The Whistler

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The Whistler

Released Mar 30, 1944

59m

Mystery & Thriller

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4 Reviews

33%

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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.

Age Staff

The Age (Australia)

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.

Nov 19, 2020

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

We get the routine spectacle of a dragged-out killer-and-victim chase, all very serious and phony-and, consequently, very dull.

May 6, 2008

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Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

There are too many irrelevant incidents, and far too many pointless scenes.

Nov 24, 2020

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

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.

Rated: B-

Apr 22, 2002

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Audience Member

good B movie thrller -the first of 8.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

The first entry in this Film Noir series is one of the best. Fans of Noir will want to check these films out.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

Fun, early Castle effort! Reminded me more of noir, serials and The Whistler's old-time-radio roots than later Castle classics.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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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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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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