen interrogate , taunt, and intimidate the proprietor, a customer, and the cook. The opening sequence is tinged with deadpan dialogue, harsh lighting, and a foreboding warning that death is imminent. Charles McGraw and William Conrad play the torepedoes to the hilt as evidenced by these lines: "Talk to me bright boy, what do you think's going to happen?" "I'll tell you. "We're going to kill a Swede." "Do you know a big Swede named Ole Andreson?" (Lancaster) When a customer (Phil Brown tries to warn the Swede of the impending doom, the Swede laying in bed can only lament that running will not solve his problem. Shortly after the hitmen burst into the shadowy boardinghouse room and blast away. The film then becomes a narrative flashback as an insurance investigator (Edmond O'Brien) attempts to piece together the Swede's troubled past. It seems that something far more dangerous than bullets killed the Swede years before- the unrequited love for a beautiful, manipulative vixen named Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner). The film is brilliantly directed by Robert Siodmak who assumed direction after a disgruntled John Huston bowed out. Sidomak's European impressionistic influence is evident as he paints a canvass of dark moods and brushes in a desperate stroke of male vunerability. The Swede may have been a tough boxer, but he is no match for Kitty. Edmond O'Brien turns in a credible performance as the insurance investigator who combines the events, places, and people together that led to the Swede's death. All of Sidomak's ventures into the realm of noir were excellent works - (Cry of the City, Criss Cross, The Phantom Lady), but The Killers ranks as his crowning statement.

The Swede Lives Forever (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Edmond O'Brien, the King of Noir. Ava Gardner, like a porcelain goddess femme fatale. Burt Lancaster as the victim in waiting. Albert Dekker, the villain from "Kiss Me Deadly". What more do you want?
The climax in the roadhouse with accelerating piano notes will have you grabbing your chair, the curtains, and the carpet all at once. A great noir film that never loses its path or pace, it's about greed and lust and all the death that follows it.
Look for an appearance by William (Cannon, Jay Ward cartoons) Conrad as a brutal hit man.

Cast Pins Story (Rating: 4.00)
Review : Here's an example of an assortment of fine actors, and a dedicated and imaginative director, overcoming a sloppy script. Once the Hemingway material was used up the screenwriters emptied the sack of film-noir spare parts in an effort to keep this vehicle running: the fight game, the big heist, the prison cell buddies, the nightclub shootup, the chanteuse, the double-cross. But just watching the actors delivering their lines and director Robert Siodmak's lighting and camera work make it worthwhile. And you'll never see better black and white cinematography than here. Burt Lancaster is pretty awkward in his first film, but he gives a glimpse of the power and screen magnetism he later devleoped.