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The Killers

Play trailer Poster for The Killers Released Aug 28, 1946 1h 45m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Two hit men walk into a diner asking for a man called "the Swede" (Burt Lancaster). When the killers find the Swede, he's expecting them and doesn't put up a fight. Since the Swede had a life insurance policy, an investigator (Edmond O'Brien), on a hunch, decides to look into the murder. As the Swede's past is laid bare, it comes to light that he was in love with a beautiful woman (Ava Gardner) who may have lured him into pulling off a bank robbery overseen by another man (Albert Dekker).
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The Killers

Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) It's [got] a blistering opening sequence. Rated: 4/5 Dec 4, 2014 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 28, 2008 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Taken from Ernest Hemingway's story of the same title, picture is a hard-hitting example of forthright melodrama in the best Hemingway style. Performances without exception are top quality. Apr 8, 2008 Full Review Tony Sloman Radio Times This is one of the most powerful and influential thrillers ever made, with director Robert Siodmak's lovingly bleak and pessimistic tone virtually defining the term film noir. Rated: 5/5 Aug 8, 2024 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand [T]he web of deceit and double crosses of the story and expertly-constructed screenplay by Anthony Veiller works thanks to the atmosphere of doom and duplicity created by Siodmak and his crew, and to the defining presence of Lancaster and Gardner. Mar 4, 2023 Full Review Eric Melin Scene-Stealers.com The movie darts around in time, constantly surprising and adding more depth to the character of The Swede. It's a psychological exploration of a man who was so worn down by life that he merely gave up. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 7, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Claudio C The Killers (1946) The Double-Crossers and The Killers (11,578 – 31 Mar 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) In Brentwood, New Jersey, the hitmen Al (Charles McGraw) and Max (William Conrad) arrive at a diner looking for Pete “The Swede” Lund (Burt Lancaster. He uses to have dinner at the place but has not come on this day. When they leave the diner, The Swede’s colleague Nick Adams (Phil Brown), runs to the boarding house where The Swede is lodged but he says that he committed a mistake in the past and is tired of fleeing. Then he is murdered by the killers in his room with no reaction and several shots. The Swede leaves an insurance policy of US$ 2,500 to a hotel housekeeper in Atlantic City and insurance investigator Jim Reardon (Edmond O'Brien) investigates the case. Reardon interviews The Swede’s friends and befriends his best friend, Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky (Sam Levene), who married his former girlfriend Lilly Harmon Lubinsky (Virginia Christine). He learns that The Swede’s real name was Ole Anderson, a former boxer that wounded his powerful right hand and needed to prematurely quit his career. When he meets the crime lord “Big Jim” Colfax (Albert Dekker), he falls for his girlfriend Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner) and initiates a career of crime, assuming the rob of a jewelry to protect Kitty; serving three years in prison; and participating of a heist of a payment roll, culminating in several double-crossing. Now Reardon and Lubinsky team up to find the stolen money. “The Killers” (1946) is a magnificent film-noir directed by Robert Siodmak, with an engaging story about double-crossers and killers. This film is the debut of Burt Lancaster, who performs as a down-to-luck boxer that needs to stop his career and prefers to join the crime life instead of joining the police. Ava Gardner performs the typical femme fatale in film-noir, seducing and betraying The Swede. The non-chronological screenplay discloses the story in many flashbacks originated by a simple insurance police of US$ 2,500 and culminating with the recovery of US# 254,912 from a heist. “The Killers” is certainly among the greatest film-noirs. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): “Os Assassinos” (“The Killers”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/14/25 Full Review Irene M Based on a (Very) short story by Ernest Hemingway, this script and movie has survived the 'test of time'. Its so well done, I'm surprised I've never heard of it before. Its quite complicated and requires your attention! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/24/24 Full Review Audience Member Five Stars 'cuz Ava is SMOKIN' Hot! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/17/24 Full Review Steve D Fine but lacking any surprises. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/29/24 Full Review harwee h Entertaining and well directed, Burt Lancaster always stunning. But in the end you don't care about the characters. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/10/24 Full Review Alec B Think of it as a mash up of "Citizen Kane" and "Double Indemnity". Maybe the ending isn't totally effective but it has one hell of a compelling opening and much of the middle section shades the characters in interesting ways. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Killers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Two hit men walk into a diner asking for a man called "the Swede" (Burt Lancaster). When the killers find the Swede, he's expecting them and doesn't put up a fight. Since the Swede had a life insurance policy, an investigator (Edmond O'Brien), on a hunch, decides to look into the murder. As the Swede's past is laid bare, it comes to light that he was in love with a beautiful woman (Ava Gardner) who may have lured him into pulling off a bank robbery overseen by another man (Albert Dekker).
Director
Robert Siodmak
Producer
Mark Hellinger
Screenwriter
Ernest Hemingway, Anthony Veiller, Richard Brooks, John Huston
Distributor
Universal Pictures, Universal International Pictures
Production Co
Mark Hellinger Productions
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 28, 1946, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 30, 2016
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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