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The Killing
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The Killing (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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The Killing (1956) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Writers:
Stanley Kubrick (screenplay)
Jim Thompson (dialogue)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Killing on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 June 1956 (USA) more
Tagline:
These 5 Men Had a $2,000,000 Secret Until One of them told this Woman! more
Plot:
Crooks plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. more
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
User Reviews:
Kubrick's first classic, and still one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made. more (168 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Sterling Hayden ... Johnny Clay
Coleen Gray ... Fay
Vince Edwards ... Val Cannon
Jay C. Flippen ... Marvin Unger
Ted de Corsia ... Policeman Randy Kennan (as Ted DeCorsia)
Marie Windsor ... Sherry Peatty
Elisha Cook Jr. ... George Peatty (as Elisha Cook)
Joe Sawyer ... Mike O'Reilly
James Edwards ... Track Parking Attendant

Timothy Carey ... Nikki Arcane
Kola Kwariani ... Maurice Oboukhoff
Jay Adler ... Leo the Loanshark
Tito Vuolo ... Joe Piano - motel manager
Dorothy Adams ... Mrs. Ruthie O'Reilly
Herbert Ellis ... 2nd American Airlines Clerk
James Griffith ... Mr. Grimes, Airline Supervisor
Cecil Elliott ... Lady with Small Dog
Joe Turkel ... Tiny (as Joseph Turkel)
Steve Mitchell ... Brown, American Airlines Clerk
Mary Carroll ... Woman asking Kennan for Help
William 'Billy' Benedict ... American Airlines Clerk (as William Benedict)
Charles Cane ... Plainclothesman at Airport (as Charles R. Cane)
Robert Williams ... Plainclothesman at Airport (as Robert B. Williams)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Franklyn Farnum ... Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
John George ... Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
Art Gilmore ... Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Sol Gorss ... Track Guard slugged by Johnny (uncredited)
Harry Hines ... Chess Player (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp ... Racetrack Extra (uncredited)
Hal J. Moore ... Race Track P.A. Announcer (uncredited)
Harvey Parry ... Bartender (uncredited)
Richard Reeves ... Bill, Track Employee in Locker Room (uncredited)
Frank Richards ... Track Employee in Locker Room (uncredited)
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Directed by
Stanley Kubrick 
 
Writing credits
Stanley Kubrick (screenplay)

Jim Thompson (dialogue)

Lionel White (novel "Clean Break")

Produced by
James B. Harris .... producer
Alexander Singer .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Gerald Fried 
 
Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard 
 
Film Editing by
Betty Steinberg 
 
Art Direction by
Ruth Sobotka 
 
Set Decoration by
Harry Reif 
 
Makeup Department
Robert Littlefield .... makeup artist
Lillian Shore .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Clarence Eurist .... production supervisor (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Milton Carter .... assistant director
Paul Feiner .... second assistant director
Howard Joslin .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Karl Brainard .... assistant set decorator (as Carl Brainard)
Christopher Ebsen .... chief carpenter
Bud Pine .... construction supervisor
Robert L. Stephen .... chief painter
Ray Zambel .... property master
 
Sound Department
Rex Lipton .... sound effects editor
Earl Snyder .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Dave Koehler .... special effects
 
Visual Effects by
Louis DeWitt .... photographic effects
Jack Rabin .... photographic effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Lou Cortese .... best boy
Paul Eagler .... process camera operator
Carl Gibson .... head grip
Robert Hosler .... second assistant camera
Bobby Jones .... gaffer
Richard Towers .... camera operator (as Dick Tower)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beaumelle .... costumes: Miss Windsor
Rudy Harrington .... wardrobe: women
Jack Masters .... wardrobe
 
Music Department
Gerald Fried .... conductor
Gilbert D. Marchant .... music editor (as Gilbert Marchant)
 
