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The Whistler

Play trailer Poster for The Whistler 1944 59m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 33% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Earl Conrad (Richard Dix), a recent widower, is so grief-stricken by his wife's death that he desperately wants to join her. Despite his ardent death wish, he can't bring himself to commit suicide, so he uses a go-between to hire a hit man (J. Carrol Naish) to kill him. Shockingly, not long after putting out a contract on himself, he discovers his wife is alive. When he realizes that his contact to the assassin is dead, Earl must find a way to reach his elusive killer before his time runs out.

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The Whistler

Critics Reviews

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Age Staff The Age (Australia) 11/19/2020
Unfortunately, it has been handled by a script writer and director with barely an original thought between them, so that it is developed in a drab, routine manner. Go to Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times 05/06/2008
We get the routine spectacle of a dragged-out killer-and-victim chase, all very serious and phony-and, consequently, very dull. Go to Full Review Josephine O'Neill Daily Telegraph (Australia) 11/24/2020
There are too many irrelevant incidents, and far too many pointless scenes. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 04/22/2002
B-
The film's theme is that man cannot change his destiny, and if his destiny is to die by murder...that's what it will be. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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08/31/2012 good B movie thrller -the first of 8. See more 11/13/2008 Nice atmospheric work, all the more enjoyable for being directed by Castle. A bit abrupt and rather disjointed, but then again good noir should always be unpredictable. See more 08/12/2008 The first entry in this Film Noir series is one of the best. Fans of Noir will want to check these films out. See more 01/06/2008 Fun, early Castle effort! Reminded me more of noir, serials and The Whistler's old-time-radio roots than later Castle classics. See more 12/13/2007 This one was kind of a sleeper, and will probably always remain that way, but it's a very good noir with some very good twists. See more Read all reviews
The Whistler

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Cast & Crew

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William Castle

Director

Richard Dix

Earl C. Conrad

J. Carrol Naish

The Killer

Gloria Stuart

Alice Walker

Alan Dinehart

Gorman

Eric Taylor

Screenwriter
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The Whistler

The Whistler (1944) The Whistler (1944) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Earl Conrad (Richard Dix), a recent widower, is so grief-stricken by his wife's death that he desperately wants to join her. Despite his ardent death wish, he can't bring himself to commit suicide, so he uses a go-between to hire a hit man (J. Carrol Naish) to kill him. Shockingly, not long after putting out a contract on himself, he discovers his wife is alive. When he realizes that his contact to the assassin is dead, Earl must find a way to reach his elusive killer before his time runs out.
Director
William Castle
Producer
Rudolph C. Flothow
Screenwriter
Eric Taylor
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Larry Darmour Productions
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 30, 1944, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 11, 2017
Runtime
59m
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