Transportation Department
Dave Lesser .... transportation
 
Other crew
Mary Gibsone .... script supervisor
Joyce Hartman .... assistant to director
Marguerite Olson .... production assistant
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Bed of Fear (USA) (working title)
Clean Break (USA) (working title)
Day of Violence (USA) (working title)
Die Rechnung ging nicht auf (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Atracament perfecte (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Atraco perfecto (Spain) [es]
Casta de malditos (Argentina) [es]
Coup manqué (Belgium: French title) [fr]
Ha-Hereg (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
I klopi (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
L'ultime razzia (France) [fr]
Mislukte opzet (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Mordet (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
O Grande Golpe (Brazil) [pt]
Peli on menetetty (Finland) [fi]
Rapina a mano armata (Italy) [it]
Son darbe (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Spelet är förlorat (Sweden) [sv]
Tappo (Finland) [fi]
The Killing (Finland) (reissue title) [fi]
To hrima tis orgis (Greece) [el]
Ubistvo (Serbia) [sr]
Um Roubo no Hipódromo (Portugal) [pt]
more
Runtime:
85 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Finland:(Banned) (1956) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-15 (2003) | Finland:K-16 (1960) (cut) | Spain:T | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Norway:16 | Canada:14A (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Ireland:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17836) (original rating) | West Germany:12

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film was shot in 24 days. more
Goofs:
Boom mic visible: Every time Johnny Clay pulls up to the hotel you can see the shadow of the boom mic on the road. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Narrator: At exactly 3:45 on that Saturday afternoon in the last week of September, Marvin Unger was, perhaps, the only one among the hundred thousand people at the track who felt no thrill at the running of the fifth race. He was totally disinterested in horse racing and held a lifelong contempt for gambling...
more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

Any recommendations for other horse track heist films like "The Killing"?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "The Killing" based on a novel?
more
88 out of 113 people found the following review useful.
Kubrick's first classic, and still one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made., 14 January 2003
Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia

'The Killing' has been overshadowed by Stanley Kubrick's subsequent better known and better made movie masterpieces. Films like 'Dr. Strangelove', '2001' and 'A Clockwork Orange' are much more flamboyant and intellectually exciting than this early hard boiled crime thriller, but for my money it is still one of his most entertaining movies, and in its own modest way just as brilliant as his more talked about films. 'The Killing' is still one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made, and one which influenced many film makers working in this genre, not the least of which Quentin Tarantino, who obviously worships this picture, and used its innovative structure as major inspiration for 'Pulp Fiction'. Kubrick wrote 'The Killing's script as well as directing, but made the smart move of asking "the Dime Store Dostoevski" Jim Thompson, author of pulp classics like 'The Killer Inside Me' and 'The Getaway' to supply the fresh and memorable dialogue. Sterling Hayden, who later achieved screen immmortality as General Jack D. Ripper in 'Dr Strangelove', is perfect as ambitious small time crook Johnny Clay. He is surrounded by an almost flawless supporting cast. I qualified that because I wasn't totally convinced by Coleen Gray who plays Johnny's girlfriend. However she only really has one scene, and the rest of the cast more than makes up for her. Especially memorable are the mis-matched husband and wife played by Elisha Cook, Jr ('The House On Haunted Hill') and the sultry Marie Windsor (noir classic 'Narrow Margin'). Their scenes together are simply terrific. Also noteworthy are the two scenes featuring legendary crazy Timothy Carey ('The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie'). Carey was one of the most extraordinary performers to set foot in front of a movie character, and is unforgettable. Kubrick obviously thought highly of him as he subsequently cast him in his anti-war classic 'Paths Of Glory', a move which antagonised the movie's star Kirk Douglas. Even if 'The Killing' didn't feature such a strong performance from Sterling Hayden it would be worth watching just to catch Cook, Windsor and Carey. On top of that you have some other great actors such as Vince Edwards, an innovative script, hip dialogue and some brilliant directorial touches. This exciting heist movie can't be recommended highly enough, it's a real treat for film buffs. A brilliant film that still packs a punch after almost fifty years, something I doubt you will be saying about many movies currently showing in today's theatres. 'The Killing' is a super cool suspense movie and not to be missed!

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Did pulp fiction take a scene TheBudderKing
Metaphorical meaning to loss of the winnings dawise_guy666
Enough questions about the suitcase people sedna1000
Mistakes in narration? pisces_foo
Greatest Films of All Time (IMHO) Dead_Head_Filmmaker
was this the first non-linear structured movie? Pvt_Joker
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